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On a quest for a better football helmet

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8 months ago

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On a quest for a better football helmet

LIGHT’s Apache helmets use an impact-modified nylon shell and a 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane liner. The liner can compress up to 80 percent of its thickness under full compression compared to traditional foam, which Brush says may compress 20 to 30 percent at most. The liner is made up of 20 different cylindrical pods, each of which has variable stiffness depending on the location in the helmet.“That helped us make decisions around what we wanted to incorporate into our helmets and what we thought was unnecessary,” Brush says.Throughout his football career, Brush says concussions hung over the sport. He was only formally diagnosed with one concussion, but he notes how difficult it can be to accurately diagnose concussions during games.Brush says the shell is more flexible than traditional helmets, which is part of a broader trend among companies focusing on concussion avoidance.“It’s really cool to work in the football helmet space after playing the sport for so long,” Brush says. “We did this with a fraction of the research and development budget of our competitors. It’s a great feeling to have worked on something that could help so many people.”No helmet ensures total safety, and the NFL carries out helmet tests of its own, but for Brush, who played football for most of his life, the latest results were a rewarding milestone.Brush worked as an accident reconstruction expert immediately after graduation before joining a product design firm. It was through that position that he first began working with LIGHT Helmets through a consulting project. He started full time with LIGHT last year.“Last year, we sold about 5,000 helmets, but we’re anticipating tenfold growth this year,” Brush says. “Dealers see the opportunity to sell the number-one-rated helmet at the price of a lot of much lower-rated helmets.”Regardless of who he roots for, when football becomes safer, everyone wins.Brush spent his playing career at middle linebacker, a position often considered the quarterback of the defense. In that role, he got accustomed to helping teammates understand their assignments on the field and making sure everyone was in the right position. At MIT, he quickly realized his role would be different.“I’m currently the only engineer at LIGHT, so I wear a lot of different hats,” Brush says.Brush led the development of LIGHT’s Apache helmet. His approach harkened back to his favorite class at MIT, 2.009 (Product Engineering Process). In the process of building prototypes, students in that class are often tasked with taking apart other products to study how they’re made. For Apache, Brush started by disassembling competing helmets to try to understand how they work, where they’re limited, and where each ounce of weight comes from.For instance, he only used to watch NFL games on Sundays occasionally. But now that his helmets are on TV, he finds himself rooting for the players and teams wearing them.“The idea with the flexible shell is we’re now able to squish both the inside and outside of the helmet, which lets you extend the length of the impact and lower the severity of the hit,” Brush says.“We’re trying to lower the overall amount of energy going into each impact by lowering the weight of the helmet,” Brush says. “It’s a balancing act trying to have a complete, polished product with all the bells and whistles while at the same time keeping the mass of the helmet as low as possible.”Other helmets from LIGHT are already being used at the highest levels, with players from 30 of the 32 NFL teams choosing a LIGHT Helmet when they suit up, the company says. That traction has changed Brush’s relationship with football.A safer helmetA winning formulaSince then, Brush has managed research and development along with the production of new helmet lines, working closely with LIGHT’s technology partner, KOLLIDE.From the field to the lab“We did baseline tests before the season so we could take tests after a suspected concussion to see if our cognitively ability was degraded,” Brush explains. “But as a player, you want to get back out there and keep helping your team, so players often try to downplay injuries. The doctors do their best.”For the last year, former MIT middle linebacker and mechanical engineer Kodiak Brush ’17 has been leading the development of football helmets for the California-based sports equipment manufacturer LIGHT Helmets. In December, Brush notched a major achievement in that work: LIGHT Helmets’ new Apache helmet line was ranked the highest-performing helmet ever in safety tests by Virginia Tech’s renowned helmet-testing lab.Next time you’re watching football you might be looking at an important feat of engineering from an MIT alumnus.“In high school, I was constantly reminding teammates what their job was and helping linemen when they lined up in the wrong spot,” Brush says. “At MIT, I didn’t need to do that at all. Everyone knew exactly what their job was. It was really cool playing football with such an intelligent group.”Brush says the company’s performance in Virginia Tech’s tests has garnered a lot of excitement in the industry. The Apache helmet is available for use across high school, college, and professional levels, and the company is currently developing a youth version.The ranking bolsters LIGHT Helmets’ innovative effort to make football helmets lighter and safer.

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High School Sports

Watch Thursday 9.4 JSZ Football Highlights

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3 months ago

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September 5, 2025

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Watch Thursday 9.4 JSZ Football Highlights

We’ve got Thursday night football to kick off Week 1 around the Garden State as JSZ brings you three games from the gridiron. Princeton and Allentown meet in a Mercer County thriller, Demarest looks to start strong against Bergen Tech plus Washington Township tries to reach 2-0 against Pennsauken in the WJFL. Check back as the highlights are posted throughout the night!

Down 6-0, senior Ellinton Hinds who already had an interception on the first drive of the game, made one of the best catches in all of New Jersey high school football so far this season to keep Princeton (2-0) undefeated in 2025. Hinds had two leaping catches from QB Quinton deFaria, who threw for 109 yards and a TD. The Tigers beat Allentown (0-2) for the first time since 2005 and look to keep their win streak alive with a Week 2 matchup against Ewing.

JSZ’s Tyler Mroz has the highlights + reaction from Allentown: 

Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Princeton and Allentown is brought to you by Princeton Orthopaedic Associates.

The Minutemen took care of business in their home opener by racing out to a 35-0 halftime lead and cruising the rest of the way. Colin Beeler scored a pair of touchdowns to lead a bruising rushing attack in the victory. Paris Pratt hauled in a touchdown and added a fumble return touchdown for Washington Township (2-0). Pennsauken (1-1) will look to bounce back next Thursday against Highland.

JSZ’s James Mooney has the highlights from Sewell:

Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Washington Township is made possible by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

With lead running back Reed Kauderer unavailable for the majority of the game, the Norsemen needed their other playmakers to step up. They ultimately answered the bell. Quarterback Joseph Yun accounted for three total touchdowns as Demarest (1-0) begins their 2025 season with a bang. Daejuan Joseph caught a pair of touchdown passes in the win. Bergen Tech (0-1) will now turn their focus to a game against Ferris next week.

JSZ’s Sean Dugan has the highlights from Little Ferry:

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High School Sports

High school football

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3 months ago

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September 5, 2025

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High school football

Five games dotted the high school football schedule Thursday night.

In Class AA, Butte stormed past Billings Skyview 33-13 on the road while Missoula Sentinel knocked off No. 3 Great Falls CMR 6-0. A big showdown in 8-Man lived up to its billing as No. 3 Fort Benton beat No. 2 Belt 24-22.

Check out the highlights and details below:

CLASS AA

Missoula Sentinel 6, No. 3 Great Falls CMR 0

After a scoreless first half, Sentinel struck with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Rudy Hess to Kyler Haslam. That ended up being the game’s only score, as the Spartans’ defense kept Great Falls CMR off the scoreboard entirely.

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:

Missoula Sentinel knocks off No. 3 Great Falls CMR in defensive slugfest

Sentinel held CMR to six first downs, and 0-for-9 showing on third down and 132 total offensive yards. The Spartans’ Jake Boggust recovered a fumble on a promising CMR drive in the fourth quarter that helped preserve the shutout.

Butte 33, Billings Skyview 13

Hudson Luedtke caught three touchdown passes from Brooks Vincent to lead Butte to a road victory. Peyton Johnson had a scoring run and Jaeger Hansen returned an interception for a TD as the Bulldogs built a sizable first-half lead.

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:

Butte picks up convincing win at Billings Skyview

The Falcons got their points on two touchdown passes from Jaxon Zagata to Jackson Carter.

At halftime, Skyview celebrated the 30th anniversary of its 1995 state title team. That year, the Falcons went 11-1 under coach Rob Lebsock and won the Class AA championship with a 27-20 victory over Bozeman.

1995 Billings Skyview

The 1995 state champion Billings Skyview Falcons are honored at Daylis Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Billings.

8-MAN

No. 3 Fort Benton 24, No. 2 Belt 22

Truman Giese’s fourth-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion gave Fort Benton the lead and two defensive takeaways in the final minutes helped maintain it as Fort Benton knocked off Belt in a ranked matchup.

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:

No. 3 Fort Benton knocks off No. 2 Belt in 8-Man showdown

Blake Waldner set an early tone for the Huskies with a 29-yard touchdown run, but Giese scored from 3 yards out to help tie it 8-8 in the second quarter.

Slater Lords had a long catch and run for a touchdown, putting Belt up 16-8, but a Giese-to-David Olson TD pass tied the game again. In the third, Waldner turned a Huskies interception into another touchdown run as Belt grabbed a 22-16 advantage. But it didn’t hold up.

Other Thursday scores:

8-Man

Fairview 64, Poplar 0

6-Man

Highwood 62, Alberton 0

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What is the Fastest Tennis Serve of All Time?

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3 months ago

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September 5, 2025

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What is the Fastest Tennis Serve of All Time?

In this countdown, we look back at the fastest recorded tennis serves of all time.

Service speed remains a dominant feature in the modern game and can become a player’s trump card out on the court.

With players getting stronger and cutting-edge technology in tennis racquets making leaps and bounds, serves today are faster than ever.

We take a look at the fastest serves ever recorded by men and women out on the tennis court.

Men’s fastest tennis serve

Sam Groth – 263.4kph (163.7mph.)

Australian Sam Groth has the honour of having the fastest recorded tennis serve of all time.

The 6ft 4 Australian set the record during an ATP Open Challenger match in Busan, South Korea, in 2012 against Belarusian tennis player Uladzimir Ignatik.

Groths serve clocks in at a staggering 263.4kph (163.7mph).

Honorable mentions

Second Fastest Recorded Serve in Tennis

Albano Olivetti – 257.5 kph (160mph)

Frenchman Albano Olivetti holds the record for the second-fastest serve ever recorded. The French tennis pro also remains the second person to break the 160mph serve speed barrier.

Olivetti’s serve came in 2012 at the challenger level during the Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel–Faip.

Albano Olivetti

Albano Olivetti holds the second-fastest record serve on the tour.

Third Fastest Recorded Serve in Tennis

John Isner – 253 kph (157.2 mph).

It would be hard not to include the American giant John Isner in this list. The 6ft 10 American is known best for his monster serves, which are delivered consistently throughout.

His monstrous serve is thanks in part to his stature. Isner clocks in as the third-tallest tennis player on the ATP behind the Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic and American young gun Reilly Opelka (both 6ft 11 inches). Ivo Karlovic currently holds the record for the fourth fastest recorded tennis serve.

Isner currently holds the third fastest serve in tennis. The Americans serve, clocking in at 253 kph (157.2 mph) during a 2016 Davis Cup tie against Bernard Tomic.

John Isner also holds the record for playing the longest match in Grand Slam history against Nicolas Mahut. During Wimbledon 2010, Isner beat Mahut in 5 sets: 6–4, 3–6, 6–7, 7–6, 70–68. The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes.

Isner’s serve is the fastest recorded serve in tennis, recognised by the ATP.

Fastest Tennis Serve Female

Georgina García Pérez – 220kph (136.7 mph)

Spaniard Georgina Garcia Perez holds the record for the fastest recorded tennis serve by a woman.

Perez clocked a serve of 200kph (136.7 mph) during the Hungarian Ladies Open in 2018.

Georgina Garcia Perez

Georgina Garcia Perez holds the record for the fastest serve by a female.

Why is it nearly impossible to hit a 160 mph tennis serve?

A considered calculation of stature, technique, coaching, mechanics and good old practice is said to make the perfect concoction for a fast serve.

A direct correlation has been proven between the height of a player and power during a serve. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the top servers of the game are all giants by nature.

The trajectory of a serve remains ever important. Players who are 6ft 7 or above have the ability to hit the ball with a downward trajectory, whereas those who are under that height are unable to do so.

Modern technology has also greatly aided in the incremental increase of server power over time. The changeover from wooden rackets to today’s modern racket is a huge factor in determining serve power. Advancements in string technology and racket materials also play a huge part in determining a fast serve.

Other mitigating factors include court conditions. Faster serves are much more likely to happen on a hard court and during hotter temperatures, where there is less resistance to air density, translating to faster speeds.

When you compare the fastest tennis serve with other sports, you can see how fast it is.

Fastest Football shot – 114 mph by David Hirst in 1996
Fastest Baseball pitch – 105.1 mph by Aroldis Chapman in 2010
Fastest Cricket Bowling speed – 100.2 mph by Shoaib Akhtar in 2003

What is the average tennis serve speed?

The average tennis serve speed differs between both men and women, as well as between pros and amateurs. Data shows us that for professional male tennis players, the average tennis serve speed is approximately 114 mph (on their first serve) and 93 mph (on their second serve).

For women, the average tennis serve speed clocks in at 98 mph (on their first serve) and 82 mph (on their second serve).

This data was recorded between 2002-2013, so bear in mind the average speeds have likely increased by a few miles per hour in the modern era, as racquet technology and athletes continue to evolve and adapt within the sport.

Check out Wired’s video, which covers the topic more in-depth.

Fancy writing for us: Apply to become a Sports Writer at the Sporting Ferret

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Poudre tennis top singles player Owen Addington voted Blue FCU Athlete of the Week

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3 months ago

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September 5, 2025

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Poudre tennis top singles player Owen Addington voted Blue FCU Athlete of the Week

It’s the second edition of Blue Federal Credit Union‘s Fort Collins-area Athlete of the Week for the 2025-26 high school sports season.

And this week’s honor is hitting the local tennis courts with a top singles player.

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Poudre boys tennis player Owen Addington took top honors in the Fort Collins area for the week of Aug. 25-30 after a couple of dominant sweeps.

Playing on the No. 1 singles line, the Impalas senior dropped just six games in four sets across two match wins over Windsor and Northglenn’s top players.

He beat Windsor’s Joseph Bisceglia (6-2, 6-3) and followed that up with a 6-0, 6-1 over Northglenn’s Emrah Mehidic.

Poudre's Owen Addington bends down to hit a shot during a city rivalry boys tennis dual on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 at Fort Collins High School in Fort Collins, Colo.

Poudre’s Owen Addington bends down to hit a shot during a city rivalry boys tennis dual on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 at Fort Collins High School in Fort Collins, Colo.

Addington, also a basketball player and tennis team captain, has helped Poudre get off to a 3-1 start this season that also included a team tournament title at the Thompson Valley Invitational.

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The senior and third-year varsity player is the first tennis player to earn Blue FCU Athlete of the Week honors in the award’s third school year. He joins Rocky Mountain’s Bode Nesbitt as the first winners in the 2025-26 prep sports season.

Poudre fans pushed Addington atop the polls, giving him the victory with 51.5% of the fan vote.

That propelled him past these other four outstanding Athlete of the Week nominees:

  • Brooke Pravlik, PSD flag football (runner-up at 36.7%)

  • Taylor Morgan, Wellington softball

  • Judd Nikkel, Fossil Ridge boys golf

  • Nora Ebel, Rocky Mountain girls cross country

The Blue Federal Credit Union Athlete of the Week series features five nominees on Mondays, with voting at Coloradoan.com until 11:59 p.m. every Wednesday.

Fans can nominate their favorite athletes (deadline: 11:59 p.m. every Sunday), and the Coloradoan Sports staff will ultimately select the nominees each week.

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If you have nominations for a future Athlete of the Week, please send them via email to ChrisAbshire@coloradoan.com for consideration.

View the full results:

Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Poudre tennis’ Owen Addington voted Blue FCU Athlete of the Week

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High School Sports

7 high school takeaways from Thursday, or as we call it High School Football Eve

Published

3 months ago

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September 5, 2025

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7 high school takeaways from Thursday, or as we call it High School Football Eve

BB&N senior Sam Kelley (right) announced he will play football at Brown. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

With sincere apologies to all the games played Thursday, here at Globe Schools it feels a lot like Christmas Eve, with a full slate of high school football arriving under the tree Friday evening.

Over the last two weeks we talked to nearly 200 football coaches and wrote more than 30,000 words previewing every team in Eastern Mass. There’s still time for a cram session!

Team-by-team previews for every Eastern Mass. program

Trevor Hass wrote about Whittier football coach Kevin Bradley, who is continuing to coach the team while battling tongue cancer. Read coach Bradley’s inspirational story.

The first three football games of the season were played Thursday night, with Pentucket topping Northeast (26-22), Waltham holding off Belmont (24-12), and Brookline beating Lexington (27-10).

1. Milestones

▪ Two golf teams made history, as Canton set a new low home score at Blue Hill Country Club, scoring a 138 as a team to best Mansfield by 15 strokes thanks to 1-under-par 33s from senior Joey Ryan and freshman Chase Thomas.

▪ Rockport set a record for most points on its home course, Rockport Country Club, posting a 168-151 win over Hamilton-Wenham behind a 38-point showing from Sam Kesterson, who shot a 1-under-par 34 with three birdies.

▪ St. John Paul II field hockey coach Leah Pierce got her first win with the program, beating Bishop Stang, 3-0. Ariana Liakos got her first win helming the Pembroke girls’ volleyball, beating Falmouth, 3-1. And Acton-Boxborough girls’ soccer coach Manny Lopes notched his first victory, 4-0, over Algonquin.

2. Upset city

▪ No. 4 Needham girls’ volleyball knocked off preseason No. 1 Brookline, 3-0, just a day after falling, 3-0, to No. 2 Newton North.

▪ On the pitch, No. 18 Medfield boys’ soccer shocked No. 10 Oliver Ames, the defending Division 2 state champions, with a 2-0 win powered by goals from Max Tillmann and Sebastian Cole.

3. College corner

Keene State freshman Kayla DiPasquale, a Marshfield High graduate, was named Little East Conference women’s soccer Rookie of the Week after scoring her first two collegiate goals in a 4-2 win over Rivier.

4. Commitment central

BB&N senior captain Sam Kelley, a 6-foot-2-inch, 228-pound two-way athlete from Natick, announced he will play football at Brown.

5. Soccer leaderboard

Goals

Talia Lowney, Greater Lowell, 5

Mary Kudarauskas, Sturgis West, 4

Rowan Malvey, Marshfield, 4

Miguel Armaczuk, St. John Paul II, 3

Cody Boghdan, St. John Paul II, 3

Jackie Fritz, Salem, 3

Linda Jenner, Sharon, 3

Leah Monahan, Lowell, 3

Angie Niz, Lynn Tech, 3

Devon Weafer, Medfield, 3

Bella Wen, Westwood, 3

Davide Vitale, Shawsheen, 3

Points

Lowney, Greater Lowell, 10

Kudarauskas, Sturgis West, 8

Malvey, Marshfield, 8

Kaylee Barrett, Lynnfield, 7

Jenner, Sharon 6

Lauren Sutliffe, Duxbury, 6

Vitale, Shawsheen, 6

Lyla Chapman, Tewksbury, 5

Ava Damiani, Lynnfield, 5

Jocelyn DeMedeiros, Sturgis West, 5

Zach Dziggle, Shawsheen, 5

Maddie Fernandes, Mansfield, 5

Sophie Hano, Manchester Essex, 5

Cory Lloyd, O’Bryant, 5

Sera Eramo, Greater Lowell, 5

6. Field hockey leaders

Goals

Hannah D’Angelo, Pembroke, 4

Dani Ekyman, Sutton, 4

Julie Pacheco, Somerset Berkley, 4

Anthony Ford, Lowell, 3

Alyssa Norden, St. Mary’s, 3

Abbie Poole, Malden Catholic, 3

Natalie Ramcharan, Malden Catholic, 3

Maura Richardson, Joseph Case, 3

Points

Emma Bouchard, Joseph Case, 5

Pacheco, Somerset Berkley, 5

D’Angelo, Pembroke, 4

Ford, Lowell, 4

Richardson, Joseph Case, 4

Vaught, Somerset Berkley, 4

Caitlin Patten, Hingham, 3

Sam Rudick, Hingham, 3

7. Girls volleyball leaders

Kills

Kiera Clark, Milton, 17

Kyra Ward, Chelmsford, 15

Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 14

Sadie Stants, Needham, 14

Norah Downey, Braintree, 11

Assists

Sophie Derwinski, Milton, 27

Madison Blanchet, Central Catholic, 24

Ellen Griswold, Chelmsford, 22

Bella Lee, Needham, 17

Audrey Manning, Lynnfield, 14

Digs

Alexia Vaquerano, Lynnfield, 14

Brooke Braswell, Lynn Classical, 12

Angelina Silva, Tewksbury, 12

Blocks

Alexia Faria, Central Catholic, 10

Downey, Braintree, 5

Manning, Lynnfield, 5

Aces

Morgan Etna, Hamilton-Wenham, 9

Hall, Central Catholic, 7

Maria Rosario, Greater Lawrence, 6

Downey, Braintree, 4

Stants, Needham, 4

Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.

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