USA ARTISTIC SWIMMING ENDORSES HAMMER HEAD® SWIM CAPS
The USA Artistic Swimming (USAAS) has declared a movement to make its athletes safer in the water. In this mission, they endorse Hammer Head Swim Caps.
What safety concerns does artistic swimming bring?
Long practices, tight formations, strong athletes and acrobatics above and below the water all contribute to the high risk for head injuries. Swimming is the only physically active sport that seems to be forgotten when it comes to sportswear and protective gear. For example, Sarah Urke's Olympic dreams were shattered after suffering a career-ending injury that changed her life. Hear her story and what she has to say about Hammer Head.
What is USAAS’s mission for swimmers in the swimming pool?
Adam Andrasko, CEO of USAAS, formulated his shortlist of priorities stemming from his overall mission of water safety. “As USA Artistic Swimming improves our overall athlete safety policies, head safety is a primary focus,” said Andrasko. “Hammer Head has committed to helping us with awareness, education and prevention and provides a product that is designed to reduce the impact when athletes collide with each other. Athlete safety is a top priority of USA Artistic Swimming and partnering with companies like Hammer Head demonstrates how serious we are about it.”
What do Hammer Head Swim Caps advocate for?
Theresa Finn, Co-Founder and CEO of Hammer Head Swim Caps says the company is all about advocating and practicing water safety. “Our mission is to give aquatic athletes, of all ages and skill levels, a cap designed to reduce the chance of accidental and repetitive injuries in the pool,” said Finn. These caps are tested to be 50% safer, designed for comfort (comes in three sizes) and is made of tear-resistant, premium silicone - designed to outlast other caps. In fact, not one Hammer Head has ever torn.”
What have Hammer Head and USAAA done together so far?
USAAS hosted a webinar featuring Heather Olson, Olympic Gold medalist and artistic swimming coach and Theresa Finn, co-founder and CEO of Hammer Head Swim Caps to discuss how their caps can benefit artistic swimmers. Olson, a champion herself as an athlete and Olympic coach insists "every effort to reduce head-injuries means more time in the pool as a team maximizing our competitive success." You can watch the full video HERE. We also also collaborate on educating the USAAS membership throughout the year via email communications, social media and their top athletes.
What do the two companies think about their new partnership?
David Burns, Co-Founder and COO of Hammer Head Swim Caps, is thrilled to have this partnership with USAAS. “We are extremely excited that Adam and his leadership team have named Hammer Head the official swim cap of USAAS,” said Burns. “As a coach myself and from my perspective, one head injury is one too many.” Likewise, “concussions are an issue in nearly every sport. It is an unfortunate reality, but a reality that we need to be aware of, informed on and using equipment that can protect our athletes,” said Andrasko. “We owe our athletes and their parents the opportunity to learn about this equipment and make it easy to access." 2x USAAS Olympian and 2021 Athlete Of The Year, Anita Alvarez shares "When practicing tighter patterns with sharper movements above and below the water, let's protect our future. If each of us trains in a Hammer Head, the chance of injuries goes down and TEAM training time is maximized."
