Veteran Kansas City Chiefs Equipment Manager Named 2017 Winner Of Innovation In Safety Award

SEATTLE, March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allen Wright, long-time equipment manager for the Kansas City Chiefs, is the recipient of the 2017 Innovation in Safety Award from the Maxwell Football Club (MFC) and co-sponsor VICIS (VYE-sis), developer of high-tech football helmets. The award will be presented to Allen at the televised Maxwell Club National Awards Gala in Atlantic City on March 10, 2017.

The Innovation in Safety Award recognizes NFL and NCAA FBS equipment managers or athletic trainers who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the advancement of player safety. Since graduating from high school 33 years ago and accepting a position with his hometown Chiefs, Allen Wright has managed all aspects of the team's equipment needs. His contributions to improved athlete safety include:

• Creation of a rigorous helmet-fitting protocol, optimizing the fit of every player's helmet prior to every week's game. Allen's attention to proper fit predates recent studies demonstrating the importance of fit for helmet effectiveness and player safety.   
• When a new Athletic Equipment Managers Association test was introduced, Allen declined to be "grandfathered" certification and became the first NFL equipment manager to pass the exam.

"The Maxwell Football Club has a proud, 80-year history of promoting athlete safety in the sport of football, and recognition of the contributions of equipment managers like Allen Wright highlights the important work they do," said Mark Wolpert, MFC Executive Director. "Allen's heightened attention to the proper fit of football helmets showed all the right instincts of an equipment manager finding new ways to protect players."

"Allen has spent his entire career innovating and protecting professional athletes," said Dave Marver, CEO of VICIS. "Over three decades, numerous front office changes, and countless roster additions, Allen's attention to detail and focus on player safety and performance has been unwavering."

About the Maxwell Football Club
The Maxwell Football Club, founded in 1935, is the oldest football club in America. Each year, the Club presents awards for outstanding accomplishments at all levels of football, from high school to the professional ranks. The Maxwell Football Club also recognizes high school players who have demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to community service. The Club has an open membership policy, and currently has members in over 40 states. Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski serves as the President of the MFC, which is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

About VICIS
VICIS was created in 2013 to develop an improved football helmet. The company leverages technology initially developed at University of Washington. VICIS investors include several prominent spine and neurological surgeons, current and former NFL players, The Peregrine Group,  the W Fund, Alliance of Angels, angelMD, and Trilogy Equity Partners. VICIS founders are Per Reinhall, PhD, Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering at UW; Samuel Browd, MD, PhD, Pediatric Neurosurgeon and Medical Director of the Sports Concussion Program at Seattle Children's Hospital; and Dave Marver, CEO and veteran of the medical technology industry. Inquiries can be directed to [email protected]. For more information, visit www.vicis.co.

MEDIA CONTACT
Ray Vincenzo
206 290 4431
[email protected]

SOURCE VICIS

Related Links

http://www.vicis.co