Articles

"I Want Kids to Keep Loving Soccer" – UMBRO's “Protect Head Band” Protects the Present & Future of Children

2025.03.04

Soccer is a national pastime. Many children start playing soccer inspired by the performances of the Japanese national team and Nadeshiko Japan in the FIFA World Cup.

However, soccer is known for its high risk of injury due to the intense contact between players and the potential for falls, compared to other sports. Heading the ball can cause significant damage to the head, leading some countries to impose restrictions during training.

In response, UMBRO developed the “Protect Head Band” to protect children from injuries. This item absorbs impacts to the head while also providing rebound suitable for heading.

Recently, we spoke with Katsumi Sanka from Descente Japan Ltd., who is part of the UMBRO marketing team, about the development background and the intent behind this product.

PROFILE

Katsumi Sanka

Since joining Descente Japan, he has been responsible for winter sports like skiing and snowboarding for a long time. He has consistently thought about what features or innovations are necessary to ensure sports can be played as safely and comfortably as possible, especially in potentially life-threatening fall accidents or tough weather conditions. This experience has also informed his work in developing soccer equipment. By questioning the norms in soccer, like why players don’t wear hats in the heat or if heading causes pain, he focuses on various concepts of "protection" during development.

Protecting Children from Injuries

In contact-heavy sports, preventing injuries is crucial

In March 2023, UMBRO announced the “Protect Head Band” to prevent head injuries among boys and girls playing soccer. The product is based on the concept of “protecting children, safeguarding the future.”

Sanka, who oversaw product development, points out that soccer carries a high risk of falls and injuries since players do not use their hands as in other sports. He notes there are issues unique to children as well.

“Unlike adults, children's skeletal structures are not fully developed. Therefore, it is essential to consider how to prevent injuries and protect them. Current regulations mandate the use of shin guards, but there are no rules to protect the most critical part—the head.

"When we talk to children, many endure pain from heading, accepting it as just part of the technique. This situation cannot be overlooked; hence, we considered creating an item to protect children's heads.”

The awareness of protecting children from injuries is widely shared abroad; for instance, in Scotland, even professional soccer players have restrictions during heading practice.

In Japan, the Japan Football Association issued guidelines in 2021 for youth players (from early childhood to middle school), but there are still challenges due to inconsistencies in local compliance.

Coexistence of Shock Absorption & Rebound

The three-layer structure of the “Protect Head Band”

At the initial development stage of the "Protect Head Band," various designs were considered, such as embedding a band inside a cap or placing shock-absorbing materials inside the cap. Ultimately, development progressed with the design of a headband, where it encountered unique challenges in soccer.

"There was the challenge of balancing two opposing performance requirements: maintaining maximum shock-absorbing capability while also providing resilience for heading."

Sanka brought this issue to DISC, the research and development center of Descente, and began conducting impact product tests at the Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI).

"Typically, EVA is used as a shock absorber. Based on this, we sought a material with rebound elasticity suitable for soccer. We initially targeted some overseas materials and had children test them, but we did not achieve the desired results. After exploring various options, we ultimately found a factory in Japan capable of developing the material we needed, resulting in the creation of Trans-Yellow."

Thus, the "Protective Head Band" was born, featuring a three-layer structure of knitted fabric, shock-absorbing material "Trans-Yellow," and sweat-resistant Russell mesh.

It was crafted to achieve the necessary shock-absorption and rebound qualities while ensuring comfort during heading, with thickness and shape adjustments possible through an adjustable fit.

Comfortable mesh material allows for adult wear with adjuster

Data Showing 43% Shock Absorption Proves Safety

Now, let's look at specific data.

The experiment involved applying shock to a head-shaped dummy using a spherical impactor. The acceleration of the sphere during this test matched that of a typical header. The results demonstrated that wearing the "Protect Head Band" reduced head impact by approximately 43%.

Interestingly, recent experiments have proven that the "Protect Head Band" not only absorbs impact during heading but is also effective in absorbing shocks that occur during falls or collisions in competition.

There is an index called HIC that indicates the severity of impacts that can cause damage to the head (brain), which showed a 45% reduction in incidents of moderate injuries like concussions (AIS2). The usefulness of the "Protect Head Band" is evident from this data.

To Ensure Children Continue to Enjoy Sports

After the "Protect Head Band" was completed, Sanka visited JACPA Tokyo FC to have children wear it and gather their feedback. Footage from that experience is available on YouTube.

Children shared comments like "It doesn't hurt at all," "I’ve come to love heading," and "I want to wear it during practice and games," and it was well-received by the coaching staff as well.

The "Protect Head Band" has been recommended by coaches and players. In closing, Sanka shared his heartfelt aspirations.

"I hope more schools will require the use of headbands during practice and games, and I would like to see the Japan Football Association issue guidelines making the 'Protect Head Band' mandatory for elementary school students. Many children end up disliking a sport due to injuries. Therefore, I am committed to developing products that ensure safety for children, incorporating the hope that they will continue to enjoy and love sports even into adulthood."

Protecting children from injuries. Sanka has thoroughly considered what can be done for this purpose, envisioning a promising future for young athletes.