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JERSEY SHORE -- A donation of Q-Collars, which are designed to add a level of protection against head injuries for athletes, was approved by the Jersey Shore Area School Board at their meeting this week.
The 40 collars were specifically donated for use by the district's varsity and junior varsity football players by the McCracken family.
According to information from the company which markets the Q-Collar, they are designed to help "stabilize the brain by applying light pressure to the jugular vein. This pressure slightly increases blood volume inside the skull and helps reduce the brain's movement, which is the primary cause of brain injuries."
The equipment has been approved by the Federal Drug Administration, which said in its evaluation that the Q-Collar "provides an additional piece of protective equipment athletes can wear when playing sports to help protect their brains from the effects of repetitive head impacts."
At the beginning of the meeting, Board President Mary Thomas expressed appreciation for the community support shown at a memorial service held for football player Max Engle who had passed away Sept. 15.
"The board would like to take a moment to thank the community for the outpouring of support and prayers for the Engle family in their time of grief. Not only the local community, but communities far and wide," Thomas said.
Engle collapsed during a football game about a week before his death. According to the Montour County coroner, Engle's cause of death was an "intracranial hemorrhage resulting from blunt force head trauma."
The investigation is ongoing into Engle's death and it is unsure when Engle's injury occurred.
Thomas also asked for a moment of silence for the Engle family and for the family of Caleb Latimer, a senior at the high school who is battling leukemia.