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TECH STORIES J u st as health experts are urging universal mask-wearing in public places when social distancing is not possible, more athletes are making masks part of their uni- form and workout gear as schools and other organizations struggle to return to play in the fall of 2020. And in all aspects of sports this season, technology is playing a vital role in the development of face masks to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Starting last spring and picking up steam through the summer, many leading vendors to team sports put significant effort into developing and producing face masks for athletes as a way to safely get them back on the fields or courts. Whether it was adapting existing apparel technology or re-engineering production lines to make masks, these vendors responded heroically to first get protective masks to frontline workers and health care professionals and then to the athletes they usually supply. While fashion and trend-right looks played a small role in the design of these masks – with school logos and cool designs lending to their acceptance among a sometimes-hesitant or unconvinced public – it has been technol- ogy that took the lead in the battle against COVID-19. These masks are the first line of protection for athletes, designed with their unique needs in mind — easier breathing, comfort over long periods and easy access to hydration and mouthguards among the design challenges. Leading the Way: Under Armour As could be expected, Under Armour has made the biggest splash with the early-sum- mer introduction of an early version of its UA Sportsmask, which reportedly sold out less than an hour after first becoming available. According a company statement, the seeds for the Sportsmask were planted back in mid- March, when Under Armour began making facemasks designed by its innovation team and distributing millions of units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to health care and community organizations. During this process, Under Armour founder Kevin Plank recognized a need for perfor- mance solutions that would support athletes navigating the pandemic climate. He called on the innovation team in Baltimore, equipped with their recent mask-making experience, to find a way forward. "As soon as we finalized the design of our face mask for PPE, we dove straight into the innovation process of optimizing a mask for performance," says Kyle Blakely, VP–mate- rials innovation at Under Armour. "We knew our athletes would need us to come through quickly with a solution to aid their return to training, one that would put health and safety first and adhere to current CDC guidelines. "Experience told us that fabric and perfor- mance had to be our first focus, so we set out to find a fabric combination that created structure to ensure the mask would stand off the face and offer maximum breathability," adds Blakely. "We applied learnings in fit, feel and ease and speed of manufacturing from the face mask we created for PPE purposes. Throughout it all, the speed of the design process and a meticulous eye to quality and details were paramount." Other Brands Join the Game Not far behind the UA product came equally high-tech Play Safe Face Masks and Gaiters from Shock Doctor, described as "sport-spe- cific face coverings that help protect athletes against airborne droplets while supporting elite performance." Shock Doctor took what it calls "an ath- lete-centric approach" to designing the Play Safe Face Masks and Gaiters. The products include features such as the patent-pending Quick-Flip, a multi-layer split design that ensures easy access to mouthguard and hydration without having to touch your face or remove your mask. "Taking an innovative approach to protec- tion is in our DNA," says Michael Magerman, president and CEO of United Sports Brands, the parent company of Shock Doctor. "We take pride in providing athletes with protective solutions that enable performance at the highest level while keeping the rest of the community safe too." To eliminate ear irritation and reduce pres- sure points during play, the Play Safe Face Mask includes dual head straps that wrap around the back of the head. Additionally, Face It Cutting-edge technology is making protective face masks THE hot product for athletes for Fall 2020- By Michael Jacobsen The following four pages take an inside look at the Tech Stories behind some of the most popular face masks for team sports and other activities for Fall 2020. tech: FACE MASKS 52 • November 2020 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com

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