Joey Larocque and Mike Juels noticed something was amiss during their recent travels to numerous 7-on-7 high school football tournaments all over the West Coast, and the nation for that matter. 

The action was fast and furious, of course. The on-the-field play, in some cases, was nearly as competitive as the level of intensity one might find when the athletes were playing on the gridiron and underneath the "Friday Night Lights" for the respective prep programs during the fall sports season. 

Problem was, the young and wide-eyed individuals had little, or no, protection. Furthermore, no one was thinking about the possible off-the-field complications from these types of tournaments. 

Something seemingly needed to be done about this matter. The situation was addressed by Larocque and Juels, accordingly. Putting their heads and vast collective resources together, the innovative tandem went right to work and co-founded some protective headgear called Gamebreaker Helmets. 

For all intents and purposes, the game has been changed ever since. For the better.

"I was watching kids play football, working out when they weren't in full pads, and they were getting beat up. Obliterated. Head injuries and concussions are dangerous. Things had to change, it was about time,'' said Larocque. "With my business partner, Mike, we came up with an idea about how to protect players and ran with it. I think we're starting to make a difference with Gamebreaker Helmets.'' 

Larocque knows about the dangers of the game, better than most considering his experience. He played prep football at Agoura (Calif.). A stint at nearby College of the Canyons followed before Larocque earned a scholarship to Oregon State. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and played for the New York Jets before injuries cut his career short in 2011.

With his playing days behind him, Larocque needed to focus his efforts elsewhere. Teaming up with Juels back in September of 2011, in fact, has proven to be one of the better decisions that Larocque made since walking away from the game. Turns out, things worked out well for Juels too.

"We saw a market for a safety product and have been welcomed with open arms, if you will,'' said Juels, who has 25-plus years of football coaching experience at various levels. "How do we know Gamebreaker Helmets work? We've had the headgear looked at by doctors from UCLA. Then USC. Researchers from all over the country have tested Gamebreaker Helmets and given us their seal of approval. 

"These 7-on-7 high school football tournaments are one of the fastest growing sports around, they really are a phenomenon. We wanted to make sure that when kids are playing sports, they were protected. Preventing concussions, and injuries overall, is the name of game of the game. And our goal.''

Gamebreaker Helmets is taking steps in the right direction and has been well-received.

The list of favorable testimonials about the protective headgear goes on and on. 

One of the nation's most well-respected prep football coaches, Harry Welch from Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), is a believer. "We feel the Gamebreaker Helmets add a level of protection and security, and if there is a collision, we think it is going to be diminished because of these helmets,'' Welch said. "We are more than pleased with our purchase and will continue to wear them all summer, and down the line. We'll have every kid in the program wearing them.''

Another high school head honcho who has pleased with the product developed by Larocque, Juels and their contingency is Raul Lara from perennial powerhouse Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.). "I'm really happy that we ordered the Gamebreaker Helmets for our kids,'' Lara said. "I can tell you the kids love them too, especially the look of the helmets and the customized aspect. Not only are they protected, but they love wearing them, which is a really great deal. I know there is no way you can ever prevent a concussion in this sport, but I haven't had an incident since getting the helmets. Again, I'm really happy with my order and I feel a lot safer with the kids wearing them outside of pads."

The headgear is making an impact beyond the high school level.

"The Gamebreaker Helmet is, no question, the best and safest product on the market right now,'' said Brian Kelly, an 11-year veteran in the NFL. "We looked at karate, or martial arts helmets, and I can tell you that there's a night-and-day difference between the two. The Gamebreaker Helmets are designed specifically for football and [Larocque and Juels] made sure to cover all of their bases before bringing the newest line out. These soft-shelled helmets are going to be made mandatory before you know it.''

Kelly's sentiments have been echoed by many of his former professional counterparts, including Clay Matthews. The 19-year NFL veteran has been a proponent of the headgear and was during his time as an assistant coach at Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) High. "We received the Gamebreaker helmets this spring and I already know that we feel much better as a staff about the safety of our student/athletes,'' Matthews said. "The helmet has been great as a far as durability and effectiveness. I am in favor of our athletes wearing the Gamebreaker Helmets, and not just our football players either."

Plans are in the works for Larocque and Juels to expand their brand to other sports. For the time being, however, Gamebreaker Helmets figure to make a difference on the football field.

"With my experience, and seeing some of the worst injuries around, I wanted to make sure that athletes on all levels were being protected during non-contact drills,'' Larocque said. "We're killing two birds with one stone with Gamebreaker Helmets: Giving back to the football community by creating awareness about concussions and doing something to help prevent injuries in the future.''   

So far, so good.