CBS Minnesota's WCCO Sunday Morning recently spotlighted Hammer Head Swim Caps in a segment that examined the often-overlooked issue of head injuries in youth and competitive aquatic sports. The July 5, 2026 feature highlighted the work of Minnesota-based Hammer Head and its founder Theresa Finn, who has spent over a decade advocating for head protection in swimming.
The segment followed Finn's personal journey, which began after two children suffered head injuries during swim practice. That experience led her to question why head protection is standard in many sports but not in swimming. Her five-year effort resulted in the world's first patented protective swim cap, designed to reduce head impact while maintaining comfort and hydrodynamic performance.
During the interview, Finn discussed the broader issue of head injuries across aquatic sports, including competitive swimming, open water swimming, triathlon, water polo, artistic swimming, and diving. She noted that while concussion awareness has transformed sports like football and soccer, head protection in swimming has remained largely unchanged. The segment also outlined Hammer Head's vision of making head protection an expected part of aquatic sports, similar to bicycle helmets.
"Hammer Head isn't about replacing one swim cap with another," Finn said. "It's about changing expectations. We hope to create a future where protecting your brain in the water becomes as natural as wearing a helmet on a bicycle."
Hammer Head's patented Honeycomb Impact Technology helps absorb and disperse impact forces while preserving a sleek, competition-ready design. Independent laboratory testing showed the cap reduces impact forces to the top of the head by more than 50% compared with traditional swim caps. Additional testing by Olympian Dr. Gary Hall Sr. found improved speed due to its smooth dome design, which reduces frontal drag.
The company believes awareness is the next step. "Swimming has advanced tremendously in training, nutrition, goggles, race suits, and technology," Finn said. "Now it's time for the conversation about protecting the one thing every athlete only gets once—their brain."
The WCCO feature is part of growing national interest in swimmer head safety, following recent podcast interviews and national parenting publication coverage. For more information, visit Hammer Head Swim Caps.
