Headstrongridesmart.com
The Big West has teamed up with HeadStrong Ride Smart to launch the #BrainFreezeChallenge, a campaign focused on promoting helmet safety and smarter riding habits on college campuses.
Inspired by the Ice Bucket Challenge, the movement encourages participants to accept the challenge on camera, nominate three others within 24 hours, dump a bucket of ice water over their heads, and finish with the HeadStrong pledge: “I pledge to wear a helmet. Be HeadStrong.”
The challenge officially launched during the 2026 Big West Women’s Water Polo Championship and is already gaining momentum across the conference. Supported by Big West SAAC, the initiative aims to create a culture where wearing a helmet on bikes, scooters, and skateboards becomes second nature for students.
The campaign comes at an important time, as e-scooter and e-bike injuries continue to rise nationwide. HeadStrong Ride Smart was created with the mission of helping prevent brain injuries and making helmet use a normal part of campus life, similar to how helmets became standard in skiing and snowboarding culture over the years.
Overall, the movement began with water polo student-athlete Kyla Bruhn, The Big West’s Division I representative, and expanded the challenge across additional Big West sports, including soccer, track & field, and volleyball. Upcoming initiatives also include helmet giveaway events, campus HeadStrong chapters, and student-athlete ambassador partnerships designed to continue growing awareness.
Even Big West commissioner Dan Butterly accepted the challenge and encouraged all student-athletes during our Big West Track & Field Championship this past weekennd below
One of the first models for the initiative came from UC San Diego, where students received free helmets, customized them at an on-campus event, and shared their challenge videos online to spread the message even further. The long-term goal is to distribute more than 500 helmets across Big West campuses during the first year of the partnership.
Student-athletes across The Big West also created videos demonstrating and promoting helmet safety on their respective campuses.
“I’m really proud of our Big West student-athletes who stepped up to lead this effort and took the initiative to educate their peers on the importance of wearing a helmet on e-vehicles,” said Angie Allen, Assistant Commissioner for Compliance & Student-Athlete Engagement at The Big West. “Their willingness to look out for one another is helping create a safer culture across our campuses, and we’re excited to partner with HeadStrong to continue building that momentum.”
“Together with The Big West, HeadStrong is empowering student-athletes to lead a cultural movement, one where wearing a helmet on an e-vehicle becomes second nature on every campus,” said Megan Becker of HeadStrong Ride Smart. “Through our partnership with The Big West, HeadStrong is turning student-athletes into catalysts for change, helping make helmets on e-vehicles as routine on campus as they are on the slopes.”
Participants are encouraged to share their videos on social media, tag @HeadStrongRideSmart, and use #BrainFreezeChallenge and #BeHeadStrong to help keep the movement growing across campuses nationwide.