Meet The Team

Steve Arzoni brings over 20 years experience in building businesses in technology and sports, both in the UK and USA.  As founder of the SYZMIK sports brand and co-creator of the SYZMIK soft shell headgear range Steve leads the team as CEO. 

Since 2009 Rod Trafford has been living at the intersection of sports technology and player welfare pioneering game-changing, cutting-edge technologies that have gained national acclaim and recognition.

Previously, as a Senior Vice President at VICIS, Rod helped launch the company from inception to having the #1 Rated Helmet Technology three years in a row.

During his 5 years at Xenith, as a VP of Marketing & Business Development, Rod helped lead the company's initial product launch within N. America, Europe & Asia.

Rod’s passion for sports also derives from his playing days, including time spent in college at South Carolina playing for legendary Coach Lou Holtz and also 5 years in the NFL as a tight end for New England, Buffalo, and Philadelphia, playing under Bill Belichick, Andy Reed and Sam Wyche during his career.

Rod is also a member of the NFL Retired Players Association, and the NFL TRUST.   

Phoebe Schecter is an American football pundit and analyst for Sky Sports and a Global Flag Football Ambassador for the NFL. She has made significant contributions to the sport both on and off the field as Team GB captain and as an IFAF EDI athlete lead. 

Phoebe's journey in football began as a player and her passion for the game led her to become a coach. This is how she eventually became one of the first 3 women to coach in the NFL, working with the Buffalo Bills. 

Throughout her career, Phoebe has dedicated herself to promoting safety in football, particularly when it comes to head injuries. With her deep understanding of the game and the importance of protective equipment, she has become an influential figure in advocating for player safety.

As an ambassador for Syzmik, Phoebe brings her expertise and commitment to the forefront. She actively supports the development of softshell headgear, a crucial innovation in enhancing player protection and reducing the risk of head injuries. With her knowledge and influence, she helps spread awareness about the importance of proper headgear and its impact on player well-being.

Chris Perra boasts a very wide skill set with a Mechanical Engineering background as well as an MBA. He has a detailed background in product development. Has developed over 100 products to market for Under Armour and Garmin, with 15 patents issued. 

Nate Dau PhD. has over 20 years of experience developing novel technologies in the sport performance and protection industries. His work includes the development of novel test equipment such as the NOCSAE Thoracic Surrogate (NTS) to test sports chest protectors and an instrumented mouthguard for collecting head impact data in NFL players.  He has also helped develop commercial products including the Bontrager WaveCel bicycle helmet that reduces rotational acceleration and the Under Armour Record Equipped shoes which include integrated sensors and wireless communication. His work has also resulted in the creation of ten issued patents.

Ed has spent 42 years in media advertising working for major newspapers, TV stations and owning his own ad agency for more than 20 years.  As an ex-player and team owner Ed has a true passion for Football and sports.  Ed has participated in football at every level including coaching and owning one of the top ranked amateur football programs in the country.  Ed also produced professional rodeos for five seasons for the American Rodeo Association!