Targeting Safety: Questions surround Louisiana’s decision-making process for high school football

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Padded helmet covers called Guardian Caps are growing in popularity, with several NFL players wearing them during games this season. The NFL also mandates that most players wear the caps during practice, as part of an effort to reduce concussions.

The NFL's chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills recently called the caps an "unqualified success," and credited them with a decline in preseason concussions.

"For them to see the value in it and be willing to share, that has been huge for us. That's a huge stamp of validation," Guardian Caps founder and CEO Erin Hanson said.

Hanson told Fox 8 that while she's thrilled teams are embracing the new technology, her company originally set out with the goal of marketing the product to young players, to help protect their developing brains.

"The average high school lineman can take up to 1,000 hits to the head in a three-month season," Hanson said.

That's why Hanson says she is baffled by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's directive to a New Orleans high school program that asked about wearing the caps this season.

The Willow School in Uptown New Orleans was given 70 Guardian caps in a donation this year, enough for the entire team to use.

"Just another layer of security, seems like it doesn't hurt, you know, just to lessen the impact," Willow football coach J.J. Smith said.

The team planned to wear the caps during games, and a parent reached out to the LHSAA, which regulates high school sports across the state.

But the LHSAA told the parent it could not make the decision. Instead, the LHSAA told him in an email to reach out to the team's helmet manufacturer - Riddell - writing, "Concerning the use of Guardian Caps, I would discuss this with your AD (athletic director) and/or head football coach. Many teams use them in practice, they are permissible; however, in games, helmet manufacturers will tell you that third-party accessories would not be approved because the helmets are certified for the helmet only. So, it is up to the school to check with their individual helmet manufacturer concerning this."

The parent reached out to Riddell, requesting a letter of compliance. Riddell's customer care team did not supply that letter, but instead responded, "Riddell can only suggest that the helmet should be used the way that they are tested and approved by NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment), and as of now the helmet has only been approved the direct way we make them (without them). We as a company can only OK the way it comes out of here."

Eddie Bonine, the executive director of the LHSAA, repeated that stance to Fox 8 in a phone interview.

"If the vendor says ... 'No ... we're not going to take responsibility or liability for them.' You're on your own to use them," Bonine said.

Bonine repeatedly told Fox 8 that the LHSAA is following the National Federation of State High School Association's (NFHS) guidelines. However, a letter sent to Guardian by NFHS rules review committee chair Jim Tenopir said, "The permissive use of the Guardian Cap product is not a violation of NFHS Football Rules."

"The National Federation of High School Sports takes a neutral stance," Hanson said. "You know, they take a neutral stance and permit it for games and practices. So does Pop Warner, so does the NCAA."

Hanson said she believes the LHSAA is punting the decision on use of Guardian Caps to helmet manufacturers, despite evidence the caps don't impede safety.

"We've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in testing," she said. "We've proved that we don't cause helmets to fail the certification ... the standard for which they were certified. We've done everything we can do on our end. But ultimately, the governing bodies, because of liability interests, defer to those manufacturers.

"When you prioritize corporate interests over player safety, it's a bad place to be."

Bonine says the LHSAA must defer to the helmet maker when it comes to recertification of helmets, which is required every two years.

"So, use (Guardian Caps)," Bonine said. "We're just saying, check with the vendor, because (of) the certification. ... Because we don't pay for recertification for helmets, that's an expensive cost," Bonine said.

Guardian Sports says any claims their product could impede recertification are false.

Hanson points to the increasing use of Guardian Caps in the NFL. She says the caps can't eliminate concussions, but can reduce the toll of repetitive hits, especially as players begin competing at younger ages.

"We believe that the beauty of a Guardian Cap, you know, everyone wants to talk about that one big hit, that one big concussion. It's not that," Hanson said. "It's the accumulation of all of those non-concussive hits over a player's career."

Bonine told Fox 8 that young players shouldn't be compared to professionals.

"You're not comparing apples to apples to apples," Bonine said. "Professional football is a professional sport, and those athletes are being paid millions of dollars, and the NFL owners are protecting their investment in their player personnel."

Fox 8′s Rob Krieger: "The high school kids still have futures, and that's an investment worth protecting, would you say? Would you agree with that?"

Bonine: "I completely agree, dude. But I'm not going to sit here in this chair and decide on that, unilaterally."

Bonine says in order to change state regulations, a high school principal must request the change. If that happens, the LHSAA could consider changing its stance during the organization's annual commission meeting in January.

Hanson said, "They're deferring, and they're allowing corporate interests to control the narrative, and I don't think that should be their No. 1 priority."

Before the start of the 2024 season, the sports media outlet The Athletic polled more than 100 NFL players on a variety of topics, including use of Guardian Caps.

"The one thing I took away from the survey is they're not denying the safety element. They know it's safer. And there's a reason why the NFL said, 'Hey, training camp, we're going to have every player outside of quarterback, kicker and punter wear these Guardian Caps," The Athletic senior NFL writer Larry Holder said.

Bonine says despite the LHSAA's guidelines, players can still choose to wear the caps, but schools risk losing safety certifications for their helmets.

Bonine: "They can wear them anytime they want to. Again, check with your vendor. If your vendor says, 'Absolutely not. If you use that Guardian Cap on that helmet, then your certification on that helmet is invalid.'"

Krieger: "Does that make sense to you?"

Bonine: "What makes sense to me?"

Krieger: "Does that make sense to you, that the piece of fabric would invalidate the hard-shell helmet's certification?"

Bonine: "I have no opinion on that."

The Willow School's coach Smith hopes policy makers will embrace devices like Guardian Caps, noting the strides the sport has made in protective equipment over the last century.

"The game continues to evolve," Smith said. "And, you know, now some of the different options that they have definitely are better than what we had when we came up."

It's a sentiment that his starting quarterback Jake Guichet echoes.

"I can't really see any way that it could really hurt the players in any way," Guichet said. "So, it's great to look out and see everybody wearing them and knowing that they have that extra protection."

Fox 8 has asked Riddell twice for comment, but received no response.