Rhode Island representative Joseph McNamara wants to mandate head protective gear

According to a report by 12 News' Lauren Brill, McNamara is planning to introduce legislation on requiring all Rhode Island high school football players to wear "Guardian Caps"

A Guardian cap helmet cover is shown during football practice at Grafton High School on Monday, August 12, 2024. The soft shell helmet cover is engineered to reduce injuries from impacts. / Scott Ash /†Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

If Rhode Island state representative Joseph McNamara gets his way, the New England state he represents will be setting possibly a new trend for high school football as we know.

According to a report by 12 News' Lauren Brill, McNamara is planning to introduce legislation in the next session on requiring all Rhode Island high school football players to wear proctective head gear, better known by many as "Guardian Caps."

“Parents are concerned, and if we can make this sport safer, it will benefit everyone,” McNamara said via the 12 News report. “There are other communities that are struggling and they also have football teams. I want to ensure that every students has access to [the gear].

Per the website for Guardian Caps, down below is the overall purpose for the protective head gear. The website states “the NFL has mandated the use of Guardian Caps since the 2022 preseason. The league reported a 52% reduction in concussions for those positions during the mandated period versus the previous three-year average.”

What is the purpose of a Guardian Cap? The Guardian Cap was created to bring a soft padded layer to the outside of hard-shell helmets. They are also designed to move independently of the helmet below, allowing for forces to be redirected around the head. Lighter color Guardian Caps also reduce radiant heat up to 20 degrees F. Lastly, the coefficient of friction of a Guardian Cap is less than that of hard shelled helmet, allowing for less grab.

Brill's report says McNamara's legislation would require a gradual induction of the "Guardian Caps" and that players already on Rhode Island high school football team can opt out of the requirement if they choose to do so.

---

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

SBLIVE SPORTS LAUNCHES HIGH SCHOOL ON SI

High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before. For more information, visit si.com/high-school.

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports