American football, both professional and recreational, is one of the most dangerous sports. In an effort to reduce head injuries, many professional football teams are resorting to guardian caps, a soft shell helmet cover engineered for impact reduction. However, this leaves many high school football teams questioning whether or not they should make the switch to guardian caps too.
Guardian caps are placed over the helmet as a form of protection in order to keep players safe. For many professional players in the National Football League, they feel these precautions are unnecessary. According to Fox News, retired Texans defensive end JJ Watt is one of the players who feel the guardian cap is not needed, but something that should be optional for each player.
These same feelings can also be applied to high school football players, who look up to the professionals for their opinions. Some players like Eddie van der Merwe ’25, an offensive and defensive lineman, feel that when wearing a guardian cap, they lose some of their defensive edge.
A major controversy surrounding the guardian caps is that they can be counter productive, considering some players feel that the extra padding makes them more susceptible to hitting other players harder.
“I felt the extra padding encouraged us to bash each other more with our helmets,” van der Merwe said.
However, some players believe that there are certainly benefits to the guardian cap in order to keep their team safe. Kody Goldman ’25, a linebacker for the Wreckers, felt safer when wearing them during PAL practice as a younger athlete and feels they could be beneficial now.
“I think for practice we should be wearing them, and they really are important,” Goldman said. “It can definitely be optional for games, and they could be very helpful for preventing concussions.”
Staples football coach Matthew Jacowleff recognizes that the sport has changed drastically over the last 10 years since he played, though one element that has remained the same is the importance of safety. As a coach, Jacowleff wants to keep his players safe, and continue growing the football program, potentially through the use of guardian caps.
“I know that some parents have held their kids back from playing football out of fear of head injuries,” Jacowleff said. “I am totally in support of anything that helps get more kids out to play the amazing game of football and be a part of the Staples Football Program.”
