Grant To Fund Helmet Covers For Football Players At Cranston High Schools

CRANSTON, RI — House Education Committee Chairman Joseph M. McNamara, D-Warwick, Cranston, joined other members of the General Assembly’s Cranston delegation to present a legislative grant, which will provide funding for football helmet covers at Cranston’s high schools.

The $6,000 grant was presented to Mike Traficante, director of athletics at Cranston Public Schools, and Mayor Kenneth Hopkins at Cranston City Hall today. Joining Representative McNamara was Rep. Christopher G. Paplauskas, R-Cranston. The entire Cranston General Assembly delegation was unanimous in its sponsorship of the grant, according to a media release from the state legislature.

Known by the trade name Guardian Caps, helmet covers are large, soft-shelled pads worn over football helmets to reduce the risk of concussions and other head injuries during play. According to research by the National Football League, the cap can absorb at least 10% of the force of a hit, and 20% when it’s a collision between two players.

With the purchase of the helmet covers, Cranston will join Warwick in providing the safety equipment to its students.

“Many high schools in Rhode Island are providing these helmet covers for their players,” McNamara said in the statement. “They reduce the force of head impacts and greatly diminish the chances of getting a concussion. We would like to see every high school football player having access to these helmet covers.”