The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill on Wednesday in response to a tragedy that took place last August on a Boone County football field.
Senate Bill 585 honors Cohen Craddock, a 13-year-old middle school football player that passed away after suffering a football-related head injury during a practice.
The legislation would require all youth football players in West Virginia to wear a soft-shell cover such as Guardian Caps on their helmets for organized practice. The bill would also establish a grant program in Craddock’s honor to cover the cost of the helmet covers. It would also create a Student Athlete Safety Advisory Council to explore ways to improve safety for all high school sports.
Ryan Craddock, Cohen’s father, addressed the committee Wednesday, recalling a time shortly after the tragedy, where he began researching what could be done to prevent incidents like Cohen’s from happening to other youth football players. During that research, he discovered Guardian Caps.
The NFL mandated its players to wear the protective shells during practices back in 2022, with the exception of quarterbacks, kickers, and punters. The NFL authorized players to wear Guardian Caps in games if they chose to before the start of the 2024 season.
Ryan wondered why youth football players with undeveloped brains weren’t able to benefit from similar mandates.
Some lawmakers had concerns regarding the limited resources available in high athletics within the state for head injuries and treatment, noting that some schools in West Virginia have athletes using old and outdated helmets during practice and games.
Some also cited medical sources saying that Guardian Caps do not provide the level of protection that many allege.
Despite those concerns, the bill advanced and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
