With the new helmet rule going into affect for high school and college now and with kids having to sit out one play if their helmet comes off during a play, do you think this will push coaches in the direction of tighter helmets and chin-straps again? Will we see more kids required to keep their helmets on during the game while on sidelines like in the stone age when I played? I'm interested to hear opinions on this.

I started a thread last year about helmets coming off, and several members on here said they had no problem with it, I knew it wasn't just our team.

 

I do agree that some of the problems lying with the fitting of helmets. Wait for it, wait for it……… BUT, I also think a big part of the problem is the helmet manufacturers. We have players that are breaking their helmets. Now, I would love to say that our players are just to tough and hitting players so hard that they are breaking helmets. But, in reality the hits that are breaking the helmets are not that drastic. Last year, we had seven broken helmets and we already have several this year. These are Riddle helmets and they all break on the side toward the ear hole.

 

Another problem is, the chin straps. Apparently, after our coaching staff contacted Riddle, the snaps on the chin straps that are shipped with the helmets are a millimeter different in size then other chin straps. So, if a player gets one of the nice padded chin straps, the snaps are not the same size and will allow the chin strap to come loose on contact.

 

So, yes, the helmets should be checked and a good fit should be insured, but coaches should also be contacting manufacturers and voicing their concern with the current football helmets and demand better production.

Edited September 14, 201214 yr by Ram

We had 45 helmets this year get rejected (that were only 3 years old) I agree with Ram, we (not just our team but others I know as well) have seen 5-6 broken helmets this year. I honestly think the helmets are made too loose by the manufacturer these days.

Here it the thread from last season.

I agree with this Helmet fitting and manufacturing errors!!! I can't remember when I played that a person's helmet was broke, it was the face mask breaking.

We had those plastic facemasks and those broke all the time. My issue is the kids that wear the helmets so loose that they can slide them on and off at will. I think that chinstrap snaps should be universal and all should be interchangeable.