MOUNT VERNON — The vast majority of high school football players will never step onto an NFL field (about 0.05 percent make it to the pro level), but there is one striking similarity between the prep gridiron and the very elite: the cost of equipping the players.
The cost of a single helmet can range from $400 to $1,000. No one knows better the importance of that very fundamental expense than the players.
“It is definitely worth it for player safety,” said Mount Vernon sophomore Trevor Jones. “Nothing is worth more than keeping the players safe. There is nothing going to stop you quicker than players going down with injuries.
“It is great to have abilities, but you have to be available.”
The lion’s share of the cost of keeping athletes safe can be traced to two major companies who manufacture protective gear: Riddell based in northern Ohio and Schutt operating out of Plainfield, Indiana.
All helmets used by teams in the Ohio High School Athletic Association must be certified by the Safety Equipment Institute and meet performance standards set by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment.
Football helmets used in Ohio high school and youth play must meet safety performance standards established by the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) and be certified compliant by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI).
Some of the benefits of the newer helmets are the ability of the player to inflate or deflate some of the pneumatic padding inside. There is also a sensor in the helmet which can transmit information on intensity and location of blows to a coach’s smartphone.
Yellow Jackets football coach Mark Weber explained the difference in construction of the helmets.
“What you’re seeing now is that the helmets are not one solid piece of plastic,” Weber said. “You have all of these grooves, and there is even a flexation plate at the back of the helmet because most concussions take place when the back of a player’s head hits the turf.”
The back of the head is not all that receives the extra protection.
“There is also brow padding at the front,” Weber noted.
One of the more recent additions to the list of safety equipment has been the Guardian cap. A large padded device that fits over the top of the helmet.
“It helps to absorb the blows; the guys can wear these in games, but I think maybe they are used (most often) in practice,” Weber said.
An itemized list of equipment deserves a second look.
Helmets: $500-$1,000
Mouthpiece: $6.50
Shoulder Pads $250-$300
Game Jersey (x2) – $105 – $150 each
Game Pant (x2) – $83-$110 each
Thigh Pads $30 a pair
Girdle $40-$50
Program cost
Mouth Piece – $6.50
Guardian Cap – $74.99
Practice Jersey – $40
Practice Pants – $40
Knee Pads – $4.99
Total $1,716
Player purchases
Cleats: $100
Gloves: $40
While all of the equipment does not need to be purchased new every year, the cost of refurbishing gear can carry a price tag that runs between $5,000 and $11,000.
It requires various revenue streams to cover the cost of equipment. The Athletic Department has a certain budget for all of this. It comes from sources like ticket sales, and in Mount Vernon’s case, more than 60 percent comes from the Gridiron Club.
Team members participate in fundraisers too.
“You’re raising $20,000 but it is gone like that,” Weber said, snapping his fingers. “That (the $20,000) is what, 20 helmets?”
Junior receiver Zach Busenburg added an even more basic cost.
“The balls are very, very expensive,” Busenburg said.
The team supplies two balls for each game and then requires 10 for the pre-season. Made by Wilson in Ada, Ohio, the same factory which produces the 216 custom Super Bowl balls.
Contrary to popular tradition, they are not “pigskin” but cowhide and carry a price tag of $160.
The next time the smell of popcorn, hot dogs, or the fizz of a soft drink draws fans to the concession stand, they are not just taking a bite out if a snack, but also out of the cost of fielding their team.