CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission tells WSAZ that helmet certification is a responsibility of the individual school, adding that it has no mechanism in place to ensure that schools follow manufacturer standards.
SSAC leadership revealed that information in response to a WSAZ investigation, prompted by last month’s death of Madison Middle School football player Cohen Craddock.
Last week, the SSAC confirm Cohen’s helmet, a 2017 model that was recondition in April 2024, had a sticker showing it had been certified and met national standards.
Yet, WSAZ wanted to know what system is in place to make sure all helmets are being put through that process.
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The station asked general questions that affect every family with a student playing football in West Virginia.
“How often does WVSSAC require helmets be recertified,” and “How does the WVSSAC keep track of which schools are in compliance with the regulation?”
WSAZ sent those questions multiple times since last Thursday to the executive director, David Price. He responded late afternoon Tuesday.
“Manufacturers recommend that varsity (high school) helmets be reconditioned every year and middle school every two years,” Price said in a written statement. “It’s up to the school to follow manufacturers guidance.”
So how does the WVSSAC make sure that schools follow the rules? Simply put, they don’t.
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“Principals make up the WVSSAC,” Price added in his written response. “They are the local level of the WVSSAC and it up to them to ensure rules and guidelines are followed.”
The WVSSAC does not require schools to submit any data showing they are in compliance. So that means no one is tracking it at a state level, meaning helmet safety is on an honors system.
WSAZ asked both Price, the executive director, and Wayne Ryan, the associate executive director, for an on-camera interview about the issue, but neither have granted the station’s requests.
WSAZ also reached out to SSAC Board of Directors President Trent Sherman of Martinsburg High School, however, he also did not calls or emails for comment.
So, WSAZ’s Curtis Johnson took the issue to Gov. Jim Justice, a high school girls basketball coach, for his thoughts.
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“Given the WVSSAC regulates so many aspects of the competitions that it sanctions, do you believe it should play a larger role in making sure every helmet is certified?” Johnson asked. “Shouldn’t there be some type of check and balance to make sure the emphasis on game rules is also put student-athlete safety?”
“Curtis, I don’t know how we remove local control and bring it into a Parkersburg control or a Charleston control,” he answered. “I don’t know how we make that. I mean, I don’t know how that makes things better.
“Now should they have oversight and should they investigate, I would be absolutely all for that, but we’ve absolutely have got to change rules or whatever it may be to put all of that in place because today it may be in place in a different way, but we need to be able to trust the folks at the schools.”
Last week, Justice was among those supporting a call for independent investigation when sports fatalities occur.
As for Cohen’s death, the WVSSAC says it does not have that authority, but says it is keeping tabs on an investigation ongoing at the local level.
Join the Main Street Morgantown family-friendly holiday shopping event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 13) in Downtown Morgantown.
The event will feature a district-wide scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes and the opportunity to explore holiday pop-up markets by Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op and Apothecary Ale House.
While exploring downtown shops, participants who spot DASH the Dog can collect stamps. Each stamp brings participants closer to the chance of winning prizes from downtown merchants such as gift cards and goods. To qualify for prizes, completed Downtown Dash Guides with five or more stamps must be turned into Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op, Apothecary Ale House or at Breezeline’s play-to-win tent on Courthouse Square.
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As a break from shopping, parents and their little ones can visit Kids Craft, Cookies & Cocoa Central at the WARD Building to enjoy a complimentary hot cocoa and cookie bar and children’s crafts provided by Hotel Morgan sponsored by Main Street Morgantown and Breezeline.
Visitors can also visit the beautiful 25-foot-tall holiday tree on display at Courthouse Square, a collaboration between the City of Morgantown, Monongalia County and Main Street Morgantown.
Sponsored by Breezeline, the Downtown Dash celebrates the holiday season, promotes walking and shopping throughout the downtown district, and supports local businesses by driving foot traffic directly to storefronts.
WHEELING, W.Va. — The West Virginia First Foundation visited the Wheeling Police Department to commend its efforts in addressing the area’s mental health and opioid crisis.
Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger presented to the WVFF board, highlighting the department’s progress.
Schwertfeger attributed a 14% decrease in Group A crimes from 2024 to 2025 to the department’s crisis intervention program.
“Just another great partnership,” he said. “More collaboration in this area that we are very proud of and we want to keep the momentum going,.”
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WVFF Executive Director Jonathan Board praised the program’s success.
“This in particular, the CIT program, that isn’t just in the ether, but is showing success – actual scientific success about de-escalation, about bringing together services providers and to boots on the ground and first responders, this is vitally important to not only this region but the entire state,” Board said.
The visit was part of WVFF’s ‘Hold the Line’ tour across the state.
Now that you know about West Virginia’s2026 recruiting class, I figured it’d be a good time to give a little insight into those who were once committed to the Mountaineers and landed elsewhere.
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What happened, and where did they go?
QB Brodie McWhorter (Mississippi State)
McWhorter committed to Neal Brown and his coaching staff, but reopened his recruitment when the coaching change was made. Rich Rodriguez did recruit him at the beginning, holding several conversations with him before backing off and pursuing Jyron Hughley and Legend Bey. Hughley committed, Bey committed to Ohio State (signed with Tennessee), while WVU added two more quarterbacks in Wyatt Brown and John Johnson III.
RB Jett Walker (Texas)
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Walker fit the bill for what Rodriguez wanted in the backfield. A big, physical presence who could absorb contact and hammer it in between the tackles. With multiple backs committed and feeling good about a few others, WVU didn’t feel pressed to hold onto him. Walker flipped to Minnesota and then flipped to Texas just three weeks later
WR Jeffar Jean-Noel (Georgia Tech)
Jean-Noel was the second recruit to commit to Rodriguez in the 2026 class, but reopened his recruitment in mid-April. He then considered Purdue, Pitt, Kentucky, UCF, and Florida State before landing at Georgia Tech.
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OL Justyn Lyles (Marshall)
The Mountaineers had a number of offensive line commits, and with the late additions of Kevin Brown and Aidan Woods, and their chances of securing Jonas Muya, Lyles took a visit to Marshall and flipped his commitment.
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LB Caleb Gordon (North Carolina)
Gordon’s commitment to WVU was very brief. As a matter of fact, it was the shortest of the bunch, announcing his pledge on November 24th and then flipping to NC State on the first day of the early signing period (December 3rd).
LB Daiveon Taylor (Kent State)
Taylor was the first commit in the class; however, it was so early that he was committed to Neal Brown’s staff, announcing his decision in April of 2024. He backed off that pledge the very day Brown was fired (December 1st) and eventually signed with Kent State.
CB Emari Peterson (unsigned)
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Peterson decommitted from WVU just days before signing day, likely due to the Mountaineers zeroing in on a pair of JUCO corners in Rayshawn Reynolds and Da’Mun Allen. He will sign in February and currently has offers from Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Charlotte, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, FIU, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kentucky, Liberty, LSU, South Florida, Southern Miss, Texas A&M, Toledo, Wake Forest, and a few others.
S Aaron Edwards (committed to Tulsa)
West Virginia chose to part ways with Edwards and ultimately replaced his spot with fellow JUCO safety Da’Mare Williams.
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S Jaylon Jones (undecided)
Jones decommitted in late October and did not sign during the early signing period. He will likely choose between Central Michigan, Hawai’i, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Texas State.
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S Taj Powell (Louisville)
Taj is the brother of former Mountaineer basketball guard Jonathan Powell, who is now at North Carolina. He decommitted the day after West Virginia lost to Ohio and flipped to Louisville that same day.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
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WVU is Set to Lose Former Top In-State Recruit to the Transfer Portal
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Former West Virginia Coordinator Fired After Just One Season at Texas
Another West Virginia Running Back Expected to Hit the Transfer Portal
