WVSSAC: Helmet Safety Enforcement A Local Issue

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.

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.

“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.

“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.

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