SPOKANE, Wash --- Some Washington schools are going to let parents buy their own football helmets for their kids instead of using ones provided by the schools.
Kennewick's School Board has approved this, but some parents wonder if its fair and safe.
Officials from Spokane Public Schools, Central Valley and Coeur d'Alene said this is a policy that they are not considering at this time.
"Five star rated helmet, the best you can get,” Hughes said.
For more than 20 years, Dave Hughes has been coaching football and in all that time there has seldom been a need for his player’s parents to buy equipment.
"If a parent wanted to buy a helmet, could they buy a helmet, yes,” Hughes said. "In Spokane schools there would be no need to, we have the best helmets you can have."
According to the Associated Press some families in the Kennewick school district are finding it necessary.
Stating that parents want to buy their own for safety, comfort and other features.
Local coaches said this policy could cause other issues if helmet purchases aren't controlled by the district.
"To have a parent go out and purchase a helmet, you don’t know if it's brand new what conditions it is in and where it's been,” Hughes said.
Coaches said their helmets go through a thorough screening process. They only purchase from Schutt or Riddell. And each year those helmets are recertified.
"Produced in 2007 and you can see that it was recertified in 2016, so the manufacturers are saying that this helmet would be a five star rated helmet, good for competition,” Hughes said.
Helmets are also only kept for 9 years. After that, they are replaced with new ones.
Lewis and Clark buys 20 new helmets a year on average.
In Spokane valley, U High coaches say that number could be as high as 30.
"I don't think there's a coach or athletic director or school district in the greater Spokane league that doesn't want their athletes in the best helmet, in the best equipment for their safety,” U High Athletic director Ken Vansick said.
Coaches said helmets can range from 325 to 400 dollars at retail price. The school pays wholesale price that's closer to 300.
