LONGMEADOW – A Longmeadow man is trying to prevent young people from getting a brain injury while playing soccer and is requesting the public’s help.

State Rep. Brian Ashe has filed House Bill 220 at Robert Edwards’ request that would allow the wearing protective headgear by soccer players.

The bill reads, “Any student who participates in soccer contests, competitions or practices shall be permitted to wear protective headgear on the field, provided that such headgear satisfies relevant federal standards for headgear used in soccer.”

It is the sixth time the bill has been filed and Edwards is looking for support from soccer players and their families. “I want to spread the word between East Longmeadow to Springfield to Longmeadow. There is a lot of soccer players there,” he told Reminder Publications.

Edwards knows first hand of the complications from severe brain trauma. He has been coping with the aftermath from a fall from a porch in 1952. He said his concern for his grand nieces and nephews, who play soccer, spurred his interest in filing the legislation.

 The bill is currently in the Joint Committee on Education.

Edwards explained the soccer headgear is made and sold by a company called Full90. There are several models of the headgear; one of which is a more conventional helmet style whole the others protect the front, rear and sides of the head.

According to its website, “All Full90 products are allowed to be worn by players under the rules of FIFA, US Soccer and the National Federation of High Schools.”

Edwards claimed the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association is opposed to the bill. The soccer liaison denied the charge and was not aware of the legislation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, sports helmets are part of a strategy to prevent head injuries, According to the CDC website,  “Sports are a great way for teens to stay healthy and can help them do well in school. To help lower your teens’ chances of getting a concussion or other serious brain injury, you should:
• Help create a culture of safety for the team.
• Work with their coach to teach ways to lower the chances of getting a concussion.
• Emphasize the importance of reporting concussions and taking time to recover from one.
• Ensure that they follow their coach’s rules for safety and the rules of the sport.
• Tell your teens that you expect them to practice good sportsmanship at all times.
• When appropriate for the sport or activity, teach your teens that they must wear a helmet to lower the chances of the most serious types of brain or head injury. There is no ‘concussion-proof’ helmet. Even with a helmet, it is important for teens to avoid hits to the head.”