When the FHSAA voted in June 2014 to to become the first state to require girls lacrosse players to wear headgear, the reaction was quick and largely negative.
Satellite’s Peyton Turinetti and teammates wear protective foam headbands called "halos."
Next season, the rule goes into full effect, with every high school girl playing the sport in Florida under FHSAA rules required to wear the full headgear, along with the already-mandated eye protection. In the interim, players have been allowed to wear protective headbands that look like sweatbands but are thicker foam referred to as “halos.”
Players on the Satellite and Rockledge high school teams shared their opinions last week on the rule as they prepared to open district tournament play this week. Attitudes were not as negative as they were three years ago, but some of the same concerns remained.
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Satellite players wear halos, and most seemed to like that option.
“The first year I started playing, they introduced the halos,” junior Kelly Hazlett said. “It’s like a foam, so it’s not too thick, but it actually does help. Sometimes it just feels like a sweatband.”
Rockledge is the rare team already wearing helmets. The retail price for the helmets coach Paul Johnson chose was $140, but he was able to buy them for the whole team for $100 each.
Satellite’s Sierra Smith (5) wears a protective headband called a "halo," while Rockledge players wear helmets.
One of the first player complaints was comfort. The interchangeable padding required finding the proper size for each player, sometimes by trail and error. Some players experienced headaches.
“The first week or two, it took some getting used to,” Raiders senior Becky Rodriguez said. “You have to adjust the padding, size it and all. Now, I really don’t mind. Some people say they still get headaches from them. I don’t. It’s kind of personal preference, I would guess.”
Satellite senior Jasmine Rogell’s preference was the halo.
“I think they help,” she said, adding that if she had a choice, “I would wear the halo. It does something, because most of the girls come close to your temples.”
Rogell’s comment referred to opposing players who swing their sticks in attempts to dislodge the ball, often near the head. Back in 2014, Florida Tech coach Corinne Desrosiers predicted helmets might give players a false sense of security.
“I think if you put a helmet on kid, she’s going to go a little bit more aggressively. I think it will affect the sport, to a degree.”
Current Rockledge senior Jade Parr confirmed that fear, and that’s why she preferred the halo to the helmet she wears.
“I feel like wearing this helmet gives influence or allows players to think they can hit us in the head more.” Her teammate, senior Samantha Brewer agreed and thought aggressive hitting has become more acceptable now that Rockledge appears to have more protection.
“As (Brewer) said, she’s been hit in the head more than in other years, mostly because of playing time, but also because they think we can get hit, that we can handle it.”
Brewer, a senior defender who said hits from sticks are more likely at her position, was certain of her affinity for the full helmet.
“Personally, this helmet has saved my life, like three times, or at least a concussion.” she said, “I’ve played without anything, a year with halos and a year with this (helmet). I still did get hit on the top of the head last year with the halo.”
Contact McCallum at 321-242-3698 or bmccallum@floridatoday.com. Follow facebook.com/FLtoday.brianmccallum and @Brian_McCallum on Twitter.
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Sofia Sanoja-Perez of Rockledge High girls lacrosse wears a helmet.