Player walks into my office today...

If it's free...let it be...

Dad's going to expect something in return. There is no such thing as free.

yes, he wants something, he'll bring them to you and say johnny makes a good qb

I wouldn't take them. Imagine a kid ending up with a concussion wearing the regular helmets but no kids have concussions with the newer, more expensive helmet. This is a hornets nest of liability issues.

I don't see why the dad isn't having this conversation with you...

Well, how about a bit more background. We are a Schutt helmet place. Not my call, 100+ in place when I got here. Roll back to last February. My AP/DL coach, who has a son playing, goes out and buys 'The best helmet there is, the highest rated helmet on the market, better than what we have in inventory.' It was a Riddell. I don't care, kid is happy, dad is happy, I'll buy the Riddell toolkit and life will go on.

But, and there is always a but, he talks with the superintendent about the helmet safety stuff, just passing in the hallway kind of thing, about what he did why, and the next thing I know I'm in a meeting with the Supe, the district lawyer, the AP, my assistant HC, and the west coast Schutt sales rep. We talk about the Schutt inventory, about the Virginia helmet rating and all the parents that think helmets are not safe, who buys what, safety, what matters (all helmets are safe, it's the fit that matters).

About halfway through the meeting the lawyer and supe are on the path that the season will be cancelled because our helmets are not the safest ones out there because of age (they are not new, not how old they are) and the rating. I'm looking at having to replace the entire 110 helmet inventory. They also determine that letting kids buy their helmet introduces the idea that we are discriminating because the rich kids will have better equipment, because their parents can afford it, therefore an economic disparity has been introduced into a public school. Not good.

That's when the concept of fit being the thing comes into play. The Schutt rep does a great 10 minute talk on how kids heads are different, helmets of different ages and vendors fit differently, and how our inventory is perfectly fine. That seems to settle things down. The AP then brings up buying helmets and what to do with that, since he has the helmet in hand and it ain't going nowhere. More vigorous discussion.

The final outcome was that our helmets were fine, they were as safe as anything else. But to accommodate other parents they can purchase helmets. But, I now have to purchase additional helmets from the other brands, Riddell and Xenith so that I can offer different fits to the kids so they are as safe as feasible. So I had to purchase 2 of each size of the best helmets that Riddell and Xenith had to offer, 12 total or something. And the tool kits. And screws and nuts and whatever.

So that is why I'm a bit nervous about what the dad is doing. I almost lost the 2016 season because a dad bought a helmet. Already sore from that one, so getting 20 that aren't proven, although 'free', scares me just a bit.

Got a lot of variables in place there! I can understand sitting down with district personnel concerning this. If they are willing to invest in replacing your helmet inventory, go get the very best that their money can provide.
As far as a parent doing this kind of thing without sitting down with you, that is not good! You are the leader of your program. You set the vision. In turn, you are responsible for everything that goes on within that program (good, bad, ugly, whether you did it or not, etc.). That is all a part of what we do when we sign up for this. I would sit down with this parent, and get the particulars. I would also let him know that I would appreciate some type of courtesy in regards to anything concerning the program.
Those same ones that come bearing gifts will also come with a lawyer!!

What happens to those helmets if his son drops a spot or 2 down the depth chart?

Nobody wants just a shout out for 30k.

Hi all. I'm a long time youth coach and also work at VICIS. Happy to respond to any questions you have about our helmet.

Do you guys have any published work regarding your helmets?

Do these $1,500 helmets have a 10 year shelf life like all other helmets?

Do they need to be reconditioned every couple of years?

Does it cost more to recondition a Vicis helmet than a Riddell helmet?  If yes, how much more?

It says the Vicis helmets are custom made to each individual...does this mean that a high school program can't pass the helmet on to another kid after a player graduates?

All, Sorry for my slow reply - I was at the Seahawks game last night : )

These are all great questions, and I'll do my best to respond to each one below. I should point out that we anticipated many of these types of questions and respond to them in the FAQ section of the web site at: vicis.co/faq/


hsrose – email from VICIS to the coach:
VICIS was getting a lot of interest from players and parents at the High School level. We were going to only sell to the NFL and colleges for 2017, but we wanted to make a limited amount available to individual players if we could. We understand the potential challenges of a player bringing a new helmet into a high school team environment, and emphasize during the ordering process that it is important for players and parents to talk to their Coach and make them aware that they intend to use our helmet. We intentionally call out that as step one on our “What should I do next” section of our product ordering page, and it’s also why we ask for coach information and permission to contact the team when they create an account. That was why you got an e-mail from us. The preorder on the helmet is 100% refundable as well, so if it’s a challenge bringing a helmet in for either the parent or the team after that discussion, we’ll cancel the order and refund the money. Any specific questions or concerns you coaches might have can be sent to us at info@vicis.co or call us directly at (844) 842-4701.

Chris Clement - Any published work regarding our helmets?
The ZERO1 is certified to meet NOCSAE standards. The ZERO1 will also be part of the NFL’s helmet testing this winter, so look for those results to be published in early 2017. Virginia Tech only tests helmets that are commercially available, so those ratings will likely not be available until sometime later in 2017. We’re not exactly sure when that will publish, as they are in the process of modifying some of the test conditions to address rotational forces in the Star rankings. We’ve also extensively tested the helmet in the lab for both performance and product durability. It would be good to know what kind of information you’d like to see, and what you think would help out the team to address parents if you get asked about it.

Steelhawk – here’s some answers to your questions:

Maximum shelf life - We have a 10 year maximum life on the helmet.

Reconditioning cycle - Many manufacturers recommend reconditioning every year but require it every other year. We currently require it every year – it’s a new helmet, and for those used in 2017, we want to see them after the first season of play. We may extend that after the first season. VICIS will do the reconditioning at their facility.

Reconditioning and recertification $$: Base price is $75 - details here: vicis.co/reconditioning/

Custom made for each player? Can one helmet be used by multiple players over its life? The ZERO1 is custom fitted for each player, but not custom made. We have a set of liners that can be used in all three helmet sizes (A, B, and C) to customize the fit. The helmet can be refitted for a different player at any time by changing the liner set, as long as they fit into the overall size of the helmet. It’s like having a medium, large, or extra-large Schutt or Riddell – we can adjust the fit if the overall size is correct.


I hope that helps!

I would think, your best option would be to hand this issue to your AD.