GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — National attention has recently highlighted head protection during football practice.
Cohen Craddock, 13, died after a collision during football practice in West Virginia, the same weekend Caden Tellier, 16, died from a head injury during his school's season opener in Alabama.
As a result, one Grain Valley mom is working to raise awareness of the difference just a little extra padding can make.
Bethany Coplen said her son's favorite activity is playing on his middle school football team.
"He really enjoys being out on the field with his friends,” Coplen said. "We've had really great luck with really great coaches who do teach proper techniques."
Gage, 13, is a defensive lineman with the Grain Valley School District.
Coplen has started a GoFundMe to provide guardian caps, an extra layer of padding for helmets, for her son's entire team.
"I just put myself in her (Cohen’s and Caden’s moms) shoes, and I can't imagine that being my son,” she said.
The NFL now requires guardian caps for pre-season practices.
The league reported the caps have reduced concussions by 50%.
"If we eliminate half of the head impacts that occur in practices, we could decrease the risk of CTE for an average, say, offensive linemen by about 50% over eight years," Dr. Dan Daneshvar, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, said in an interview with Scripps News.
Overall, she just hopes no other family has to experience losses like Caden's and Cohen's.
"As long as we can do whatever we can to make it as safe as possible, that's what we'll do,” she said.
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