The whistle blew, loud and shrill. Football practice had begun, and Mitchell McNamara, a sophomore at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, faced his opponent at the scrimmage line. Lowering his head, he pushed forward and collided with the other player, trying to tackle him. But, before he knew it, Mitchell was the one on the muddy ground, confused and dizzy. He had suffered a concussion.

Head injuries, particularly in football, are relatively common. Fortunately, most of these injuries have only minor repercussions, as was the case for McNamara. However, some athletes are not so lucky; six high school football players received permanent brain damage last year, and one died from a head injury, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research.

Death in sports is rare, but it occurs. Justin Saccone, for example, was killed playing baseball. He was a sophomore in high school, as healthy and normal as any high school student could be. But, as Justin came to bat, things did not go normally at all. The pitch nailed him in the chest, causing a rare phenomenon called commotio cordis. He died instantly.

While freak accidents like these do occur, safety in sports is, for the most part, quite advanced. There are helmets, shin guards, face masks and pads. Rules are created to help protect every player. However, as varsity football coach Stephen Ciccotelli explains, "Complete elimination of injury in sports is unfeasible." He is right, but we might as well try.

The number of safety reforms that have been made is significant, but the number we still have yet to make is significant, too. Baseball is one sport with very limited protection; fielders only have a glove, and batters only have a helmet to protect themselves from the fast-moving baseball. One new product sold online is the Heartgard, a small, hard, plastic shield that straps around the chest and covers the heart. Suggested to all pitchers and batters, the Heartgard costs only 20 dollars. This product could have saved the life of Justin Saccone, and it can save the lives of many athletes in the future.

A second reform that can be made in high school baseball is the substitution of wooden bats for aluminum bats. Wooden bats are heavier, which reduces the bat speed. This, in turn, reduces the speed at which the ball deflects off of the bat and gives players more reaction time. "I think that [wooden bats] should [be substituted for aluminum bats]," said sophomore junior-varsity baseball player Michael Henkels. "It's a good transitional phase for people who want to play baseball in the future, and it also would prevent injuries."

Perhaps a more helpful and surely more versatile safety product is the safety headband. Designed by a company called Forcefield, the headband has increased padding around the forehead and temples, to help to prevent concussions and other severe head trauma. The headband is recommended for soccer, football and basketball players, and it costs a mere 15 dollars.

   Sadly, the reason that many safety products are not frequently worn is downright trivial. Many high school athletes will not sacrifice their appearance or comfort for better safety. "The chances of having a severe injury...are unlikely, and the extra gear would be annoying to play with," said Henkels. Freshman soccer player Noel Whitehouse agreed, saying, "I probably wouldn't wear [the headband]. It's just embarrassing."

Shallow reasons such as these discourage players from using safety gear. But, if the board of education were to simply mandate the use of certain safety equipment, individual players would not be embarrassed to wear it. And while in some cases, comfort may be slightly decreased, safety would increase.

And safety needs to come first.