A new helmet safety initiative is becoming popular in Wisconsin as youth programs gear up for football season

SUSSEX, Wis. (CBS 58) -- As youth football programs across Wisconsin gear up for the upcoming football season, many players are adding an extra layer of protection to their helmets. 

A Guardian Cap is a line of soft-shell pads that attach to the outside of a football helmet, covering it. The caps help reduce the force created from a hit, which can be dangerous. 

Sussex Hamilton Junior Chargers coach Matt Snell says this is the first year his program is having all players wear Guardian Caps. 

“Player safety is really the number one reason for this," Snell said. “I would say that they’re definitely worth it."

Snell said he was worried about how the caps would impact how hot the players would get as they practiced with them in August. However, the athletes say they barely notice them while they are focusing on the game. 

“It gives me more confidence knowing that I’m more safe tackling people," said Easton Erdmann, an 8th grade football player. “It’s really light weight, you don’t even really feel it, in my opinion it looks kind of cool.”

“It kinda helps me play better to be honest," said Kobe Humphrey, an 8th grade football player."

Student athletes aren't the only ones using the caps. This year, the NFL announced that players will be permitted to wear Guardian Caps during regular-season games in an effort to increase player health and safety and prevent head injuries.

"We now have two years of data showing significant concussion reductions among players who wear Guardian Caps during practice so players will be permitted to wear the cap during games this upcoming season," Jeff Miller, NFL EVP overseeing player health and safety, said in a statement back in April. "Additionally, there are new helmets this year that provide as much – if not more – protection than a different helmet model paired with a Guardian Cap. These developments represent substantial progress in our efforts to make the game safer for players."

“Everyone’s wearing them pretty much now," said Jensen Reisbeck, a 5th grade football player. "At the high school level, college level, you see them everywhere.”

Some young athletes say Guardian Caps do provide players with a different aesthetic and aren't necessarily as sleek looking as traditional helmets without the cover. However, coaches hope the Guardian Caps will end up scoring extra points with parents in the long run. 

“They ultimately help with overall participation rates. Because parents think you are being safe, and ultimately, you are," Snell said. 

The NFL said when the Guardian Caps debuted for some players in certain positions in 2022, they can reduce the force from head contact by 10% if one player is wearing it, and 20% if all players involved are wearing them.