One of the reasons for the safety of the sport is the quality of the equipment. Our teams spend a significant portion of their budgets each year on equipment that is of the utmost quality. This equipment includes NOCSAE certified helmets and a variety of other padding. Often, the equipment is exactly the same as that used by professional players. The obvious
exceptions are when the size of the player requires specifically designed equipment for youth football. The teams own their own equipment; unlike other sports, the parents are not required to shell out hundreds of dollars each year for equipment.