Mark Dreibelbis, an assistant commissioner of the N.C. High School Athletic Association, used to keep his football helmet on during games and practices at South Mecklenburg High because it hurt his ears to take his helmet off.

Now, he sees high school players slide their headgear off without unsnapping the four straps that are supposed to hold the helmet securely on their heads. Some players' helmets appear to slide on and off as easily as a pair of worn loafers.

"That's a problem," said Dreibelbis, the head of officials in the NCHSAA. "Helmets are there to protect players. If they are fitted properly, they don't go flying around."

The National Federation of State High School Associations, which writes the rules for high school football, is expected to consider rule changes for next season that would encourage coaches to make sure helmets are fitted properly. In other words, helmets that are ear-tugging tight.

"The idea is to get the helmet fitted properly," said Gary Whelchel, an assistant Arizona Interscholastic Association commissioner and head of officials said. "This is a safety issue."

The Arizona group experimented with a rule this year that removed a player from competition for one play if his helmet came off.

The rule seemed to be effective. Whelchel said the number of dislodged helmets were reduced from 140 on the first week of the season to about 35 in the 10th week.

"Coaches learn," he said. "We will be making a presentation to the national rules committee A rule change would improve safety."

Mike Guerrero, a certified athletic trainer at Garner, said most of the brands of helmets that are in use today should not come off during a play even if the chin strap is unfastened.

"I tell the guys their foreheads should scrunch if they pull down," Guerrero said. "The helmet shouldn't be sliding around."

The concern is not so much for the possibility of a player who loses his helmet being injured on the play, although that is a possibility, but that the helmet probably wasn't fitted correctly. If the helmet was fitted properly and worn correctly, the helmet is unlikely to be dislodged.

A well-fitted helmet helps protect a player from concussions. A concussion is caused when the brain is jarred and the chemical processes of the brain are effected.

Concussions, especially repeated concussions, can have permanent, long-lasting effects.

"Proper helmet fit is critical to making sure the helmet can perform to the limit of its abilities," said Mike Oliver, the executive committee of the National Organizing Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. "The NOCSAE standard tests helmets that are properly fitted to the headform when they are tested and certified.

"The role of helmets in preventing or limiting concussions is not well understood but to the extent that a helmet might prevent a concussion or reduce the severity of a concussion, that ability will certainly be reduced if the helmet is not worn properly. Additionally, the player whose helmet comes off during a play is exposed to head trauma that can be fatal."

Dreibelbis said he had never seen a study on how often the helmets of high school players were dislodged until the NCHSAA football game officials started tracking dislodged helmets this year. Officials were instructed to record every dislodged helmet and the circumstances.

Helmets were dislodged 1,237 times in 1,961 regular-season games. Of the association's 370 football-playing schools, 294 teams had a player lose his helmet during play.

Players trying to tackle lost their helmet 632 times. Runners had helmets dislodged 444 times and blockers and other players had their helmets come off 161 times.

Dreibelbis said the study justifies a rule change.

"Players should be wearing helmets that fit properly," he said. "A properly fitted helmet is crucial to prevent concussions."

Dreibelbis is concerned that 123 times during the season, a player lost his helmet multiple times in a single game.

"A player that loses his helmet more than once in a game doesn't have a well fitted helmet," Dreibelbis said.

The Arizona rule required a player with a dislodged helmet to be removed from the game for one play. That is the same protocol used with a player who is bleeding. The player is removed to get the helmet properly fitted.

The experimental rule that was used in Arizona allowed a player who lost his helmet on the last play of a quarter to stay in the game. Coaches also could call a time out and keep the player with the dislodged helmet in the game.

Dreibelbis favors a rule where the player comes out unless the helmet comes off on the last play of the first half. The player would have to come out even if the coach calls a timeout.

"We want to prevent helmets from coming off, not just correct the ones that have already come off," Dreibelbis said.