A Wheaton College lacrosse player with a big head who had been sidelined because he didn't have a large enough helmet got good news on Wednesday.
Goalie Alex Chu received a custom Cascade helmet and is ready to take the field against Johnson and Wales University on Saturday.
Chu was a standout lacrosse goalie at Nipmuc Regional High School and a highly sought after player by Wheaton College, which is located in Norton, Massachusetts.
“He’s a big part of our program. He was a heavily recruited freshman and one of our four goalies,” Wheaton Lacrosse Coach Kyle Hart said.
In high school, they split two helmets apart to create one extra-large one and got a waiver from the MIAA.
In college, helmets need to be compliant with the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment and the three main lacrosse helmet makers didn’t have one that fit Chu.
The large helmets on the shelves fit a 24-inch circumference head, which works for most players. But Chu's head measures more than 25 inches.
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“Lacrosse is kinda everything to me. I just want to play,” Chu said, before getting the custom helmet.