“I failed to realize that the whole security industry is so diverse,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and educational services, after attending the National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition in mid-July.

“There was a whole ballroom full of people there and people we were never traditionally exposed to,” said Hopkins.

The NFHS was there to learn more about how high schools can better protect their athletes.

Also in attendance were members of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Karissa Niehoff.

“In light of Sandy Hook and other recent incidents at schools, I believe that high schools are soft targets especially during practice when athletic directors, coaches and assistant coaches are the only adults on the school’s campus,” said Hopkins. “I think our schools do a good job from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., but from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. they’re vulnerable.”

Hopkins planned to meet with the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security earlier this month in order to work on the high school curriculum.