Rome Kadi is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Notre Dame Prep High School for AZPreps365.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – One of the most crucial pieces of sustaining an athletic program has not been publicized enough. 

High school sports is not always about getting the most talented players or the most tactical coaches, although they are important in their own ways. In reality, getting the correct equipment is one of the most important factors in maintaining a high school athletic program.

Notre Dame Prep’s equipment manager Chico Cochran understands this better than anyone within the school community.

In order for him to get partnerships with equipment companies like BSN SPORTS and Nike, Cochran used his connections to his advantage. 

“[I did it] just by building relationships,” Cochran said. “That’s kind of what it’s about.”

BSN SPORTS is a vendor that ships sports equipment for youth teams and leagues across the country.

The biggest reason Notre Dame Prep decided to partner with the vendor is because of the financial advantages BSN offered. 

“They have the biggest Nike discount in the country,” Cochran said.

Because of this discount, Notre Dame Prep is able to give Nike apparel and equipment to all of its players and coaches. 

Notre Dame Prep also works with Riddell, a company that solely focuses on protective gear for football. That includes shoulder pads and back plates. However, Riddell is most famous for its helmets. 

Many football teams at the amateur and professional levels of football wear Riddell helmets, including Notre Dame Prep.

Saints players wear Riddell helmets when they play. (Rome Kadi photo/AZPreps365)“I think they are one of the safest helmets [and] they are the easiest to work on,” Cochran said. “All [of] our helmets are [made by] Riddell.”

Cochran said he maintained the relationship with Riddell and one of their representatives because he gets each helmet reconditioned every year. He does this to be on the safe side because most Riddell helmets get reconditioned every two years. 

Since his tenure at Notre Dame Prep began 13 years ago, Cochran has stabilized those relationships for about a decade. When asked how he’s been able to keep those relationships, Cochran points to building a safety net in case of sudden accidents with the equipment.

“When something goes wrong, [the companies] are there to fix it,” Cochran said. “It’s just continuing to do the right thing and keeping the relationships solid.”

George Prelock, the Saints’ head football coach, praised Cochran’s entrepreneurial abilities with equipment companies. 

“Chico is a pro and has been doing this for a long time,” Prelock said. “He works hand in hand with providers to ensure we get the best equipment.”

When asked about how important it is to get the right equipment for players, Cochran said he appreciates the companies that support him and the athletic program as a whole. 

“It’s nice to have the same people that I can always trust and count on to keep the kids safe,” Cochran said. 

He also notices how the players get excited about how their uniforms look.

“The kids are big on the swag and the uniform [combinations],” Cochran said. “Keeping up with the times is important.”

When asked about what makes his team’s equipment different from the other teams in the state, Prelock mentioned how Notre Dame Prep is one of the leaders in this department. 

“I think all the teams are trending to using the same equipment we do, especially since there is always an emphasis on keeping student-athletes safe,” Prelock said.