The high school spring sports season got under way this week. And as they have for the past five decades, many teams that are hosting their first games have been sending players into the stands to ``pass the hat,'' collecting donations for the Rhode Island Interscholastic League's Injury Fund.

Some may be wondering, as they dig into their pockets searching for some loose change to contribute to yet another cause, what exactly is the Injury Fund and who does it benefit, anyway?

You might be surprised to find out that it could very well help you and your family someday.

The only organization of its kind in the United States, the Injury Fund provides financial assistance to any athlete of a participating school who is injured while competing for their high school team.

The Injury Fund ``gave me my smile back,'' says Maryhelen Chiulli, and she means that quite literally.

The former Cranston East field hockey player suffered a serious mouth injury during an Interscholastic League game about six years ago, taking a direct hit to the face by an opponent's stick while going for a ball. Although she was wearing a mouth guard, Chiulli lost three teeth.

``I would say it was a day I won't soon forget,'' says Chiulli, now finishing up her final year of college at the University of Rhode Island.

She spent the next three years undergoing multiple surgeries, including a number of bone grafts, before her mouth was repaired and her smile restored.

Although the Chiulli family's health insurance would cover the cost of false teeth, it would not pay for Maryhelen to have implants, something that her parents felt was important, especially given her age.

``We have good medical coverage,'' said Maryhelen's father, Carl Chiulli. ``But we felt (false teeth) was a temporary fix, and that's not what we wanted for our daughter, to have to take false teeth out every night at 16 years old. We didn't know what the Injury Fund was going to cover, and the next thing we know, Christmas came early. They covered the whole thing and that was just unbelievable. We are so grateful to the Injury Fund.''

Spearheaded by the late Ed Stebbins, longtime football coach of what was then known simply as Cranston High, the Injury Fund, originally called the Rhode Island Football Coaches Injury Fund, was established in the mid-1940s to assist an injured Cranston football player whose family could not afford his medical bills.

Those initial fundraising efforts were so successful that the fund gradually began to expand to include all Rhode Island high school football players, then all male high school athletes and eventually female athletes.

As treasurer of the fund for more than four decades, longtime track coach and official Ray Dwyer says there is nothing more rewarding than writing out a check for a student-athlete's family that he knows will spare that family great financial hardship.

Last year, 98 claims were filed with the Injury Fund, he said. Some are for as little as $50, quite a few are around $500, and one was for as much as $27,000.

``It does make you feel good to know you're benefiting somebody,'' said Dwyer, who plans to step down as treasurer next month after so many years of service.

John Petrocelli is another parent who can't thank the Injury Fund enough for its assistance after his son, Michael, suffered a freak accident while wrestling for Cranston West at an out-of-state tournament during the past Christmas break. His leg fractured and his ankle shattered, Michael was taken to a Massachusetts hospital, where he was told he would need surgery.

Wanting his son to be closer to home, John Petrocelli had Michael transported from Lowell, Mass., to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence. He understood he would have to pay the transportation costs, but figured the 90-minute ambulance ride might cost somewhere between $800 and $1,000.

Then, he got the bill for $4,000.

When Petrocelli learned that the Injury Fund would come to his family's aid, covering the entire bill, he says, ``It was quite a relief, believe me when I tell you.''

Several years ago, the Injury Fund, which also awards four scholarships annually, began reimbursing families for orthotics, something that many health insurers still don’t cover.

About three years ago, it also began offering to pay half of the cost of automated external defibrillators, an opportunity Dwyer says that almost a dozen schools have taken advantage of.

The Injury Fund will even cover health insurance deductibles, as Lynn DeNoncour was pleased to discover last spring after her daughter Laura, a member of Johnston’s fast-pitch softball team, broke a bone in the index finger of her right hand.

``I think a lot of people think if they have insurance that (the Injury Fund) is not something that would help them,’’ Lynn DeNoncour said. ``But most people have deductibles and other expenses that are not covered, and it was a really nice thing to have available. Otherwise, that’s it. We were out the money.’’

Applying to the Injury Fund ``was a lot easier than I thought it would be,’’ she added. ``I contacted our athletic director. He told me what to do. I submitted the bill, and I got a check. It was very painless.’’

It is also very simple for teams to participate in the Injury Fund program, says Dwyer. (Although he has become increasingly disappointed at the number of schools that have failed to stay current with their minimal dues requirements.) Teams need only collect donations at their first home game of the season and submit them to the fund. Cross country and track teams ensure their athletes are covered by taking part in Injury Fund carnivals, which kick off each season. In football, teams participate in one of a series of round-robin Injury Fund games.

Needing to complete a ``capstone project’’ as part of her graduation requirements at Coventry High School, junior Erin Silva decided to organize an Injury Fund softball tournament, which will be held tomorrow beginning at 8:30 a.m., with 12 teams participating.

``A lot of kids use the job fair or career shadowing for their project,’’ said Silva, who plays both softball and volleyball at Coventry. ``But I saw this as really benefiting the community. I’ve been playing a lot of years, and I’ve seen a lot of unfortunate things happen. And medical bills can cost so much money.’’

cthorn@projo.com