ALFRED — The parents of a Marshwood High School student who lost an eye during a field hockey drill are suing the school for not making players wear protective goggles.

Dennis and Pat Weightman of South Berwick filed the lawsuit in York County Superior Court last week. It also names the Western Maine Athletic Conference, the Maine Principals’ Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations, the bodies that govern safety rules for high school athletics.

Sarah Weightman lost her left eye after getting hit with a teammate’s stick before a freshman game last October. The lawsuit seeks damages for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses and lost future earnings.

The lawsuit claims that Marshwood Principal Thomas Ward told coach Mary Ann Short that wearing eye protection could prevent injuries, but that team members were not required to do so. Ward’s lawyer denied that Ward made the recommendation.

The Weightmans believe the school should have required protective equipment. They hope the lawsuit will result in a change in safety standards.

“This tragic injury could have been prevented by simple and inexpensive eyewear,” said D. Michael Noonan, the Dover, N.H., lawyer representing the family. “(The Weightmans) hope this suit will result in the required use of protective eyewear so young girls playing field hockey can avoid injuries like this one in the future.”

The lawsuit also says Short, who completed a one-season contract with the school district last fall, was negligent and unqualified. It says the school district was negligent in hiring her and in not forcing players to wear protective equipment.

The Weightmans have a difficult court battle ahead of them, according to Michael Saucier, who is representing the district, Ward and Short.

“The plaintiffs are going to be hard-pressed to show that the school district was negligent if no state or federal requirement to wear eye protection exists,” Saucier said.

Protective eyewear is not necessary when field hockey is played by the rules, because sticks are not allowed to go above the waist, according to Richard Tyler, executive director of the Maine Principals Association.

“It is very, very unfortunate that the young lady was severely injured,” Tyler said. “But at the same time, and I want to be as compassionate as possible, there has to be a realization on everyone’s part that there is an inherent danger of serious injury in any sport, and you cannot remove all of that risk.”