Prep school hockey player’s death prompts call for neck guard mandate
While the accidental death of a St. Luke’s School hockey player is igniting a call for the mandatory use of neck protectors, the athletic conference that governs the New Canaan prep school has not required use of the equipment.
The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council follows most rules of the NCAA, which in turn follows USA Hockey’s guidelines. Neither USA Hockey nor the NCAA mandate the use of neck guards.
Avon Old Farms coach John Gardner said the organization’s ice hockey governing body follows NCAA rules “with modifications.”
“But basically we follow the NCAA rules 100 percent,” said Gardner, who has coached Avon Old Farms since 1975. “To be honest with you, we haven’t talked about the neck guards for years.”
St. Luke’s and Brunswick Academy are members of the NEPSAC, the
organization which oversees most prep schools throughout New England.
St. Luke’s sophomore Teddy Balkind was accidentally cut in the neck by the skate blade of another player during a junior varsity game at Brunswick last week. Balkind was taken to Greenwich Hospital and surgery was unable to save him.
It’s unclear if Balkind was wearing a neck guard, but his death prompted a friend to create an online petition asking USA Hockey to change its policy on neck protectors. The Change.org campaign has garnered over 62,000 online signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.
A USA Hockey spokesman said the organization “recommends use of neck laceration protection ... for all players.”
In Connecticut, the CIAC requires the use of neck guards. The NEPSAC guidelines have been unclear and requests for clarity from conference administrators have been unsuccessful.
But Gardner, who is recognized as one of the most successful prep school coaches in history, confirmed that there is no rule requiring their usage.
Gardner has won eight New England Division 1 championships, nine Founders League championships and more than 800 games. Avon Old Farms has produced NHL players Brian Leetch, Jonathan Quick, Chris Higgins, Cam Atkinson and Nick Bonino.
The NEPSAC responded to a question about the use of neck guards Tuesday with a statement: “NEPSAC continues to extend its support and care to the St. Luke’s and Brunswick School communities. Nothing is more important to NEPSAC than fostering an athletic experience that is both enriching and safe. As is our charge, NEPSAC continually examines rules of play that govern our sports in partnership with our Sport Medicine Advisory Committee. As always, we will share more with our community should our standards change.”
The USA Hockey
USA Hockey has commissioned studies on the effectiveness of neck protectors, finding that 27 percent of neck injuries from skates came with players wearing guards. The study stated that “current neck laceration protector designs do not eliminate risk of neck laceration.”
spokesman said the organization “can’t speak to what other governing bodies (state high school leagues, colleges/universities, etc.) suggest” for use of neck protectors.
USA Hockey has commissioned studies on the effectiveness of neck protectors, finding that 27 percent of neck injuries from skates came with players wearing guards. The study stated that “current neck laceration protector designs do not eliminate risk of neck laceration.”
With no uniform policy from U.S. hockey’s national governing body, rules regarding the use of protectors seems to vary from state to state and even within states.
The National Federation of State High School Associations follows USA Hockey’s lead by only recommending usage. But the CIAC’s mandate is also applied to the Connecticut High School Girls Hockey Association, which is not sanctioned by the CIAC.
Steve Richetelli, who is the officials representative on the CIAC hockey committee, said on-ice officials are required to enforce the use of neck protectors.
“It’s part of their equipment,” Richetelli said. “They have to have it on. If they don’t, they get skated off the ice and they can’t come back (until it’s corrected).”
Richetelli said players will initially receive a warning.
“The second time, they’re penalized,” he said. “This is before the game starts, the officials talk to both coaches and make sure all their players are properly equipped.
“We want to make sure kids are properly equipped. We don’t want kids to get hurt.”
“No one says you can't wear one” under jurisdictions that don't require it, Richetelli said.