Letter: Young hockey player injured - airlifted to Ottawa hospital

SooToday.com has received the following letter from a reader who was present when a young hockey player was injured Sunday morning during a Bantam BB playoff game at the Essar Centre.

The writer has requested anonymity.

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Hockey Injury preventable?

As one of our fellow line mates lies in a hospital bed after being airlifted to an Ottawa hospital with a head injury, we reflect on the incident and wonder if there is really anything being done in minor sports to prevent such an incident. 

It seems to many and has been verbally exercised by many more that until someone has been paralyzed or even killed in minor sports of any kind, that nothing has been done and nothing seems to be in the works to prevent these kind of situations. 

Sure in minor hockey they have placed STOP signs on the backs of jerseys and all evidence points to a thumbs-up for what it has done, but from an officiating standpoint, when will leagues and their officials put their foot down and start handing out proper penalties and or suspensions to players that don’t seem to get the point?

As I witnessed a player on the ice, unconscious, and unresponsive for 2+ minutes, I shook at the thought of what the outcome could end up being. 

Once he came to and was able to get a grip on what was happening, I was able to get my “wits” about me. 

Family, friends, fans, coaching staffs, team players from either side, sat quietly waiting some kind of response.

As the player was taken off by stretcher down the hallway full of fellow teammates wishing him well, and into the ambulance, it became quite apparent, yet again, that something now, not later, needs to be done.

The seriousness of his injury is not 100 percent known at this time, and it seems that much is better today, still our thoughts and prayers are with this young player and his family. 

However, we cannot forget how serious it could have been.  

As a parent and a coach, I do believe that we, as parents and coaches have to look at this and unfortunately use this as an example to all players of all sports, that this is something that could have and will possibly someday become a tragedy, and none of us want to see that. 

We need to constantly remind ourselves, our children and our players that this is a game. 

A game where, granted, the emotions will get the best of us at certain times, but also a game that we love to be a part of and need to play in a manner which we understand and respect anything and everything that can come of it.

But just as important, the leagues and its officials need to take a much harder, longer look at how things like this happen. 

Where it started from in the first place and figure out how they can prevent it from happening in the future.

We sit here sending our thoughts and prayers to our teammate and his family in hopes for his safe return.

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