Connecticut 10th-grade hockey player dies after tragic collision with another player
Officials said Teddy Balkind fell to the ice during the game, and another player was unable to stop and collided with Balkind.
abc13.com
"GREENWICH, Connecticut -- A Connecticut 10th-grade hockey player has died after falling to the ice and being cut on the neck by the skate of another player during a game, school officials and police said.
The accident occurred Thursday, as the junior varsity team at the Brunswick school, a college preparatory school for boys in Greenwich, played St. Luke's School, a private co-educational school from New Canaan.
St. Luke's identified the player Friday as Teddy Balkind. He fell to the ice and the other player was unable to stop and collided with him, Greenwich Police Capt. Mark Zuccerella said Friday.
Brunswick Head of School Thomas Philip said in a statement that Balkind suffered a cut to his neck. He said those who were at the game described the play as "entirely normal and unremarkable in the game of hockey."
"I want to commend our medical, coaching and security staff for all that they did in the most terrible of circumstances to sustain the boy until the ambulance arrived," Philip wrote.
No classes were held on Friday because of a snow storm, but St. Luke's Head of School Mark Davis said the building would be open in the afternoon so that the community could gather to grieve.
"There are no words adequate to this moment, and I know all of us will support each other as best as we can," he said.
Since Balkind's tragic death, there's been an increase demand for neck guards. A friend of Balkind started an online petition for USA Hockey to require neck laceration protection as the league that Balkind was in only suggested that players wear them."
