An 18 year old hockey player from Springfield, PA, died Monday, February 6, after  an apparent head injury.

Nick Bond was the captain for his team at The Wissahickon Skating Club, which he had been a player for ever since he could skate, and a senior at Springfield High School. On Sunday, February 5, he scored a goal in a morning game. Soon after, he left the ice after telling his head coach- who is also his father- that he had a headache.

Moments after leaving the rink, Nick collapsed and was rushed to Einstein Medical Center, where surgeons underwent procedures to relieve pressure in his brain. Their efforts would be in vain, and Nick would tragically pass away the next afternoon.

Coaches and parents present at the game said they did not see Nick take any serious blows to the head, nor tell anyone he had been hit at all. Yet the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death was due to blunt force head trauma. The office ruled his death an accident.

Nick was a beloved player for his hockey club. He came there a shy and reserved kid, but quickly blossomed into a courageous and compassionate young man. Nick proved to be a confident leader, both for his team, and for the young skaters the club taught, which Nick volunteered his help to.

Nick was the youngest of four brothers. His father, Rob, in addition to coaching hockey at the club, has been an assistant varsity baseball coach at Springfield High School the last four seasons. His mother, Margaret, is a passionate “hockey mom.”

Wissahickon Skating Club president Kevin Hamel called Bond “… a fiery and skilled competitor who believed that success on and off the ice was built on teamwork and friendship.”

The PIHL (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League) requires an EMT to attend all games and also requires players to wear neck guards, though USA Hockey does not mandate players use them.

Like any contact sport, head injuries are unfortunately common in hockey. However, something like a concussion is not as easy to detect as a broken arm or sprained ankle, and the long-term effects are even harder to diagnose. This case highlights the need for coaches to stay vigilant and make sure their players are enjoying their hobbies safely, and make sure nothing like this has to happen again.