Parents of Arizona State hockey player who collapses call for coaches to be placed on leave

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The parents of an Arizona State hockey player who collapsed during an outdoor workout are calling for the coaches involved to be removed until an independent investigation is completed.

John and Christina Mayich, parents of 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, released a statement through the family attorney on Tuesday, concurring with a letter sent by seven Arizona State hockey players to university president Michael Crow on Monday. The players asked the university to place the coaches involved in the Aug. 20 workout to be placed on administrative leave until an investigation by an outside agency is completed.

The letter was sent anonymously through an attorney because the players feared retribution from the coaching staff.

“We’ve heard some things about what our family wants that aren’t right, so we want to be clear: we want this team to have a great season and we’ll be cheering for you,” the Mayichs said through attorney Rob Carey. “But the coaches who ran that workout on August 20 need to be removed while an independent investigation gets to the truth. The players shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day."

Mayich, a 21-year-old defenseman who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues, collapsed during an outdoor workout on the first day the NCAA allows official activities. He suffered from external heat stroke that reduced flow of oxygen to his brain and is unlikely to recover, Carey said.

The letter sent by the players called out discrepancies from an initial probe by Arizona State and asked for an interim coaching staff be put in place if the coaches involved are placed on leave.

“Nobody should keep quiet about what they think should happen because they believe that’s what we want. It isn’t,” the Mayichs said. "If anyone wants to know what we want, ask us. We want the truth, and we want it done in a way that lets the boys focus on hockey instead of wondering whether their coaches think they talked. Mostly, we want accountability for what happened to our son, and we want his teammates to be safe.”

The Arizona State police department is investigating the incident and a report will be sent to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for independent review when completed.

Arizona’s House and Senate education committee chairs called for an independent investigation of Arizona State’s hockey workout after reading the letter from the players.

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