MSHSL Reminds Hockey Coaches About Checking

Sixteen-year-old sophomore Jack Jablonski of Benilde-St. Margaret's suffered a spinal injury when he was inadvertently checked from behind in a junior varsity hockey game last week.

The High School League sent a letter Tuesday to all hockey coaches, officials and league athletic administrators, urging them to renew their efforts to eliminate hitting from behind.

The league says it has emphasized reducing and removing checking from behind for nearly a decade.

League staff recommends that hockey coaches daily remind their players not to check from behind and that players "hit the brakes" when they see numbers on the jersey back.

Jablonski remains in critical condition at HCMC.