Lawmaker proposes mandatory neck guards after hockey death

Connecticut Public Radio | By The Associated Press

Published January 14, 2022 at 5:34 PM EST

A Connecticut state lawmaker says she plans to introduce legislation requiring all hockey players to wear a neck guard or a similar protective device during practice or games.

The proposed legislation follows the death last week of a 10th-grade player, 16-year-old Benjamin Edward "Teddy" Balkind, whose neck was cut by a skate. While the governing body for interscholastic sports among secondary schools in the state requires all hockey players to wear neck protection, state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria says the rules don't apply to private schools or youth hockey programs.

The incident involving Balkind occurred during a game between two private schools.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

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