More than a month after Matthew Mayich collapsed during a workout and was left in a coma, Arizona State University has taken action against the team’s hockey coach, placing Greg Powers on paid administrative leave.
Mayich, a St. Louis Blues prospect, was taking part in an intense military-style workout led by a U.S. Army Green Beret in 30C conditions on an outdoor field at the school when he collapsed during a drill.
The native of Stoney Creek, Ont., has since been in critical care, with his family’s attorney stating that the 21-year-old has no chance of recovery.
The decision to place Powers on leave comes two days after the team sent a letter to university president Michael Crow accusing the coach of significantly downplaying the severity of Mayich’s situation.
In the 26-page letter, which was obtained by several media outlets, Mayich’s Sun Devils teammates dispute several aspects of the school’s internal review of the Aug. 20 workout and said that several players feared retaliation from the coach and his staff for speaking out about the incident.
What did the players say happened to Mayich?
According to the Athletic, the seven unnamed players wrote that Powers said Mayich had “just a little head stroke” and only needed an IV.
The letter also claims that Mayich — and several others — did not receive proper hydration during the workout and that the Blues prospect did not receive adequate medical care after he collapsed.
The pre-season workout was conducted by Tim Ziesel, an ex-Green Beret, and ASU’s internal review found that the team’s coaching staff had not vetted the training plan for the workout.
Assistant coach Mike Corbett — who was also reportedly present during the workout — will coach the team during its season opener against Lindenwood on Friday and Saturday in Maryland Heights, Mo., while the school said it will soon name an interim head coach.
Powers has been the Sun Devils’ head coach since 2010 and has a record of 153–162–26.
What did the school say?
The university’s media relations department issued a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing the move.
“Our focus continues to be on Matthew and his family, and on our student-athletes to make sure they have the support they need during this time and as the season begins,” ASU athletics director Graham Rossini said in the statement. “We have continued to collect as much information as possible. After thorough and careful deliberation, I believe this is the best move to provide stability for the hockey program.”
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) supported the decision, saying its “thoughts remain with (Mayich), his family and his teammates.”
“The concerns raised by student-athletes deserve to be heard and thoroughly reviewed,” the statement added. “We will not prejudge the findings of that review. Hockey matters deeply to our conference, but the well-being of our student-athletes matters more.”
Mayich’s family, however, isn’t pleased with the school’s decision, saying that it didn’t go far enough.
In a statement to ABC-15 in Arizona, Rob Carey — Mayich’s family attorney — said that ASU’s entire coaching staff should’ve been put on leave, not just Powers.
“Putting Powers on leave while his best friend (Corbett) of the last decade stays in charge of the locker room doesn’t solve the problem,” the statement said. “If ASU won’t remove him, even just to err on the side of player safety, then the interim head coach it has promised should have the authority to remove anyone who poses a risk of retaliation against these players.”