The South Brunswick High School boys ice hockey team played Monroe High School at ProSkate in South Brunswick on Jan. 15, but had more on its mind than a simple win.
By Azra Baig, Special Writer
The South Brunswick High School boys ice hockey team played Monroe High School at ProSkate in South Brunswick on Jan. 15, but had more on its mind than a simple win.
It was a special night, because it was also a fundraiser to aid Michael Nichols or “Mikey”, a Monroe senior ice hockey player who suffered a fractured neck while playing in a game on Jan. 4.
The team collected almost $700 from the 300 people attending the match.
Tyler Harpster, a junior ice hockey player for South Brunswick, said that Mikey’s injury “has affected everyone, not just the hockey community. It brings the hockey community closer and gives a different appreciation for the game. As a hockey player, I have been deeply affected and have been keeping Mikey in my thoughts and prayers.”
Many of the South Brunswick players had played on the same ice hockey travel teams growing up with Mikey and have a personal connection to him and his family.
Monisha Kumar, a parent of a South Brunswick ice hockey player, said when the boys ice hockey team found out about the Mikey’s severe injury "they were all very disturbed."
"It hit home since it wasn’t just another kid playing hockey, this was their friend, this was their teammate, someone they knew…they were deeply troubled by it,” she said.
Monisha Kumar said her family has been keeping in touch with the Nichols family and has known them through a travel team her son and Mikey were on.
When she heard about the news of Mikey’s injury, she said, “My heart sank for two reasons, one of my sons plays hockey, secondly which is the most important reason, my son has played hockey with Mike. We know the kid, we know the family personally, it was a terrible feeling when we found out.”
She said she has reached out to her friends and the community through Facebook to help support Mikey. She said, “We are going to pray for Mikey’s quick recovery and with his resolve he will get back on the ice, we are confident. He is a great kid, a really nice player.”
Marla Izzo, a Monroe High School Ice Hockey player’s mom said that she, the Monroe Ice Hockey team, the parents and Mikey’s family are all very appreciative for the support that has been given from everyone such as other schools and people across the nation.
She said the Monroe Ice Hockey team has had various fundraisers such as selling t-shirts and stickers to help raise funds for Mikey.
She also said, the Monroe ice hockey players have not been allowed to visit Mikey in the hospital yet, but are updated on his condition through Facebook postings.
She said the last update she heard on his condition was that he was showing some signs of improvement and that he may be transferred to a rehabilitation center soon.
She encouraged everyone to support Mikey and his family and to keep him in their prayers.
Kevin Welsh, of Princeton, was also in attendance. He did not have any children playing on any of the teams but said that he knew and coached players on both the South Brunswick and the Monroe Ice Hockey teams.
He said he was there to show support for Mikey and to make a donation for him.
”I think when somebody suffers a severe injury like that, it ‘s nice to show the family support whether you know the individual or not. I have two sons that play the sport as well, so it hits so close to home, when you see somebody like that get hurt and realize it just as easily could have been one of your own kids,” he said.
He also said it was nice to see a lot of people in attendance supporting both teams.
”This is the worst situation you can imagine,” South Brunswick’s Ice Hockey Head Coach, Mike Slansky, said. “You look at the way you prepare your players for each game and you assess the skills each player has.”
Coach Slansky said he discussed with this players the potential for injury every time they step on the ice and encouraged them not to play scared but to play hard and to be in a position to protect themselves.
Coach Slansky said the South Brunswick Ice Hockey Team was able to collect approximately $700 and encouraged everyone to keep Mikey in their thoughts.
Donations can be given online at: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/xfr3/prayformikey.