Arizona State hockey has been embroiled in controversy since August 20. On that day, an offseason workout occurred. That workout saw Tim Ziesel, a former Green Beret, running the event. He was brought in by head coach Greg Powers. After the workout, Matthew Mayich collapsed due to exertional heat stroke. He is not expected to make a full and meaningful recovery.
Now, players are speaking out about the events of that day, requesting that Powers be placed on leave, per Katie Strang, Adam Kilgore, and Nathan Fenno of The Athletic.
“In a 26-page letter sent to ASU president Michael Crow on Monday, the players disputed numerous findings from the university’s initial review of the Aug. 20 workout, writing that Mayich did not receive water and was provided inadequate medical care after his collapse,” The Athletic reported.
Players sent an anonymous letter through their attorney, Tim Casey, because they fear retaliation from Powers. Seven players, which is almost a quarter of the Arizona State hockey roster, shared concerns and wrote that others did not join the letter out of fear of retaliation.
“The head coach and his assistant coaches were all on the field on August 20, all remain in their positions, and together they decide our playing time, scholarship levels, and roster status,” the players wrote. “No one has separated us from them since that morning. We should not have to choose between telling the truth about August 20 and keeping what we have worked our whole lives for.”
The Players recommended that a former player with ties to the program take over while the investigation continues. Shane Doan, who is a former player from the Phoenix Coyotes, was the recommendation. The players also note that Powers did not understand the severity of the situation.
“From what we could tell, at no point did Coach Powers seem to appreciate the severity of the situation,” the players wrote.
They also added that water breaks were sparse and only given to players who finished at the top of drills.
“The first of us to finish had a few seconds at the bottles before being ordered back while others, including Matthew, were still crawling,” players wrote. “This was the only water break.”
The players pushed back on the initial reports and dispute many of the findings. The season opens up on Friday against Lindenwood, which means any actions against the coaching staff need to happen quickly.