LONDON, Ont. -- Minor hockey officials are re-thinking team health restrictions following the HIN1 death of a young player who fell ill during a London tournament.
"This (boy), I would take it for granted, considering he was playing AA hockey, that he's a very good athlete and probably in very good shape," said London Junior Knights president Stephen Firth, whose organization held the tournament this past weekend.
"When you see someone like that come down with something and die that quickly ... it gives you (pause)."
One of the sport's governing bodies tonight will discuss tightening protocols for teams with players who show symptoms of the virus, which killed 13-year-old Evan Frustaglio of Toronto two days after he played in London.
Warnings from Hockey Canada were circulating among several teams yesterday, including suggestions that parents keep from the rink any child showing signs of the virus.
Teams are also warned against providing sport-drink bottles, where direct lip contact is more likely than traditional water bottles, and towels on team benches.
Some leagues have also ditched the traditional post-game handshake.
"We've got to err on the side of caution," said Londoner Tony Foresi, president of the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario, which meets tonight in Stratford.
"If this is affecting tournaments, we've got to look at a policy of 'just don't show up' and we'll refund the money. If there's not enough players to (ice) a team, postpone the game."
Health concerns about H1N1 have long been on the mind of Foresi and other minor hockey officials, including Firth and another official with the Alliance, whose teams stretch from Fort Erie to Windsor.
The Junior Knights contacted the Middlesex-London Health Unit Monday night, shortly after Toronto minor hockey officials told them about the death of Frustaglio, who collapsed at home that morning.
Health unit officials, though, aren't tracing the boy's movements through London -- the virus is already widespread, making such effort pointless -- and suspect Frustaglio contracted it before arriving in London.
Thirty people have died in Ontario from H1N1 since the virus was first detected in the province in April.
Frustaglio is only the fourth young person in the province to die of H1N1.
PATRICK.MALONEY@SUNMEDIA.CA
