Imagine how your life could change in two seconds. Maybe it’s the words of good or bad news you hear. Maybe it’s the solution to a problem you never thought you’d find. Or maybe it’s just a quick moment, an event that flashes by your eyes and you don’t realize the weight of it until you’re unbelievably happy, or completely devastated. For 16 year-old hockey player Jack Jablonski, all it took was two seconds.

Jablonski was involved in a hockey collision on Dec. 30 after two opposing high school players illegally checked and slammed him into the boards during a game. Days later, he was deemed paralyzed from the neck down. 

The tragedy of the event has sparked much support for the high school honors student, as many people across the nation have sent him thousands of prayers and good wishes on Twitter and Facebook. Celebrities such as Steve Carrell and Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder have also expressed their heartfelt hopes of recovery.

It’s even hit as near as our own high school. Thursday, Jan. 5, many Ladue students gathered in the cafeteria, all wearing white shirts (as did his own high school, Benidle-St. Margaret’s in Minnesota) for a picture of support.

The consequences of this accident has left a scar on many lives, including the Jablonski family, his hockey team and school, and even the families of the offending players who unintentionally injured Jablonski. It is hard to believe that such a young person was injured so severely and understand that he and his family will be changed forever.

But the fact that it happened during a high school sports game cannot be ignored. The tragic event experienced by Jablonski serves to advocate for efforts to prevent other teenagers from suffering from such injuries. Whether it’s on the hockey rink, the football field, or the soccer field, such catastrophic sports injuries among youths should be prevented. According to the National Athletic Trainer’s Association, 50 young athletes were killed by sports injuries in 2010 and put 30,000 more in the hospital. They say that every school should have an emergency action plan to respond to and treat the child at the scene, whether it’s a minor sprain or cardiac arrest.

Maybe such a plan could have saved Jablonski, maybe not. It was a swift charge of a hockey stick, known as a check, that ultimately caused the inevitable accident. This has already changed the way players and their families view the game of ice hockey in regards to the ability to check. USA Hockey has already banned all checking for the youngest players, but extended that rule this season to players ages 11 and 12.

Such changes are intended to make the sport a safer game to play for all ages and prevent the least amount of injuries like the one Jablonski suffered. USA Hockey also states that players, coaches, and parents should be educated about the importance of following and understanding the rules of the game.

But despite what doctors say, the parents of Jack Jablonski have stated multiple times that they believe in their son and the recovery he can make. Jablonski was recently moved to a rehabilitation facility Jan. 23. He’s shown improvement in his hands and arms, something doctors hadn’t excepted with the severity of his injuries. This just shows that with a little ambition and optimism, Jablonski may be able to take those two seconds back. #