NYJHL Condoning head injuries?

The accompanying picture was taken of Thomas Rappleye from the ER last Friday night.

A formal complaint was filed with the NJYHL, youth hockey's governing body in the state of New Jersey. Essentially, Commissioner Robert Sullo allowed his referees to defend their 2:00 minor penalty call on the blow to Tom Rappleye's head, a blow that concussed him and has cost him 5 games and counting from his pee-wee season. That was the extent of the NJYL's action.

The point of the complaint was to try and motivate Sullo and the NJYHL to take action, not to defend their officials. So the perpetrator of the act, Mitch Romine of the Skyland Kings, continues to play after concussing another 11 year old, because he has served his 2:00 penalty. Meanwhile, the recipient of the hit is on the sidelines with post-concussion symptoms. Quick Review of USA Hockey Rule 616 (b): A MAJOR PLUS A GAME MISCONDUCT PENALTY SHALL BE IMPOSED ON ANY PLAYER WHO INJURES AN OPPONENT BY HEAD CONTACT. That penalty is supposed to be imposed regardless of the legality and recklessness of the hit. In this case, three eyewitnesses saw Romine cock his forearm before deovering the blow to the back of the head of a defenseless player kneeling down to retrieve his stick.

All readers familiar with sport are aware of how sensitive leagues are to head injuries; adult players in the NHL and the Ontario Hockey League have been sentenced to lengthy suspensions in recent weeks for CLEAN hits to the head of opponents. Sullo and the NJYHL seem to think that defending the referees suffices for sports justice.

So the question to all the readers is: What happens the next time Romine drills another player's head from behind? Who is responsible? Will a 2:00 penalty deter Romine from continuing his violent acts? I'm curious how the NJYHL will respond to the next head injury under their watch.

Obvious disclosure: Tom is my son. I watched the macabre scene play out before my eyes, listened in disbelief to the refs try to justify the call, and watched my Tom get taken to the hospital. The most distressing news to him was that Romine was given a mere 2:00 penalty.

Pee wee hockey is the first level that allows checking. I wonder how many parents want their children playing in the NJYHL with their concern (or lack thereof) for the players health?

Comments always appreciated.