Have you ever heard a pin drop in the hockey rink? It's not often the atmosphere of a hockey game is lost to complete silence. But when that eerie quietness creeps into the building, hockey parents know there can only be one reason, a player is down on the ice, and it's serious.

 The immediate and natural reaction is to scan the ice for your child, hoping they are not the one lying motionless on the ice. Parents in every sport, not just hockey, have experienced this. And while the relief parents feel when they realize it's not their child on the ice is comforting, it's also taken for granted, until the game when it is your child lying there, not moving.  I've watched two players fall motionless to the ice after getting hit very hard in recent weeks. The first time it was not my child, but last night it was. Full speed, hit from behind and sent crashing head first into the end-boards. 

 Seconds feel like minutes as you wait for your child to get up off the ice. In an instant, you think of players like Jack Jablonski, Travis Roy and others who have suffered paralyzing injuries. In an instant, you realize you can't help your child one bit. In an instant, you realize the score or if an offending player is penalized doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is if your child is OK.

 We all know there are inherent dangers in playing sports, just as there are going through daily routines in everyday life. Thankfully, most players end up OK and are able to get up off the ice or the field, as was my child (before a late night trip to the ER for a few stitches).

 But these experiences are good reminders, especially at this time of year when teams are hitting their mid-season stride, fighting for their position in district standings and hardware at weekend tournaments.  Reminders that the STOP sign on the back of the jersey is there for a reason. Reminders that officials are calling penalties for a reason. Reminders that Minnesota Hockey and USA Hockey have instituted concussion awareness programs for a reason. Reminders that programs like SafeSport are there to protect players.

 My daughter is one of the lucky ones, escaping a frightening situation with just a few stitches. At the very least, they will make for good stories and conversation over the holidays. But they'll also be a poignant reminder to me about how things can potentially change in an instant. A reminder that there is no goal, no player and no game bigger than safety and sportsmanship. 

 All it takes is one instant like last night, when you scan the ice and your throat falls into your stomach because this time it's your child lying there motionless on the ice; and suddenly you hear that pin drop. 

Submitted by a concerned parent.