Junior Jack Gatzemeyer has played for the Westside High School Hockey Club ever since he was a student at the high school. But now, he may not be able to play for the rest of his high school career due to a mistake during a game.

In a Nov. 11 game, the score was tied 1-1. Westside was facing Millard North and tension between the teams was high. With 7 minutes left in the third period, Westside scored again to take the lead.

Gatzemeyer skated over to his bench to congratulate the team. As he was skating he passed the Millard North bench, slapping his hockey stick on the ice from excitement. The referee saw this and thought Gatzemeyer was taunting the other team after the goal.

The referee stepped in front of Jack and stuck out his hands to stop him from continuing.

“We collided, I didn’t think much of it, though. I kept skating past him,” Gatzemeyer said.

For the collision, the referee gave Gatzemeyer a match penalty. Match penalties are given when a player goes after someone on the ice or attacks them in any way. It results in the player not being allowed to play or practice until the Midwest Hockey Association board decides a consequence.

“The referee was saying that I had maliciously attacked him with my hockey stick, and had us call him an ambulance,” Gatzemeyer said.

After the referee was taken in the ambulance, they discovered that he had broken his arm. Because of this the director of the board suspended Gatzemeyer for the rest of the season, saying that his actions were inexcusable. He was told that he wasn’t allowed to show up to games or practices, and if he does he will be escorted out.

The board later said they believed the referee may have overreacted and will allow Gatzemeyer to go to the games. He can’t play but he can watch until he goes in front of the Hockey Board to find out his final consequence.

Gaztemeyer does not know when he will receive the news.