Lacrosse player dies

[rylax1]

MY friend that lives in Pittsford NY died today. He was hit in the back of the neck with a ball during warmups yesterday. I was just wondering if anyone had heard about it yet.

[Riot]

Wow.. That really sucks.

[dillz18]

Wow....sorry to hear that man.

[sam.karcher]

whoa, sorry to hear that - what was the cause of death? I understand he was hit in the back of the neck, but did it cause swelling that blocked the spinal cord? or did something break?

[rylax1]

Thanks guys. Im not really sure about the cause of death all I know is that he was clearing the net out after a shooting drill and someone took a shot while he was standing in the net. I heard he died on impact but they gave him cpr and when they got to the hospital they put him on life support because his parents want to donate his organs.

[James]

Im sorry thats unfortunate.

I have to feel worse for the person who took the shot. having to live with that your whole life, terrible.

[HopkinsLax4]

http://www.10nbc.com/index.asp?template=item&story_id=22217 I think this was it? It was on Inside Lacrosse.

[rylax1]

Yea thats it. He was a ninth grader playing varsity. His brother is a senior and they were both excited about playing with each other. He was actually like seventh in the county in goals or something like that.

[the next 'one']

thats horrible. im in shock. another kid posted about how his coach was talking to them today about how because he was wearing a cpx he didnt get the coverage on the back of his head so thats why it hit him.

[flyersrule9733]

wow, rylax1 was he a good friend or did you just know him? i cant imagine how i would react if that happened to someone on my team, its just crazy.

[rylax1]

He wasnt like a really good friend but he was still a friend. He didnt go to my school but i played on a few select teams with him and im basicly in shock right now you never think anything bad will happen to your friends until something really does happen.

[RottingMind13]

Sorry for your loss. There was a post on this in the General Forum last night.

[laxattack11]

thats horrible. im in shock. another kid posted about how his coach was talking to them today about how because he was wearing a cpx he didnt get the coverage on the back of his head so thats why it hit him.

i didnt say that. i said my coach noticed that newer helmets have less neck protection than older ones. i have no diea if he was wearing a CPX he just used it as an example for "newer helmets".

but i didnt even know him, and i can't even say what i feel. i couldnt imagine being the guy who shot the ball... but even more his family. this wasnt even in a game, or practice, but pregame, when you're supposed to be the most excited...

http://sportsfive.net/teams/statistics.php

he was 9th in section 5 in goals as a freshman, probably had a good career ahead of him too.

[the next 'one']

i didnt say that. i said my coach noticed that newer helmets have less neck protection than older ones. i have no diea if he was wearing a CPX he just used it as an example for "newer helmets".

but i didnt even know him, and i can't even say what i feel. i couldnt imagine being the guy who shot the ball... but even more his family. this wasnt even in a game, or practice, but pregame, when you're supposed to be the most excited...

http://sportsfive.net/teams/statistics.php

he was 9th in section 5 in goals as a freshman, probably had a good career ahead of him too.

oh my bad. i misunderstood.

but i just found out he went to Pittsford-Mendon high school, and thats where my mom went to high school. she is freaking out right now.

[rylax1]

His parents werent even at the game yet. They were on their way when some one called and said jeff was knocked out on the field. I guess his parrents assumed he just had a concussion and they went to the hospital to find out that it was much more serious than they thought it would be.

[tiplax]

really sorry to hear that. that really knocks every thing into perspective. sorry for you loss

[Bretmac]

wow that really sucks and it makes me wonder cause i just got drilled in the head with a shot(head) like an hour ago at practise i forgot to say how sorry i am for your loss

[Crimdad]

Sorry to hear about the loss, hope you feel alot better aswell as your whole team and school.I can't imagine that

[scarsdalelax08]

my coach played at Pittsford or like some where are there and talked to our team today about safety and stuff like that when he heard about this.

im really sorry about your friend, the entire Scarsdale Varsity sends its sympathies.

[malax31]

My friend is good friends with his older brother, the senior. she said that he is absolutly devistated, and rightfully so. Sorry to hear about your friend man, its a loss for his friends/family, but also to the game of lacrosse.

It happened yesterday right? I herd about it this morning.

[Opmidi13]

Im sorry to hear about that. I feel bad for his brother cuz I played lax with my brother in High School and couldn't imagine what hes going through.

[rylax1]

Thanks everybody. And yes it happened yesterday but they offically took him off life support at 12:00 this afternoon

[LAXMomx3]

As a parent, I can't imagine the devastating loss this kid's parents must be feeling and will feel for the rest of their lives. And I can't imagine how the boy who shot the ball that actually hit him would feel. It does sound, however, like a very freak kind of thing even though the news didn't give many details (if they even have those details yet).

[emart]

any time a lacrosse player dies it's like we all lose a friend in the community. my deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends.

[shotgun]

Wow I'm sorry, that must suck.

[NickMB17]

I'm on the team that played the team they were playing against the previous game... sounds like a freak occurance.

[plaxer40]

ya i played with him for 2 years he was a good player and a good kid

[luvnlax17]

So sorry. That's beyond horrible. My sympathies to you and his family. It's a real hard ball thrown with a lot of velocity and if it hits you just right ... George Boiardi of Cornell was killed with a shot to the chest 2 or 3 years ago. Hope you can keep playing and luv'n this great game.

[XxlacrossexX]

sorry about your loss. maybe your team can get a stick of his initials and put it on the back of your helmets?

[LQAdam]

I'm sorry to hear.

I've acutally taken a shot to the back of the neck before. I guess I'm lucky I survived when I took a shot that shot. ~70-75MPH to the back of the neck and I couldn't feel my arms and legs for about 30 minutes since it pinched my nerves.

My condolences to him and his loved ones.

[fenwicklax89]

being only a 9th grader, he mustve been a lot smaller than the players shooting, and had a higher risk. a hard hit to the back of the neck can easily fracture spinal components or do major nerve damage. very unfortunate it had to happen at all, much less happen while people were just shooting around.

[bportlax14]

i was also friends with jeff and played with him and from what i heard he had a previous condition that made the injury more serious. If it would've happened to a person without that condition there was a much better chance of the injury not being fatal.

[dillz18]

It was in my paper today. (Post-Standard) It had a small column.

Also, one of the younger kids in the CNS Youth Lacrosse Organization died two days ago. He was 11 and played goalie, I don't know how he died, but my mom showed me the obituary. If you get the paper on weekdays and live in CNY, his name is Steven A. Schenosky.

[YeaLudloweFalcs]

Wow. That story makes me think of this one time after a home game when my little 5th grade brother got hit shooting around with some other kids. He went to get his ball out of the net and this jerk who was on jv wound up and ripped a shot when he was still trying to rake the ball out. Nailed him right in his lower back. Another time that same kid wound up and ripped a shot wide right when a group of 2nd grade track runners were jogging behind the goal during their warmup lap, hit a kid straight in the back of the head... i should get him to read this post.

[Thomson#1]

In memory of Jeff I know that me and a bunch of teammates will be proudly wearing his number on our helmets. RIP

[rylax1]

Like Thompson#1 and his teammates most of my team will be wearing jeffs name and number on our helmets to honor him

[laxattack11]

i think my teams sending a card and flowers to the team and maybe donating money to Strong Hospital in his name.

[MACDADDY]

im very sorry to hear that. it seems there are alot of lax related deaths nowadays. maybe its time to make stricter rules.

[UVALax64]

Im really sorry to hear that man... i cant imagine what his team and family are going through... and i am especially sympathetic for the kid who shot that ball that hit him... what a thing to live with. I am truly sorry for your loss and know that hes in a better place.

RIP

[sailorslax88]

Yea thats it. He was a ninth grader playing varsity. His brother is a senior and they were both excited about playing with each other. He was actually like seventh in the county in goals or something like that.


my brother is in 8th grade and im looking forward to the senior freshman combonation next year. Thats terrible to hear.

[RIT37FO]

tomorow from what i understand his team will be attending our game. were holding a moment of silence for him

[MDLAX7391]

Thats sad. Last year our team in our first game sent some kid to the hospital, i think he almost died. He got hit 5 times in like 2 seconds by our defensemen who all play varsity football. Then in one of our last games one of my friends broke his feemer in his leg and couldnt finish the season and now is scarred and cant run right.

[AHSlax21]

im very sorry to hear that. it seems there are alot of lax related deaths nowadays. maybe its time to make stricter rules.

It was during warm-ups...no rule could have done anything. The only thing that could happen is manufacuters start to make equipment safer.

[panthers09]

The scariest thing about this is that i got drilled in the neck last year. I was at a tourney here in Vegas and i was walking past one of the goals, at least 30 yds from the goal and sum1 launched one and it went a little high, but dropped and hit me right in the side of the neck. It gave me a really nasty twitch for a few weeks, but finally went away. I think that if I would have been any closer, that could have veeb much worse...


And in one of the first games of the season, a 6'2", >250lbs d-pole from out team laid out another kid and the game got called due to injury of the kid. He was sent to the hospital and the rumor was that the kid broke his neck. The d-pole hit him so hard that the guy who got hit flipped backwards and knocked like 2 other players down.

[skippy08]

yeah i live in webster they interveiwed me on tv what i thought bout it

[FPTraiderlax02]

yeah i live in fairport and pittsford is our rival, i heard the news through players on my team and i had a thought in the back of my mind that it might be some pittsford freshman varisty lacrosse players. I had went to a camp with the kid (jeff) and played on his summer lax team (blaze) he was a funny kid and a friend of mine but not only that.. He merked! at lax and its sad to see suck a good person and player die.

haha skippy beat me

(edit) webster is also our rival, well more of our rival haha

[longstickln7]

damn, really sorry to hear that, prayers go out to the family and friends, but shows you how dangerous our sport really is. RIP

[nemiman18]

It was in my paper today. (Post-Standard) It had a small column.

Also, one of the younger kids in the CNS Youth Lacrosse Organization died two days ago. He was 11 and played goalie, I don't know how he died, but my mom showed me the obituary. If you get the paper on weekdays and live in CNY, his name is Steven A. Schenosky.
i knew jeff to

um...i am 11 and play goalie

[osulax]

sorry for the loss man. when i heard this story it really scared me since this has happened to me twice within a year. both shots were square in the back of the head and didn't hit any of the helmet. both were pretty hard shots and i consider myself lucky that nothing serious happend to me. my head was sore for a couple of weeks and i was dizzy for about 2-3 days after both incidents. i've always thought all helmets should be made with some sort of protective pad over the back of the head. i really hope his family and team are able to recover and hopefully his team will gone to succeed with his memory.

[skippy08]

yeah my team is sending his family or something money from webster thomas and didnt he play for the youngest blaze team cuz i was on the older one and i remmebr playing with him a couple times

[b-boy_laxman]

wow.. that really sucks, its kinda scary to think now that if you just get in the way of a shot it may cost you your life :(

[WIlax]

thats a shame man..RIP..yeah a kid died in my school like 5 years ago..he wasnt wearing his goalie chest protector, and we didnt have the defribulator on the field..and he took a hard shot and got hit in the heart..it stopped his heart and he died..stuffs scary..its the risk we take everytime we put that helmet on though..stay safe everyone

[FPTraiderlax02]

yeah my team is sending his family or something money from webster thomas and didnt he play for the youngest blaze team cuz i was on the older one and i remmebr playing with him a couple times

yeah he would do diffrent tourneys for diffrent levels, thats just how good he was

[paintballislife]

thats just messed up. i know lacrosse is a tough sport but you would never really expect someone to die from it... and like someone said, i feel bad for the kid who took the shot. i guarentee he didnt mean to hurt him but now hes got to live with it for the rest of his life...

[raicheal.lax]

Man i am so sorry, i will keep you, his friends, and his family in my prayers.
RIP Jeff Milano-Johnson

[g04L13 iNSANiTY]

i heard about this on the news (i live in buffalo, ny) I heard he was like the star of the team. I'm really sorry

[bkaufmann]

sorry for your loss and about two months ago a friend on my lax team nailed a tree snowmobiling and died
odd stuff i never thought it would happen to any one i kno also

[Laxmaniac712]

Really sorry dude.... that just sucks so much.... Even more for the person who took the shot.... and at a practice a while ago my friend accidently stepped in net when i fired a shot. I don't think the shot was 70 but it hit his thigh/hip and you would think just a foot higher (really short kid) it could of been fatal. Question is there such thing as a neck protector? I would buy one if there was.

[KMLax46]

I cant even imagine that man, as somebody new to Lacrosse(we just got a team this year) its hard to think about something happening like that, especially being a goalie and getting drilled in the head on multiple occasions. im truly sorry for your loss.

[TeQ NeeK]

there is a neck protecter for hockey that you could buy. i have one. dont use it but i might now.

[FogieLax]

Thoughts and prayers from the old laxer in Albany, God rest this young man's soul.

[jvt510]

my team gates chili played them a week or to away my one friend new him

[Pumalax7]

a couple years ago, a kid at my schools summer lax camp got hit with a shot playing longpole. his heart was stopped for like 5 minutes before they could put the defibulator on. it was so scary. hes alright now, but needless to say he doesnt play any more.

[lacrossestud08]

my condolences, i would say more but it's pretty much already been said. It really does effect all of us when a member of the lax community passes, no matter how much of an impact they had on the game. R.I.P.

[MM-WarriorLax]

R.I.P. I am 14 and have a 6 year almost 7 year old brother that I taught how to cradle, pass and catch already. I couldent imagine losing a younger brother or friend. Rest In Peace.

[CPlax19]

I knew him somewhat good. It sucks. he was so good he started as a freshman on varsity and was leading scorer. He was also nice and he would always teach me things. it sucks so much. ah

it was actually an anurism-which im not really sure what is, but i have been told that its completely random. i guess the ball just went by him as he had an anurism, because after they looked at his body there were no marks on the back of his neck.

RIP JEFF I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.

[helix28]

wait so he didnt dye from the shot the ball never hit him he just dyed from an anurism.

[BwineLAX42]

Do you think cascade will do something about that now? It's one person, but that is one too many, also many kids have had stories about getting hit their. Maybe another manufactorer will do something like NFL lineman have with the pad that somes out from the neck.

People should also pray for the player and the players family who hit the kid, in addition. It's going to be a tought life for that kid.

What is his number and initials? I think I'm gonna put a piece of tape on my helmet.

[DJ Death]

i can't get over the fact that a kid shot a ball while he was in the net clearing out the goal. what in the world was that kid thinking? "oh, i'm gary gait and i can hit upper 90 on every single shot that i take." for crying out loud...

[6ftPOLE-D20]

Pretty scary cause i got hit pretty hard in the back of the neck in my playoff game it hit me right on the spine and i blacked out for a second but i was out of the game for a few minutes then right back in

[Thomson#1]

i can't get over the fact that a kid shot a ball while he was in the net clearing out the goal. what in the world was that kid thinking? "oh, i'm gary gait and i can hit upper 90 on every single shot that i take." for crying out loud...

From what I know the kid was shooting and Jeff (the kid who died) was behind the goal on the end line, and that's where he got hit.

Also to the person above who wanted his initials/#. It's JMJ23 (Jeff Milano-Johnson #23) We all have stickers with his initials and # on our helmets.

[singsingallstar]

im really sorry to hear that man, tell your friends family that Ossining, NY is sorry to hear about that.

[bportlax14]

jeff didn't die from the ball hitting the back of his neck. He had an anurysm and it was just a chance thing that the ball hit him at the same time.

[laxmasta 03]

my condolences, :sad:

[saintsmiddie]

theres a goalie that died by getting hit by the chest by the ball

[saintsmiddie]

a goalie died by getting hit in the chest

[truss009]

i play in section 5 and we all wore his initials and numbers on our helmets, everytime i put my helmet on i thought of him. I actually went to a few camps with him and he was a good kid. rest in peace jeff, everyone misses you.