Military-style workout under scrutiny after Arizona State hockey player’s collapse

Key Points:

• Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich collapsed during an extreme military-style outdoor workout on August 20 and remains hospitalized in critical condition; the workout was led by former military member Tim Ziesel, who is not affiliated with the university.
• The workout, lasting about 60 minutes, included sprints, planks, push-ups, and bear crawls with punitive measures for players who lagged behind or failed to follow instructions, and athletes were reportedly instructed not to complain.
• Experts and athletic trainers criticized the use of military-style workouts for collegiate athletes, citing risks such as heat illness and rhabdomyolysis, especially when led by outside instructors unfamiliar with the athletes and sport-specific conditioning.
• Arizona State is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout, but has not disclosed who authorized it or whether coaches or trainers were present; NCAA guidelines caution against intense early-season conditioning in heat, particularly for new players acclimating to the environment.
• Heat illness experts emphasize the importance of gradual acclimation, proper medical supervision, and immediate cooling measures to prevent fatal outcomes from exertional heat stroke, noting that the first day of practice should never be the most physically demanding.