Springfield High School athlete dies after playing hockey

CHESTNUT HILL (WPVI) -- Lacrosse sticks. Helmets. Handwritten messages.

A memorial has been created at Springfield High School in Montgomery County for senior Nick Bond who died Monday.

Springfield Principal Chuck Rittenhouse knew Bond for years.

"He was a leader in the building. He was an individual who was selfless in terms of student government. He would give you the shirt off of his back," Rittenhouse said.

The well-liked student athlete was playing hockey Sunday at the Wissahickon Skating Club in Chestnut Hill.

Bond was the captain of the Under 18 National Team.

He reportedly complained of a headache, left the ice and collapsed.

He was rushed to the Einstein Medical Center where doctors tried to relieve pressure on his brain.

Bond died the next day.

The medical examiner said the cause of death was complications from blunt-impact head trauma. No one recalls him taking a hard hit Sunday.

At Springfield, he was the captain of the lacrosse team and played football.

Fellow lacrosse player Brian Maienshein says the 5'2 Bond was a standout.

"He'd make the big hit, he'd make the goal that we needed, the assist. He would make, not necessarily the best play, he would make the right play, whether that was an assist or a ground ball, anything he could do to help the team get a win," Maienshein said.

"He was small for an athlete and certainly small for a football player or a lacrosse player He played big and he played tough and he was tenacious," Rittenhouse said.

Nick Bond was described as well-rounded, positive and upbeat.

He was passionate about all the sports he played. His principal says his favorite sport was lacrosse.

His hope was to play it next year in college.