An Arizona State University hockey player remains hospitalized after collapsing during an outdoor workout last week led by a former Green Beret. His lawyer is now pushing back on descriptions of the exercise as a “military-style” workout
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Attorney Buddy Rake has represented service members for years, including Tim Ziesel, who spent nearly a decade as a Green Beret. According to Rake, Ziesel led the exercise for the ASU hockey team
Rake told 12News that Ziesel volunteered to lead the workout after being recommended by the team’s head coach. Rake said the coach had previously seen Ziesel’s team-building work and believed it could benefit the players
“He accomplished that by having a number of talks, talking about what it means in terms of being a leader, what it means in terms of being a teammate,” Rake said. “He was just doing this out of the goodness of his heart and his love for ASU.”
Rake said Ziesel has led similar team-building exercises at other colleges for several years, but this was the first time he led an exercise with the ASU hockey team
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The exercise lasted about an hour with roughly half of that time involving physical activity. He said the workout included push-ups, flutter kicks, sprints and other calisthenics
Rake said the workout took place during the early morning hours, with certified athletic trainers present and regular water breaks
“There isn’t a D1 athlete on the planet that would describe this as a hard day of exercising, including the ASU hockey team,” Rake said
The workout has since come under scrutiny, with multiple outlets describing the exercise as “military-style.” Rake disputes that characterization
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“His name has kind of been dragged through the mud, that this Green Beret is out there doing military exercises at ASU, which is not true,” Rake said
Rake said Ziesel completed the exercise and left the area. About 20 minutes later, he said, Ziesel received a call from the head coach informing him that a player had collapsed
Multiple hockey teams have identified the player as 21-year-old Matthew Mayich of Ontario, Canada. He has been hospitalized since the collapse
Rake said Ziesel was not told why Mayich collapsed
Tempe Fire told 12News that paramedics responded to the area around Sun Angel Stadium — Arizona State’s former baseball stadium — that morning for a heat-related illness
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ASU later confirmed that a student-athlete collapsed during an outdoor exercise and was taken to the hospital
Rake said Ziesel has kept Mayich in his thoughts and prayers
“What happened is an unbelievable, unbearable tragedy that affects the family most of all, obviously, but it also affects everybody that interacted with this kid, whom I understand is just an incredible human being,” Rake said
12News reached out to ASU for information about the workout. The university said it is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the exercise
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