Lakeville North girls hockey coach Buck Kochevar coaches Wednesday, nearly 14 years after he fractured his skull when he fell on the ice. (Mark Hvidsten, for the Minnesota Star Tribune)

Buck Kochevar is dealing with disbelief.

Fourteen years ago come Valentine’s Day, the Lakeville North girls hockey coach fell during practice while preparing his team for a Class 2A, Section 1 playoff game. He fractured his skull and suffered internal bleeding near his brain. He was not wearing a helmet.

Kochevar has been an advocate for wearing helmets on the ice ever since. His pleas haven’t been widely heard. Some coaches on Kochevar’s staff don’t wear helmets to this day.

Kochevar was taken aback when he learned Holy Family assistant girls hockey coach Jason Jensen, 44, suffered a brain injury last week when a player slipped and fell into him, knocking him to the ice. He also was not wearing a helmet.

“I immediately thought of his family,” said Kochevar, who was about the same age as Jensen when he had his accident. “Right now, they need everybody’s support. It’s life-changing. It’s scary.”

For more on Kochevar, click here to read this story on startribune.com.