All the negative attention has galvanized them, they said. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. "Something happened in between those practices every single time, to my son. "You didn't monitor him very carefully, obviously," says Patty of what happened to her 13-year-old son. This was a sexual attack!, Are we gonna argue about this? I'm grabbing all the medication out of my cabinet and looking for everything that I think he's gonna hurt himself. But it wasn't until Jan. 11, after a possible sexual assault that occurred the previous week, that the high school's school resource officer, Kim Wood, was made aware of the "ongoing harassment behavior toward a student/member of the varsity football team . Imagine your best friends making the school soccer team and you getting cut, because your not ready or there is no room. "Did I tell the perpetrators to go and do that to those kids? Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home conference game against MacArthur (Levittown, NY) by a score of 14-7. Hes been introuble before, that kid. The coaches let him go, the report says, ''because he was a good football player. I notice when they're injured. Perhaps most prominent among the group are Victor and Kristina Reichstein, who have criticized the school's principal, John F. Didden, and the team's head coach, Kevin McElroy, from the beginning. Most of these scouts are from college teams, and others are from, Every year individuals from all across the United States makes the decision on whether or not they will try out for an interscholastic athletic team. Go to the back of theline.. Whos going to give him thatmoney now? He went to camp but didntstay in the fated cabin. Over the next few days, the broomstick assaults were repeated. Carol said it appeared Conway had sentenced Sofia to the boot camp because he disliked the teens attitude. Many parents, especially those with children on the football team, have found it hard adjusting to their new reality in the center of a fishbowl. at Garden City. Other players laughed, the report said. South Side. The issue spans to not only the professional level, but the high school and collegiate divisions as well. Theyre big football players who look andact like football players, says Jesse.Big and aggressive., The lineman was yelled at a lot,remembers another boy. Mepham High School football head coach Anthony Cracco says LaSpina is the perfect role model for anyone who wants to just play because she worked hard and never got discouraged, adding there's a . She shouts out all the ladies (mothers and wives) in the room. maize high school basketball roster. "The kid who just made the tackle," says Cannestro, identifying one of the players on the tape. It devastated us. It has been 11 years since three football players, ages 15 to 17, from Mepham High School in Bellmore, New York, were criminally charged with sodomizing teammates during a preseason. I heard the kidliked it.. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. Long Beach 2022 on Oct 15, 2022, Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. Sewanhaka 2022 on Oct 29, 2022. The group, which calls itself Mepham Parents 4 Change, consists of eight families, but says it is quickly gathering support. Conway could have sentenced the three including Phil Sofia, 17, and Ken Carney, 16 to juvenile jail until they turned 21 or he could have given them probation. Once rated one of the best academic high schools in the nation, Mepham High is now mired in scandal. What about the boys who were raped? One afternoon after practice, they air theirtheories, the chief one being that the lineman musthave been traumatized as a kid. In practice, theyd put meon the B squad and Id tear up the Asquad. He says he stayed on the team for twoyears but was allowed on the field only once,returning a kickoff 50 yards. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. That kid wassick! says a player named Rob. Parents demanded:Shouldnt they have been there to stop theseboys? They also understand they will need to sacrifice time, energy, and their social life in order to achieve these goals. With FamousAmos on the squad, the team made the county playoffsall four years. "We went out. Some parents and athletes believe equal playing time for all sports and activities is deserved all through their middle school and high school careers. Diasparra cut a deal and received probation. And he told us that they were keeping them up. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Reichstein triedto stare the lineman down. The football players were unfairly penalized by the sanctions that were placed on the team. Keep yourmouth shut, the letters read, andnothing will happen to you or your family.. ''There's no question that they knew hazing had gone on for years, and they allowed it to go on,'' said Robert Kelly, a lawyer for two of the victims. Michelle Yeoh Promises No Swearing, Only Tears During Best Lead Performance Win. Students have pushed their bodies to the limits, causing extreme injury that will hold them back from sports in the future. How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh Children have strived for years to make their parents, teachers and coaches proud of them. ", Patty says her son also hasn't recovered from the ordeal: "About a month ago, I had gotten a call from a neighbor. What LAppartement 4F Co-owner Ashley Coiffard Put on Her Wedding Registry. Student athletes are not getting the opportunity to play multiple sports during the year, because they are expected to spelize in one sport and focus on it year round, leaving no opportunity to play other sports or do other activities. Legendary football coach Joe Paterno was one of those who was fired, which shook up the coaching staff. Moreover, they must spend money on equipment, clothing, and food (37). MEPHAM COACHES BOOTED IN HAZING SCANDAL News MEPHAM COACHES BOOTED IN HAZING SCANDAL By Kieran Crowely November 6, 2003 5:00am Hugged by his team captain and cheered by supporters, Mepham. Both coaches still don't understand why they're being blamed for what happened last summer at Mepham High School's football camp. The Mepham High School football season was eventually cancelled and the three upperclassman were charged with "involuntary deviate sexual intercourse," "aggravated assault," "kidnapping," "unlawful restraint," "false imprisonment," "terroristic threats," "criminal coercion," "simple assault," "reckless endangering of another person," "ethnic A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their . Theres no way youcant play me. Whether its being in thelocker room, making sure everybodys on the samepage, rallying the troops, or making sureeveryones focused on the task at hand., How do you weed out the undisciplined players?On any high-school team, the seniors give you alittle bit of a hard time, he says. By the end of three exciting days in Atlantic City, 14 champions will emerge at the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics State . ''Despite these warnings and policies, the players all expected hazing to take place in one form or another at the camp,'' the report said. Dont eventhink about sleeping at camp, he said. So it just goes on and on. "I had a personal conversation with one of the victims daily, and not once did he indicate to me that anything was wrong," says Cannestro. Half that shit they didisnt even that bad.. If you do something wrong, youd better go home and pack your toothbrush because youll pay the consequences, he told the teen. Parents are paying up on school meals again. Rick Scott Is Unfortunately Right About Novak Djokovic. According to the nine-page report, the culture of hazing and a lack of supervision and safeguards to protect students led to the sexual assaults that occurred in August while Mepham's varsity and junior varsity teams prepared for the season at a camp in Wayne County, Pa. The Biden administrations policy of blocking unvaccinated people from the country continues to make little sense. Four days ago, hisfather died in his sleep. We wanted them to be tried as adults, but we lost that battle. "We're not suggesting anything about injuries. 10/08/2022. The coaches, who slept in a cabin away from their players, said they knew nothing of the violence until a parent complained to school officials. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. At this point, the victims would have already suffered numerous attacks. Although some parents claim that their child has felt so defeated by an unsuccessful tryout that they dont want to continue with the sport, this is not always what happens. At Mepham High School on Long Island, the entire football season was canceled after players admitted to sadistically hazing fellow teammates. Where does it end?". "He was waiting for them [the coaches] to come in and save him, but no one came," says Carol's husband, Vinny. What about, say, having your head flushed in a toilet? "He came to me and said, 'I'm bleeding. We care about kids. A failure can be a downward spiral or a setback turning into a benefit. Should they also get paid the same amount even if another co-worker is better at their job? Hes the man of the family now. He used to play in the minor leagues and the team loved him because of his dedication to their lives and his credibility at baseball. Murdaugh defense team plans to appeal conviction Some have hired lawyers for their children. At middle schools, high schools and colleges across the country, everyone is arguing over whether or not students with failing grades should be allowed to play sports. } When athletes experience head trauma, they only recover a little, which might end their career early or other times people never recover. This was the 94th meeting between the two schools . We've received your submission. '', Report Says Hazing Culture Led to Attacks On 3 Athletes, https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/nyregion/report-says-hazing-culture-led-to-attacks-on-3-athletes.html. They reallycouldnt do anything about it. Not like Wesley Berger, Vic says.Hes overexposed.. '', ''This is a wake-up call,'' said the father of one of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his son. Everyone should be so lucky.''. Once in high school, senior athletes have scouts that come out to see them play. "Yeah," says Cannestro. They did not come to help me.Rullo quotes the parent of that child as blamingprincipal John Didden, who did not protect mychild., Four days later, Rullo and two other parents who spokereceive identical profanity-laced letters in the mail,warning that if they keep speaking out, theyllalso get the broomstick treatment. The abuse occurred day and night, and young players were attacked repeatedly and forced to sodomize each other, the report says. Considering the college scholarships that can be provided, the countless generations of players in certain families, and the homecoming activities would be pointless without it. Heresisted, and according to his version of events, heremembers a JV coach telling him to roll with it. And he was very excited," recalls Patty. Mepham High School football hazing case tore Long Island apart in 2003. No. But the victims told their parents they were screaming at the top of their lungs. display: block; He told him to find a friend and never bealone. We've received your submission. In that case, new players at. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. No! College athletics are oftentimes not as glamorous as one would think. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. Including dishwasher-safe Japanese porcelain, two sets of French-made knives, and a sleek kettle. I think hes adirtbag. It stated that, at the camp,. Some say that although they are shocked and angry over the incident, they are torn over whether the alleged attackers, still juveniles, deserve long prison sentences -- which they would face if they are tried as adults, as the prosecution wants. Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death The three attackers were charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse after they sodomized the younger players with pine cones, golf balls and a broomstick in August at a football camp in Preston Park, Pa. We're going to all the sports stores. The grand jury criticizes the school district for not providing adequate supervision during the weeklong camp, and says the district should adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward violent behavior. According to a local new report, two older students called the boy to the back of the bus and, in addition to the wedgie, punched the 13-year-old in the groin and stomach all as a part of an initiation ritual. I cried," says Carol, who asked her friend, Jim Rullo, to make a speech on her behalf. I was by far the besthalfback on the team, Berger says, now 23 butstill angry. He never brought this incident toMcElroys attention; he must have brought it tothe JV coachs attention. The star lineman towersover most of the other pallbearers. In the southern reachesof Long Island, nestled between the bucolic SouthernState Parkway and the fast-food joints and cardealerships on Sunrise Highway, the four small townsof Bellmore, North Bellmore, Merrick, and NorthMerrick make up a solid community of working- andmiddle-class families. Into the locker! Students attend a pep rally at Mepham High School in Bellmore, N.Y. During the recessional, he submits to a seeminglyendless succession of embracesmuch like theones he received from his former teammates last nightat the wake. display: none; I need to know for medical.' Your sonwoo hoo!Hes having fun. It was supposed to be fun, and glorious. It's a couple of days.' They feel a sense of guilt and shame that holds them back from saying anything and we see this is the Mepham High School Football case. Even before three varsity players for the Mepham High School Pirates sodomized three freshman teammates at a football camp, using golf balls, pine cones and a broomstick, other classes of.