mepham high school football scandal

I ask. And the report provides the most detailed glimpse yet into the weeklong football camp and the assaults that took place in two cabins last summer. Adds Jesse: Mepham kids say,Youre from Kennedy, and punch us.Theyre the bully school, the physical school.Even in middle school, we knew which kids were goingto Mepham and which to Kennedy.. Anyone can read what you share. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. Once rated one of the best academic high schools in the nation, Mepham High is now mired in scandal. The group, which calls itself Mepham Parents 4 Change, consists of eight families, but says it is quickly gathering support. Of course not. Imagine your best friends making the school soccer team and you getting cut, because your not ready or there is no room. "They have to be lying.". asks McElroy. ''Despite these warnings and policies, the players all expected hazing to take place in one form or another at the camp,'' the report said. A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their cigarettes and clowning. He was 40 years old. Ken Carney, 16, the ringleader of the attacks, was well-known by school administrators as a disciplinary problem. "Everybody says we should just know. "Am I an evil person? It was just too outrageous," says Jimmy. 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. We've received your submission. "He came to me and said, 'I'm bleeding. #inline-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Students have pushed their bodies to the limits, causing extreme injury that will hold them back from sports in the future. 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 Most of themare yelling. Decent football player, though.. All that has led these parents to ask the same kind of questions asked after the shootings at Columbine: How much did the school know about their student assailants, and who should be held responsible? '', 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. Hes been introuble before, that kid. According to the report, two of the attackers held down one of the freshmen while the third sodomized the freshman with a broomstick coated with Mineral Ice, a pain-relieving ointment. After Dax Shepard asked her about her musical chairs relationship situation. Anotherparent, Jim Rullo, delivers a prepared statement onbehalf of the victims families. It was supposed to be fun, and glorious. Now the Reichsteins have written the stateDepartment of Education, demanding an investigation. The fact thatthese studies show the prevalence of this conduct inmany hazing situations supports a conclusion thattheres no reason to believe that this wouldhave occurred outside of such a setting, or abelief that such conduct would reoccur., Besides, he notes, the juvenile-justice systemaffords kids a second chance. "They couldn't be further from the truth," says Cannestro. One of the attackers was allowed to attend camp despite a history of disciplinary problems and not having a permission slip. 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. Our community is being blamed. Nothing.". West Jersey Football League all-stars: United Division, 2022. Bellmore Journal; Life Goes On but Is Altered After School Scandal. Also it brings down students self esteem. . Then came the civil suit, settled for apaltry sum, to cover medical bills.Berger got threatening letters: Keep singing,Berger, and youll see.. "He was waiting for them [the coaches] to come in and save him, but no one came," says Carol's husband, Vinny. And McElroy neverprevented him from playing on the varsity team. Thats when Berger says Coach Mac lunged athimhis hand reaching the boys throat. He wrestled instead. He had his little list. In my opinion, a good education is so very important for our countrys youth, especially the athletes. 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 . Trending News Michelle Yeoh Promises No Swearing, Only Tears During Best Lead Performance Win. All the negative attention has galvanized them, they said. Theres no way youcant play me. And his youth. "He missed the whole first, basically, semester. He quotes oneof the boys as saying, I will never trustanyone again. Tell me why I should just know? High school coaches should not be required to give equal playing time to all players who make the team. Everybody knew I got hazed in the lockerroom, he says. After all, theywerent just studentsthey wereathletes.. His broad shoulders are slumpedand trembling as he walks the coffin down the aisle ofSaint Barnabas Church in Bellmore, Long Island. This password will be used to sign into all, I Inherited Millions From My Mother, and Everyone Knows, Shania Twain Gives Rare Update on Her Ex-Husband and Ex-BFF, Journey Should Probably Go Their Separate Ways, 10 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From Glass Jars to Guayabera Shirts. She says Didden said no twice.Thats when Vic stood up and called Didden aliar. Diasparra cut a deal and received probation. display: none; Anyplayer that wants to be on the football team can be onthe team. We're going to all the sports stores. Since returning from camp, he has barely slept. In the end, they will be left unprepared for life. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. Long Beach 2022 on Nov 4, 2022. The Bellmore-Merrick Board of Education voted unanimously tonight to cancel this year's football season at a Long Island high school that had been reeling from allegations that three older. Bells toll. Mary is athird-generation Bellmoron. Her boy,Kyle, played varsity. Privacy Policy and Did a kid come and tell us? Please enter valid email address to continue. Berger produced the requiredslip of paper. Then it became a football school. "Not once. And who you can expect to see performing and presenting. "I couldn't even process it in my head. A Pennsylvania judge imposed strong penalties yesterday on two teens who sexually abused younger players at a high school football camp sentencing one to a military-style boot camp and the other to a juvenile detention center. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. MacArthur 2022 on Nov 4, 2022. You know, what could be going on? ", Are they lying? McElroy hadnothing to do with this kid, Joe Rosenthalsays. With FamousAmos on the squad, the team made the county playoffsall four years. If such a policy had been in place, one of the attackers would not have been allowed at the camp, the report says. High schools on Long Island have led a crackdown on rough-housing since the 2003 Mepham High School football training camp hazing scandal rocked the nation. No one understands this better thanMark Alter, the lawyer for the alleged ringleader.The fact that its egregious allegationsdoes not necessarily mean its not a juvenilecase, says Alter. But he wonders whether whathappened at camp could have been prevented if hehadnt settled his lawsuit. MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 2022 Fall Boys Football New York: Long Island Division II. On the second day, the incidents became brutal. There were no screams like that.". "The question should not be the coaches should have known. "There were no screams. But other voices emerge at the meeting, corroboratingthe victims contention that hazing is a fact oflife at Mepham. I want to bepart of the team.. !Effin this, effinthatyoure not coming on my team,youre done, youre done, youredone! And I started screaming at him.. Students should not have to tryout for school sports. 28 - 13 W. 10/22/2022. Youve got some Janning to do! Most of the shit they did was pranks,like shaving cream, one Mepham boy tells me ona sunny Wednesday, a day before the funeral of thelinemans father. But the happy boys these parents sent to camp last summer didn't return that way. In earlier interviews, the head coach, Kevin McElroy, and his four assistants have said they did not know about the attacks, and could have done nothing to prevent them. 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 . 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. When parents came to an emergency meeting on September16 with the principal and superintendent, they heardnot mea culpas but accusations. We dont beat guysup., Some of his old teammates have gathered to buy drinksfrom him. "We're not suggesting anything about injuries. 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. Im theprincipal, he said, and Illdecide who can go on the trip. The lineman wasallowed to go to camp. When the school board canceled the football season and suspended the coaches, the community actually split -- between those who supported the victims' families, and those who wanted to save the coaches and the season. Mepham High School (North Bellmore, NY) Varsity Football Varsity Boys Football North Bellmore, NY FOLLOW TEAM 22-23 V. Football Home Schedule Roster Standings Rankings Photos Videos News More / Mepham High School Football Mepham Football OVERALL 10-2 0.83 Win % LEAGUE 8-1 2nd in League HOME6-0 AWAY3-1 NEUTRAL1-1 PF334 PA169 STREAK1L As well as rebuking the attackers, the report criticizes the school system and the Pennsylvania judge who handled the cases. Most students, the girls say, have not gotten caught up in the anger and recrimination that have divided their parents. It devastated us. Its the kind of bar where people stillsmoke and no one cares. And you know, I'm panicking.". Were more Jewish! another kidyells, laughing. He cites essays abouthazing from the Internet, including an academic paperby Elizabeth Allan of the University of Maine thatincludes in a long list of hazing activitiessexual simulation and sexual assault., The conduct took place in a juvenilesetting, Alter argues. The coaches let him go, the report says, ''because he was a good football player. Relatives of the victims, 13 and 14 at the time of the attacks, expressed satisfaction at the outcome. Go to the back of theline.. Just because someone shows up and participates, doesnt not mean they deserve the same treatment as everyone else. For many years, people have been debating about whether sports teams for kids should have selective tryouts. Sports in Mepham isvery big.. And don't you dare tell,'" says Kristina, who lobbied to get Carney thrown off the trip. He triedseriously to treat him as a regular kid, like nothingever happened. Everyone in the pews has heard how the father had beendevastated by the criminal charges his son was facing.Aggravated assault. They also understand they will need to sacrifice time, energy, and their social life in order to achieve these goals. A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their . "He made that statement and from that day on, he's been, his family, harassed by letters and threats," says Carol. The issue spans to not only the professional level, but the high school and collegiate divisions as well. But are they really fortunate? Trust me been there done that, the most regretted thing about school sports for many are tryouts. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. One student lifts up another and dumps him, legs flailing, in a bush. The guy grabbed me in front of the wholeteam, Berger says. No," says McElroy. Webuilt a very good tradition with our team, and we justwant to make sure that anyone who wants to fit in onthe team knows about the tradition.. "You didn't monitor him very carefully, obviously," says Patty of what happened to her 13-year-old son. some by the crimes, others by the cancellation of the season. We dontalways understand, and we dont alwayssee. He attempts a little levityIknow he shared his hopes for the Yankees with theLordbefore straining for profundity:The great artist has finished hisportrait. He urges the mourners to say a prayerfor the family. A day later, the threeboys were suspended, and a student. MERRICK, N.Y. On a crisp autumn night, hundreds packed a school auditorium, but not for a pep rally, for Mepham High School's football season was canceled before it even began. But the victims told their parents they were screaming at the top of their lungs. Pertzborn and assistant coach Brad Rogeberg were made aware of the initial bullying on July 24, 2022, according to the police report. Five football coaches at the center of the Mepham High School sexual abuse scandal will not be allowed to coach the team next year, the Bellmore-Merrick school board said on Wednesday. The coaches' lawyer and officials for the Bellmore-Merrick School District did not comment on the report's findings or its criticisms. In the meantime, experts say violent hazings in high schools are becoming more frequent. The public was barred from the hearing, but the penalties and the judges comments were disclosed by relatives of victims, lawyers and cops. Rullo, now a community activist for change in his school district, says he received numerous letters and phone calls, including one that said that he and his family would die. I should just sit there and go, 'Hmm, he's hazing him.' Everyone should be so lucky.''. A player tried to flush his head in a urinal. All the while, older players watched and laughed. Meanwhile, Nassau police on Monday found a found a cache of weapons near the school including baseball bats and golf clubs. A captain is anextension of the coaching staff, he says,slipping into present tense to talk about his team.What the coaches dont control, thecaptains control. And would you let it happen a second and third time? And he was very excited," recalls Patty. According to the report, ''a lack of accountability appears to permeate the entire structure of the administration and running of this camp program.'' This has allowed more and more players to look to PEDs in order to gain an edge over their opponents. Students moved from one cabin to another without the coaches' knowing, the report says. Once in high school, senior athletes have scouts that come out to see them play. There's supervision, like any other school event.". Over the next few days, the broomstick assaults were repeated. "He was robbed of his innocence. How Tyrel Jackson Williams Brought TikTok Cringe to, Its sort of a newer version of the L.A. actor ride that Kyle is on the first two seasons, but its worse.. "My son came forward, did something that he did not want to do. By the end of three exciting days in Atlantic City, 14 champions will emerge at the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics State . But for the victims' families, the report came as a vindication, they said. He taught us not to run away from ourproblems., How old were these kids, 16, 17? saysAndrew Longaro. They bashed him in his head, over his back, his legs, his arms," recalls Patty, who says her son was assaulted at least 3-4 times a day. If three victims getanything close to that much each, it would devastatethe school districts budget. He even threatened teachers. He had to tell people what happened to him," says Carol. Athletes must commit time to practice and traveling. Know what is expected andacceptable. Be responsible. It stated that, at the camp,. Ke Huy Quan Continues His Winning Streak at the Independent Spirit Awards. But its notthe only time I hear neighbors, even parents, floatthis notion. College athletics are oftentimes not as glamorous as one would think. I want to thank my assistant coach who is the baseball expert. Those individuals who just made the team now deal with a problem that happens mainly from the. at Garden City. The parishioners sing Make Me aChannel of Your Peace. And then the younglineman, who charged onto the varsity squad hissophomore year at W.C. Mepham High SchoolHomeof the Piratesis in tears. The grand jury report did not state that sexual assault had been part of hazing at Mepham High School or at past football camps (there were two before 2003). He was one of four captains chosen by CoachMac his senior season. Duct tape was yanked from the victims' bottoms and pubic areas, and two of the victims were forced to smear Mineral Ice on their testicles, and then kick each other there, the report says. 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 football players had hazed new members by beating them and dunking their heads into toilets, the report said. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. They have become activists, who say that the incident is just part of a pattern of problems in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District. Full speed," says McElroy. I notice when they're injured. Hes the man of the family now. "He was laying in bed with a big butcher knife in his hand 'cause he was scared. Theres fury and finger-pointingandopportunityon all sides in this corner of LongIsland. He called the school boards decision 100 percent unjust.. It involved a fight amongteenage boys. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Murdaugh defense team plans to appeal conviction, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death. Of course this thing escalated tosodomy, Berger says. When several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. "The kid who just made the tackle," says Cannestro, identifying one of the players on the tape. The morals, the attitudes, of a Mepham student,are different, suggests another Kennedy player,Danny. 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. This is hard tosayI know he was a good coach and a lot of kidsliked him. ''People just want to move on,'' said one teenager, sucking on his cigarette. That hasnt satisfied parents whocomplain about the lost scholarships, the deflatedhomecoming celebration, and the fund-raisers for othersports, all of which depend on football and are nowruined, theyre saying, because of a couple ofmessed-up kids. At this point, though, those feelings have mostly worn off, replaced by a different set of reactions, from weary resolve to dark humor. And one of the leaders selected joined with two other varsity players to sodomize these children. Vic and Kristina have done The Early Show and20/20. Some kids even approach them and suggestthat the time has come to let bygones be bygones.Their logic is biblicalan eye for an eye.The linemans father died! Mysons season has been completely fucked up! Before lastmonth, Mepham High was generally known as anabove-average school with a robust athletic program.Fathers and sons have played for the Mepham Pirates,and Saturday football games are huge social events.The players are the schools heroes: With thepossible exception of Roone Arledge, Mephamsmost famous alumnus has been star Pittsburgh Steelersrunning back Amos Zereoue. October 11, 2014 / 7:28 PM / AP. McElroy says district policy discourages it: "To put a coach in the room, you're putting the coach or the adult right now at incredible risk of sexual charges.". 10/08/2022. Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. Not a lot of kids are good enough to play in the top college sports programs in the country. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? At Mepham High School on Long Island, the entire football season was canceled after players admitted to sadistically hazing fellow teammates. 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. Which mayexplain why Coach Mac, in his only public statement,has concurred with Caramore. Yet to place responsibilityon any adult, coach or parent, means at leastpartially acquitting the kids; to suggest that someoneshould have stopped them is to believe that they couldhave been stopped. Still, they will be held accountable for what they did on some level, she added. Hedoesnt have a senior season to put on hiscollege application., This guy comes to my job, says Andy.He says, Oh, Im in Mephamnow, maybe I should shove a pinecone up myass! I said, Thats notfunny. These guys on the team are gonna beharassed the rest of their fuckin lives., My son knows one of the boys who wasattacked, Mary says sadly. Now when they talk about Mepham, they use the wordssodomy and hazing. On 11/11, the Mepham varsity football team won their neutral playoff game against Long Beach (NY) by a score of 14-0. They had hoped that the three assailants (Phil Sofia, Ken Carney, and Tom Diasparra) would be tried as adults for the crimes. It's the biggest week of the year for high school wrestling fans. I'm grabbing all the medication out of my cabinet and looking for everything that I think he's gonna hurt himself. ", Patty says her son also hasn't recovered from the ordeal: "About a month ago, I had gotten a call from a neighbor. Mepham was known mainlyfor its wrestling program until Coach Mac arrived in1986. Not a wink. Berger says his friends persuaded him to stay off theteam. She shouts out all the ladies (mothers and wives) in the room. (516) 569-4000, To donate or for more information, click here, Chamber, mayors office are no match for the Thunderbolts. This was the 94th meeting between the two schools . What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan shows just that. "I assumed he was homesick, so I said, 'Stick it out. He was benched for two years as the lawsuit creptthrough the legal system. I told him what hazing was, he says.I did not explain to him that hazing wasgolf balls, broomsticks, and pinecones.Reichsteins son was unharmed; three otherfreshmen werent so lucky. We love kids. But the school board was unswayed by the coaches defenders. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. ), I knew all those kids, saysanother boy, a JV player. They reallycouldnt do anything about it. "We're not animals. He told him to find a friend and never bealone. You may notstart, but youll be on the team.. These individuals hope to be part of something special, whether its achieving individual goals or team goals. Gavin Roman broke the state record for most catches in a season during Holy Spirit's 63-34 rivalry win against Atlantic City in Absecon. All five lost their coaching positions. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; ut austin undergraduate majors Newsletter . When I was in ninth grade, says Lohman,my father died and my mother wanted to move toFlorida. Football is important to the high school experience and different familys history around the world. He says the coach said,Okay, Ill handle it. From thatmoment on, the junior stopped callingReichsteins son faggot andstarted calling him tattletale boy., One day at practice, the lineman approached him whilehe was drinking from a water fountain. For Carol's son, it doesn't end. Why wasn't there a coach sleeping in the cabins? He said, 'Well, your son was just online and saying he can't take it anymore. Mepham High School football hazing case tore Long Island apart in 2003. After the coacheswent to sleep in their own cabin, at least threemembers of the team, ages 15, 16, and 17, allegedlyrubbed heat-producing mineral ice on broomsticks,pinecones, and golf balls and used those items topenetrate at least three freshman players while therest of the boys in the cabin all bore witness. When trying to become a professional athlete, one must start playing sports as early as possible (Ferguson 34).Playing sports comes with many sacrifices. He strokes his sisters hair withone hand and slides an arm around his brothersshoulders. At least one group of parents has decided they will continue to speak out. The grand jury has been investigating the attacks for months to determine whether the coaches should be indicted and what led to the assaults.

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