mepham high school football scandal mepham high school football scandal

Murdaugh defense team plans to appeal conviction At Mepham High School on Long Island, the entire football season was canceled after players admitted to sadistically hazing fellow teammates. "The question should not be the coaches should have known. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. MINEOLA, N.Y. -- Mepham High School football coach Kevin McElroy said Tuesday he was "shocked" by allegations that members of his varsity squad sexually abused younger players and said he. Of course not. He even threatened teachers. A few blocks from school, Allie Pagano and Sarah Mirenda, both 14, stop at the local pizza shop, Luigi's, on their way home. He says the coach started yelling.Hes like, No! College football players should get paid to play because these players put themselves at risk for injury, college football is a job, not p.e, and it will help players adjust to college socially and economically. He alwayslistened. Heand a group of kids have me surrounded. In the meantime, experts say violent hazings in high schools are becoming more frequent. Did either coach notice anything on these children's faces? He was just frightened," says his father, Vinny. Its the kind of bar where people stillsmoke and no one cares. Theyre sick of reporters, andtheyre worried about the lineman. NEW! Hes the man of the family now. Soon after the first revelations of the attacks, the Reichsteins reached out to newspapers and television stations with their story. "The kid who just made the tackle," says Cannestro, identifying one of the players on the tape. Most are no longer talking about the issue publicly, tired of the maelstrom of feelings that is stirred each time. Broomsticks dipped in mineral ice, a kind of liquid heat, golf balls, pine cones and toothbrushes, were all pushed into the boy's rectums. But the victims told their parents they were screaming at the top of their lungs. Once the season started, eight players tackled him inthe locker room and lowered him into the toilet; thistime, he says, it contained urine. This wasn't just something that happened when the lights went out.". I need to see a doctor,'" says Carol. In the case of my four month concussion, there are residual mental and physical problems. Subscriber Exclusive. The coaches say they were staying in another cabin less than 50 yards from the players, and if anyone screamed, they would have heard it. Heresisted, and according to his version of events, heremembers a JV coach telling him to roll with it. What about the boys who were raped? 10/08/2022. That decision ''let down and insulted the victims and their families,'' the report says. And you know, I'm panicking.". The coaches would have to be everywhere at thesame time, says Dave Hill. Sofia LaSpina has etched her name in Long Island history. Which mayexplain why Coach Mac, in his only public statement,has concurred with Caramore. Theyre investigating the possibility that some students were planning to attack their schoolmates. When several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. "We went out. 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 got all new things to bring to pack. 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 Kevin Minnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | Dec 7, 2022. 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. The Biden administrations policy of blocking unvaccinated people from the country continues to make little sense. It would be the adventure of his life five days of intense football in the woods of Pennsylvania. As we mentioned earlier, the freshmans mother mentioned to coach McElroy the fact that the upperclassman was calling her son those insulting names. 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. 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. 28 - 13 W. 10/22/2022. maize high school basketball roster. We love our community. Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death The incident angered the victim's mother, who. Signup for our newsletter to get notified about our next ride. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? College athletics are oftentimes not as glamorous as one would think. "He said to him, 'Don't even think of sleeping at football camp. This story has been shared 140,209 times. "All of a sudden, you get this child who's been broken. Nothing.". Terms of Service apply. Instead, they were treated as juveniles. Hugged by his team captain and cheered by supporters, Mepham HSs head football coach was fired last night and his four assistants got the boot, too. 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. The grand jury says the five coaches who supervised the team were ''more concerned with being coaches of a football team than interested in the well-being of the players as students.'' By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. 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. Clutching their schoolbooks in their arms, Allie and Sarah said they actually felt tremendous pride in their school these days. But it really happened., McElroys lawyer vehemently denies almost everyaspect of Bergers story. A minivan with two others whizzes by, music blaring. If you do something wrong, youd better go home and pack your toothbrush because youll pay the consequences, he told the teen. You could just seehe had so much anger in him. This incident could have been foreseeable by the coaches, and possibly the administration, if the coach reported anything to the principal and athletic director. He was always in troubleat school, but not in football. When trying to become a professional athlete, one must start playing sports as early as possible (Ferguson 34).Playing sports comes with many sacrifices. With FamousAmos on the squad, the team made the county playoffsall four years. It involved a fight amongteenage boys. A day later, the three alleged victims are stillhaving broomsticks thrown at them from cars in theparking lot. "We're not suggesting anything about injuries. But the school board was unswayed by the coaches defenders. 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.". 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. There are the ugly jokes, the signs and buttons declaring neighborhood solidarity, and for some people, new-found activism. The school's 2003 football season was canceled amid allegations that three varsity football players sexually assaulted three . Everything Everywhere All at Once has won in every category they were nominated for. Dozens of Long Island parents outraged at the handling of broomstick hazing assaults at a Mepham High School football camp are organizing a secret meeting tomorrow to plan action against. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The sexual assaults that occurred last summer among members of a Long Island high school football team sprang from old traditions of violent hazing that coaches and school officials could not curb, according to a report handed up yesterday by a Pennsylvania grand jury. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. I don't have psychic skills. Everyone laughs. In the bunks, 17-year-old players were assigned to watch over 13-year-old boys. Two of the kids are underclassmen, littlekids, he says. "He [my son] called several times. The way they walked? We said, 'Are they hurting you?' 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. Kids in the bunks didn't tell us. Whos going to give him thatmoney now? Tell us how you did it coach. These words were forced into my face with a camera lens almost resting against my cheeks (page 395). 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 In an earlier proceeding, the three attackers, charged as juveniles, admitted to the assaults. Who doyou think you are? said the lineman, accordingto Reichsteins son. 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. Some have hired lawyers for their children. No!! That blond buzzcut, the baby face, the meager beginnings of agoateehes only 16, too young to beburying his father. 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. That was until Berger started practicethe August before his freshman year. Werent theyalready on the right track? Nassau County Girl Scouts fundraise for victims of quake in Syria, Turkey at Masjid Hamza, Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions. On 10/22, the Mepham varsity football team won their home conference game against South Side (Rockville Centre, NY) by a score of 49-18. When the victims came forward, the team closed ranks.Kids who were said to have witnessed the attacksrefused to talk, even though the longtime coach of thePirates, Kevin McElroyCoach Mac to anyone whoknows himwarned them that the season would endif they didnt come forward. I should just sit there and go, 'Hmm, he's hazing him.' 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. Its all fun and games, saysMcDermott. He suggests that broomsticks,golf balls, and pinecones are consistent withtraditional forms of hazing. Criminal coercion. The morals, the attitudes, of a Mepham student,are different, suggests another Kennedy player,Danny. When a. Statistically showing, at least 100,000 college football players get hurt yearly. They reallycouldnt do anything about it. Most of themare yelling. The coaches' lawyer and officials for the Bellmore-Merrick School District did not comment on the report's findings or its criticisms. He never brought this incident toMcElroys attention; he must have brought it tothe JV coachs attention. Hasan Minhaj Brings His Powerpoints and Power Suits to Independent Spirit Awards. It is in the best interests of our students and the success of our program that the present coaches not be re-appointed, said Bellmore-Merrick school-board member Norbert Billig. (Almost as prevalent is the idea, notconfirmed by police, that the linemans fathercommitted suicide. Students ''don't know who to blame,'' said Allie. 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. However, it seems too important to let go. I cried," says Carol, who asked her friend, Jim Rullo, to make a speech on her behalf. "He was robbed of his innocence. Mepham High School Football Coach Anthony Cracco's Sex Scandal Has Bellmore . On the second day, the incidents became brutal. Expect to be held accountablefor your choices and actions. Be truthful.From The Mepham Way, Mepham HighSchools honor code, 48 MINUTES OF HELL, A LIFETIME TO REMEMBERSlogan on a Mepham Pirates football T-shirt. Now, McElroy and Junior Varsity Coach Art Cannestro exclusively tell their story to 48 Hours. Are you on crack? But the happy boys these parents sent to camp last summer didn't return that way. By the end of three exciting days in Atlantic City, 14 champions will emerge at the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics State . "Something happened in between those practices every single time, to my son. The coaches let him go, the report says, ''because he was a good football player. For many years, people have been debating about whether sports teams for kids should have selective tryouts. 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. It stated that, at the camp,. She says Didden said no twice.Thats when Vic stood up and called Didden aliar. "He was laying in bed with a big butcher knife in his hand 'cause he was scared. The transition to college is not a walk in the park, but add a rigorous summer conditioning program, two-a-days everyday, and the pressures of coaches you have yet to impress, and you have a recipe for disaster. But for the victims' families, the report came as a vindication, they said. 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. Our community is being blamed. 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. "He missed the whole first, basically, semester. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. In my mind, the school made a major error innot suspending these three allegedperpetrators, says Robert Kelly, an attorneyfor two victims. But rather, in my opinion, how could the coaches have known?" What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan shows just that. Did you know that depending on the sport, students who play sports in college most likely have less than a 2% chance of becoming professional athletes? Once rated one of the best academic high. Life goes on in Bellmore, despite the sex-abuse scandal involving members of the high school football team that has roiled this Long Island community. 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. Oh, Loosey! More than 60 players attended the camp, including the boy's best friend Patty and Jimmy's son who was also just 13. '', ''This is a wake-up call,'' said the father of one of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his son. The 15-year-old wide receiver became the first female football player in Long Island history to score a touchdown Saturday night, when. 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. The conversation easily shifts to a defenseof Coach Mac.