mepham high school football scandal

In an earlier proceeding, the three attackers, charged as juveniles, admitted to the assaults. Or as David Woycik, who represents another victim,puts it: Theres bound to be a movie madeabout this., This is not what Isigned on for when I tried to do the rightthing, says Vic Reichstein. He was dyingto play for the Pirateshed gotten AmosZereoues autograph when Zereoue visited hisjunior high. Thepurported ringleader, according to police, was thelineman. Once the season started, eight players tackled him inthe locker room and lowered him into the toilet; thistime, he says, it contained urine. Theyre a beautiful family. Into the locker! 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. His broad shoulders are slumpedand trembling as he walks the coffin down the aisle ofSaint Barnabas Church in Bellmore, Long Island. When members of a high-school football team on Long Island were accused of sexual attacks, the community was appalled . These parents are now lobbying for a national hazing law, one with severe penalties. Long Beach. He was just frightened," says his father, Vinny. Amos scored 29 touchdowns in hisjunior year and broke all of Long Islandsrushing records. Were more Jewish! another kidyells, laughing. Due to the amount of padding they have to wear, football players can easily disguise their size therefore keeping them from receiving scrutiny from the public. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Three varsity players are charged by Pennsylvania authorities with sodomizing three junior varsity players with broomsticks, pine cones and golf balls. Oh, Loosey! 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! Both told stories of defending their school when they were teased by students outside the district and cited the ''Mepham Pride'' buttons that they and many classmates have taken to wearing. "We have a clip of the JV football scrimmage," says McElroy, who believes it proves that there was nothing obviously wrong. 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. My sonthinks its just a bad thing that went too far,too fast., Andy mentions what some people are sayingthatwhat happened at camp was part of a pattern of hazingat Mepham. College athletics are oftentimes not as glamorous as one would think. 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. It involved a fight amongteenage boys. Please enter valid email address to continue. If such a policy had been in place, one of the attackers would not have been allowed at the camp, the report says. However, earning your position, being undeserving of playing time, and coaches trying to win in their respected program are all issues that need to be thought of before people begin fighting for equal playing time. "These boys were like 6 feet 2 inches and 6 feet 4 inches, and roughly 250 lbs. Waiting outside in front of the hearseis a police escort, to ward off the media. Says one Mepham parent, Werealways in competition with the upper class., The kids on Kennedys football team know theMepham team, and theyre a little afraid of someof them. 10 /r/oldmenvssluts2, 2023-02-07, 11:04:47 California makes flag football a girls' high school sport 56 /r/california , 2023-02-05, 17:36:57 . 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. 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. The grand jury has been investigating the attacks for months to determine whether the coaches should be indicted and what led to the assaults. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. My sons not. What's gonna come out of this is another parent is gonna say, 'Oh, I'm gonna make sure there's no hazing at my school.'" But the grand jury did not find the coaches criminally negligent. Just because someone shows up and participates, doesnt not mean they deserve the same treatment as everyone else. 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). Yeah, that shit gotfreakin blown up. Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay. It was horrible. The district's superintendent, Dr. Thomas Caramore, defended the decision in a letter to the community earlier this month, saying the principal spoke with the boy and the coach before camp, and there was no way of anticipating the attacks. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; ut austin undergraduate majors Newsletter . "There's nothing anyone else could have done differently," adds Cannestro. Some tryouts are not far by any means, in which the coaches pick from not the skill but by the way they know the student. 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. He did more for me than any coach ever. At a school-board meeting onOctober 1, packed with camera crews and angry parents,Superintendent Caramore tries to explain that hazingsimply doesnt happen at Mephamthatfootball was canceled not because of what the boysallegedly did but because their teammates neverreported it. Those kids are running at full speed. But they dont want to appearself-serving, he says. Who doyou think you are? said the lineman, accordingto Reichsteins son. 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. The star lineman towersover most of the other pallbearers. 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. No. But others angrily argue that not enough attention is being paid to the victims' ordeals. 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. 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. Sports in Mepham isvery big.. The public was barred from the hearing, but the penalties and the judges comments were disclosed by relatives of victims, lawyers and cops. "And if you had a broomstick stuck up your rectum, you'd be screaming and fighting forever to make sure that didn't happen, wouldn't you? But it really happened., McElroys lawyer vehemently denies almost everyaspect of Bergers story. 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. His dadsaved his friends life that day. He never judged us, saysDave Lohman, class of 94. How could we have known?". Students ''don't know who to blame,'' said Allie. He was always in troubleat school, but not in football. School administrators, however, let him get on the bus anyway. 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. A football captain begged for the season to be reinstated, and his pleas were met with thunderous applause. But other voices emerge at the meeting, corroboratingthe victims contention that hazing is a fact oflife at Mepham. The emotional impact on him is unbelievable," adds Carol. That boy was not hurt at camp, but other kids were. Berger produced the requiredslip of paper. Hed just beat upon peoplehed be walking by andboom! 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. 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. The coaches, who supervised the trip, say that they had no idea any of this was happening during the camp. Students moved from one cabin to another without the coaches' knowing, the report says. He told Pennsylvaniapolice that he couldnt release informationabout a student without a subpoena. Terms of Service apply. 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. That kid wassick! says a player named Rob. Including dishwasher-safe Japanese porcelain, two sets of French-made knives, and a sleek kettle. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. When Patty and Jimmy's son came home, he told them he had been sodomized, too. "We're not animals. All rights reserved. Our community is being blamed. Thanks for contacting us. South Side. Clutching their schoolbooks in their arms, Allie and Sarah said they actually felt tremendous pride in their school these days. Most students, the girls say, have not gotten caught up in the anger and recrimination that have divided their parents. The owner of the store posted a sign in his window earlier this month: ''We are Bellmore. 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. Because if these attacks are acceptedas hazing, then the school is responsible. "The kid who just made the tackle," says Cannestro, identifying one of the players on the tape. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. South Side 2022 on Oct 22, 2022. This incident could have been foreseeable by the coaches, and possibly the administration, if the coach reported anything to the principal and athletic director. 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. It's the biggest week of the year for high school wrestling fans. A few blocks from school, Allie Pagano and Sarah Mirenda, both 14, stop at the local pizza shop, Luigi's, on their way home. I ask. What I know about the Berger incident isit did not involve hazing. The incident angered the victim's mother, who. But for the victims' families, the report came as a vindication, they said. And you know, I'm panicking.". We have more wealthy backgrounds, saysDanny. When I was in ninth grade, says Lohman,my father died and my mother wanted to move toFlorida. A grand jury report later described how they used duct tape to pull off their children's pubic hair, how they forced them and another boy they sodomized to kick each other in the groin, and then threatened to beat and kill all of them if they told anybody. 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. ''People just want to move on,'' said one teenager, sucking on his cigarette. Was there anything that indicated they were injured or traumatized? He knows the mainkid, she says. 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 intimidation, and criminal conspiracy. Judge Robert J. Conway chose to try the accused as juveniles. And one of the leaders selected joined with two other varsity players to sodomize these children. }, First published on April 12, 2004 / 5:10 PM. It has been more than a month since school officials and prosecutors revealed that three older players were accused of sodomizing three freshmen with broomsticks, pine cones and golf balls in an attack in late August at a preseason football camp in Pennsylvania. Were doing this so they donthave to., In July, when Reichsteins son, an incomingfreshman, showed up for football practice, a junior onthe teamthe linemanstarted calling himand some of the other boys pussy,faggot, and cocksucker.Reichstein went to McElroy. It was just too outrageous," says Jimmy. The abuse occurred day and night, and young players were attacked repeatedly and forced to sodomize each other, the report says. They could be home as early as next month. And he told us that they were keeping them up. Meanwhile, Nassau police on Monday found a found a cache of weapons near the school including baseball bats and golf clubs. Your sonwoo hoo!Hes having fun. A day later, the threeboys were suspended, and a student. "He's victimized because I asked him to do a favor in this. The coaches, however, say that, in attempt to deal with Carney's threats to another member of the team, they put Reichstein's son in the cabin closest to them, and asked an upperclassman to keep an eye on both boys. "He said to him, 'Don't even think of sleeping at football camp. And I can't ever get that back from him," says Patty. Pertzborn and assistant coach Brad Rogeberg were made aware of the initial bullying on July 24, 2022, according to the police report. Its the kind of bar where people stillsmoke and no one cares. 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. He had his little list. That blond buzzcut, the baby face, the meager beginnings of agoateehes only 16, too young to beburying his father. "What constitutes a scream?" 49 - 18 W. says Cannestro. Mysons season has been completely fucked up! The victims didn't tell us. #inline-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { The coach told Bergerhe needed a physical. "Everybody says we should just know. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, Buster Murdaugh got 'very drunk' with dad 2 months after mom, brother murdered: source, I'm a professional cleaner ditch these 4 household products immediately, Shoeless Ariana Madix awkwardly tries to avoid cheating Tom Sandoval, Prince Harry was scared to lose Meghan Markle after fight that led to therapy, Prince Harry says psychedelics are fundamental part of his life, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant allegedly flashes gun at a strip club, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss planned to tell Ariana Madix about affair. 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. "Something happened in between those practices every single time, to my son. 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. Its all fun and games, saysMcDermott. There's supervision, like any other school event.". ''We don't do it in front of them,'' the teenager said, referring to the victims. Some have hired lawyers for their children. } My first reason I believe athletes with bad grades shouldnt play sports, For years, the use of performance-enhancing drugs has haunted all levels of sport, baseball taking the majority of the publicity. Berger says his friends persuaded him to stay off theteam. "He [my son] called several times. Regardless, I was all about making them the best well-rounded people before they head into the cruel world. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Hisfriend was a captain on the team, he maybe was gonnaget a scholarship. A problem arises though once try outs are over and the team is announced. They have criticized the coaches and school district for lax supervision, accusing Mepham officials of ignoring the long disciplinary record of one of the three attackers. And don't you dare tell,'" says Kristina, who lobbied to get Carney thrown off the trip. Heresisted, and according to his version of events, heremembers a JV coach telling him to roll with it. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? When tryouts begin these individuals hope their skills and abilities will get them recognized by not only the coaches, but the returning players as well. But my son says nobody knew he would cross theline., Andys son plays lacrosse. Nothing.". No! Anyone can read what you share. A minivan with two others whizzes by, music blaring. Students should not have to tryout for school sports. Where does it end?".

Mr Coates Royal Surrey Hospital, Articles M