OK? He's back home on Long Island. Bells toll. 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). ''We don't do it in front of them,'' the teenager said, referring to the victims. He was benched for two years as the lawsuit creptthrough the legal system. '', ''This is a wake-up call,'' said the father of one of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his son. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. #inline-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google We dont beat guysup., Some of his old teammates have gathered to buy drinksfrom him. There's coaches. Athletes must commit time to practice and traveling. A minivan with two others whizzes by, music blaring. He was riding the bus along with varsity members, who held him upside down. The morals, the attitudes, of a Mepham student,are different, suggests another Kennedy player,Danny. Subscriber Exclusive. Kids and adults are then forced to take a side on the issue for the good of the school and the safety of the children. Students ''don't know who to blame,'' said Allie. Anotherparent, Jim Rullo, delivers a prepared statement onbehalf of the victims families. Football is important to the high school experience and different familys history around the world. McElroy and his coaching staff claim they had no responsibility for a vicious alleged hazing incident at a training camp in Pennsylvania in August. Just because someone shows up and participates, doesnt not mean they deserve the same treatment as everyone else. Dont eventhink about sleeping at camp, he said. } Hes been introuble before, that kid. Theyre investigating the possibility that some students were planning to attack their schoolmates. The owner of the store posted a sign in his window earlier this month: ''We are Bellmore. Once the season started, eight players tackled him inthe locker room and lowered him into the toilet; thistime, he says, it contained urine. On a Friday morning in August, 60 kids were droppedoff for the bus ride to Pennsylvania. 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. 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. Anyplayer that wants to be on the football team can be onthe team. He told Pennsylvaniapolice that he couldnt release informationabout a student without a subpoena. The third player in the Mepham HS hazing scandal was sentenced to probation after he made a deal with prosecutors and provided information. A perfect example would be a 13-year-old Georgia student riding a school bus received a wedgie during a school hazing incident so painful that his mother took him to the emergency room. Mepham has big hill to climb against Garden City in battle of unbeatens Not a wink. Which mayexplain why Coach Mac, in his only public statement,has concurred with Caramore. Go ahead. This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. Hes well known as abully. 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.'' We have more wealthy backgrounds, saysDanny. "He said to him, 'Don't even think of sleeping at football camp. The school's 2003 football season was canceled amid allegations that three varsity football players sexually assaulted three . A few blocks from school, Allie Pagano and Sarah Mirenda, both 14, stop at the local pizza shop, Luigi's, on their way home. 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. Reichstein called Didden, whose reply, according toReichstein, was that there was no hazing at Mepham,because if there were, wed cancelfootball season. (Didden and his attorney didnot return repeated calls.) 1999, McAlester High School, Oklahoma: A football player suffered a head injury after he was jumped by older teammates in a locker-room hazing. Those individuals who just made the team now deal with a problem that happens mainly from the. 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. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; 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. Thelinemans fathers death on October 5created one delay in moving the case forward; otherdelays have been due to the attorneys effortsto bring the case back to juvenile status, and tonegotiate their clients surrender into custody. But other voices emerge at the meeting, corroboratingthe victims contention that hazing is a fact oflife at Mepham. So, no., But, you know, says McDermott, ifthey wanted to do it? Travis Barkers Finger Is Now the Enema of Blink-182 Fans. Heand a group of kids have me surrounded. He previously suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18, and was ultimately taken off life support. ''Despite these warnings and policies, the players all expected hazing to take place in one form or another at the camp,'' the report said. 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 several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. Kids have come to practice Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday to get better, while their academics are suffering. Our community is being blamed. Mepham High School Football Scandal - Nymag - New York Magazine ), I knew all those kids, saysanother boy, a JV player. It was horrible. Rick Scott Is Unfortunately Right About Novak Djokovic. 10/08/2022. Mineral ice and especially that he now had, from the first time, a cut," says Carol. We're in education because we love kids.". She says Didden said no twice.Thats when Vic stood up and called Didden aliar. In this case the youth should be tried as adults because of the severity of the incident and the emotional and physical effect that it had on the victim, It was six o 'clock at the Friendswood junior high mustang field I was playing strong safety and I had to cover the extra receiver they brought out by the snap I was already beating my man and the next thing I know the ball was sailing my way straight to me. Atlantic City Football 2022-2023 - NJ.com "My son came forward, did something that he did not want to do. Andbecause we were the group with Amos, our team isetched in his memory.. Most are no longer talking about the issue publicly, tired of the maelstrom of feelings that is stirred each time. On September 17, the Bellmore-Merrick Central HighSchool District Board of Education canceledMephams football season. 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. Who Is Jerry Sandusky Responsible For The Crimes At Penn State Instead, thevictims were laughed at in the halls, calledfaggot and broomstick boy.The superintendent, Thomas Caramore, shielded theschool from inquiries at first. L.I. Village Split Over Decision To Forfeit Game Over Hazing Parents are paying up on school meals again. All the while, older players watched and laughed. Ken Carney, 16, the ringleader of the attacks, was well-known by school administrators as a disciplinary problem. When parents came to an emergency meeting on September16 with the principal and superintendent, they heardnot mea culpas but accusations. Mary explodes. We love our community. Why wasn't there a coach sleeping in the cabins? Thursday, November 6, 2003 Posted: 1537 GMT (11:37 PM HKT) Story Tools. Heresisted, and according to his version of events, heremembers a JV coach telling him to roll with it. Mysons season has been completely fucked up! But its notthe only time I hear neighbors, even parents, floatthis notion. Mepham High School Football Tragedy 1056 Words | 5 Pages. 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. What about the boys who were raped? #inline-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Everybody knew I got hazed in the lockerroom, he says. 28 - 13 W. 10/22/2022. He did more for me than any coach ever. Thats when Berger says Coach Mac lunged athimhis hand reaching the boys throat. It's a couple of days.' West Jersey Football League all-stars: United Division, 2022. 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. During the first day of camp, the hazing was minor, such as one player smearing gel and powder into another's hair. Full speed," says McElroy. Thepurported ringleader, according to police, was thelineman. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. After bullying allegations, Middleton coach allowed to resign with Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay.