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. 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! ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? After Dax Shepard asked her about her musical chairs relationship situation. Were happy as can be, said Carol, an aunt of one of the victims. High school coaches should not be required to give equal playing time to all players who make the team. Instead, they were treated as juveniles. And he told us that they were keeping them up. Pertzborn and assistant coach Brad Rogeberg were made aware of the initial bullying on July 24, 2022, according to the police report. Into the locker! Try as they might to rid themselves of it, students, parents and other residents are finding that the incident is now woven into the fabric of life here. Mepham was known mainlyfor its wrestling program until Coach Mac arrived in1986. some by the crimes, others by the cancellation of the season. says Cannestro. I'm grabbing all the medication out of my cabinet and looking for everything that I think he's gonna hurt himself. And people who might have had the chance to prevent this incident are not being held accountable.''. Mysons season has been completely fucked up! Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The father died on October 5a daybefore news broke that the lineman may be tried as anadult for some 26 felonies stemming from events thattook place over several late nights in August atMephams football-training camp in Wayne County,Pennsylvania. The Mepham-Garden City football game this week could be a juicy one. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. "Am I an evil person? A minivan with two others whizzes by, music blaring. On 10/29, the Mepham varsity football team won their away conference game against Sewanhaka (Floral Park, NY) by a score of 27-12. For me, this challenge helped me develop as a person than will work harder and strive for the best in my academics. 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. 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. 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. 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. Know what is expected andacceptable. Be responsible. On a Friday morning in August, 60 kids were droppedoff for the bus ride to Pennsylvania. The issue of blame, however, continues to polarize parents and promises to loom larger as the criminal case moves ahead. 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. 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. He said no," recalls Carol. JUDGE SLAMS MEPHAM HAZERS By Erin Calabrese January 15, 2004 5:00am A Pennsylvania judge imposed strong penalties yesterday on two teens who sexually abused younger players at a high school. He went to camp but didntstay in the fated cabin. I was by far the besthalfback on the team, Berger says, now 23 butstill angry. When several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. 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. What's more, the 16-year-old ringleader of the assaults had his own history of disciplinary problems. One student lifts up another and dumps him, legs flailing, in a bush. Diasparra cut a deal and received probation. Youre old enough to knowwhat youre doing., I had some friends who were older, saysMcDermott. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. Oh, Loosey! !Effin this, effinthatyoure not coming on my team,youre done, youre done, youredone! And I started screaming at him.. 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.. 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. '', 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. 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. He previously suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18, and was ultimately taken off life support. On October 6, heannounced that that was his intention. 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. Dominick Novello #2, Mepham quarterback, throws a pass during a rain-filled Nassau County football Conference II semifinal against Long Beach at Shuart Stadium on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. Did either coach notice anything on these children's faces? 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. Days later, the school wentahead with its annual pep rally, in a gesture ofsupport for Coach Mac and the sidelined Pirates. When a. Statistically showing, at least 100,000 college football players get hurt yearly. "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? 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. Now even they, however, have grown weary, wishing for a return to their old life. OK? "There were no screams. What about the boys who were raped? Youth sports are becoming too intense for young children to keep up with. Thats when Berger says Coach Mac lunged athimhis hand reaching the boys throat. He was one of four captains chosen by CoachMac his senior season. I said, You wantto lock me in a locker and laugh for an hour, fine.But Im not down with urine, dude., At the beginning of his junior year, Berger says, heshowed up to start the season. "What constitutes a scream?" "They have to be lying.". Go ahead. Offscreen, he was one himself. 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. Were more Jewish! another kidyells, laughing. This has allowed more and more players to look to PEDs in order to gain an edge over their opponents. maize high school basketball roster. Sometimes its hardto tell what bothers the people of Bellmore andMerrick moreallegations of sodomy or the abruptend of football season. The answer to all those questions is no.". 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 When trying to become a professional athlete, one must start playing sports as early as possible (Ferguson 34).Playing sports comes with many sacrifices. The coaches' lawyer and officials for the Bellmore-Merrick School District did not comment on the report's findings or its criticisms. 1999, McAlester High School, Oklahoma: A football player suffered a head injury after he was jumped by older teammates in a locker-room hazing. . This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. In the end, they will be left unprepared for life. Thanks for contacting us. 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? I need to know for medical.' On Bellmore Avenue, themain drag in town, a mile or so east of Mepham,Docs Pub serves as an unofficial class-reunionspace. During his career, the prolific actor inhabited an array of troubled characters. The grand jury has been investigating the attacks for months to determine whether the coaches should be indicted and what led to the assaults. Bells toll. It looks like a tasty treat for any high school football fan. Signup for our newsletter to get notified about our next ride. It was just too outrageous," says Jimmy. Who? Four days ago, hisfather died in his sleep. Your sonwoo hoo!Hes having fun. "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. A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their cigarettes and clowning. They speak ofbroomsticks, pinecones, and golf balls. He taught us not to run away from ourproblems., How old were these kids, 16, 17? saysAndrew Longaro. Those kids are running at full speed. 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 . Vic and Kristina have done The Early Show and20/20. "Yeah," says Cannestro. One afternoon after practice, they air theirtheories, the chief one being that the lineman musthave been traumatized as a kid. Coaches, the report says, were oblivious to what was occurring. But the happy boys these parents sent to camp last summer didn't return that way. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Berger says his friends persuaded him to stay off theteam. Now the Reichsteins have written the stateDepartment of Education, demanding an investigation. 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. Afew miles awaysouth of Sunrise Highway, down bythe blue water of East BayBMWs and Lexuses fillthe lot at the rival high school, John F. Kennedy.This was Amy Fishers high schoolthe richschool. But rather, in my opinion, how could the coaches have known?" Relatives read from the books of Matthew and Wisdom.And then the linemanwhom classmates call abully, who would shove kids hed never even metinto lockers as they walked bystands suddenly,stepping out from his place in the front, and walksback eight rows to give a bear hug to his littlebrother, seated next to his mother (who was divorcedfrom the father). What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan shows just that. Full speed," says McElroy. "He was robbed of his innocence. We're checking it off. By Michael Luo. The emotional impact on him is unbelievable," adds Carol. Go to the back of theline.. On 11/11, the Mepham varsity football team won their neutral playoff game against Long Beach (NY) by a score of 14-0. 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.. "He missed the whole first, basically, semester. He was always in troubleat school, but not in football. This story has been shared 140,209 times. Everyone should be so lucky.''. ''People just want to move on,'' said one teenager, sucking on his cigarette. The way they walked? "The gastroenterologist said, 'What happened? However, it seems too important to let go. ''Despite these warnings and policies, the players all expected hazing to take place in one form or another at the camp,'' the report said. And don't you dare tell,'" says Kristina, who lobbied to get Carney thrown off the trip. Everyone laughs. (Almost as prevalent is the idea, notconfirmed by police, that the linemans fathercommitted suicide. The team did it along with some guidance from my assistant coach and the parents. Hasnt hebeen through enough? 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. Parents are paying up on school meals again. 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. ''It's got to end here. "He was waiting for them [the coaches] to come in and save him, but no one came," says Carol's husband, Vinny. As we mentioned earlier, the freshmans mother mentioned to coach McElroy the fact that the upperclassman was calling her son those insulting names. 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. 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. 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. And would you let it happen a second and third time? And he's looking for something in the house to hurt himself.' Over the next few days, the broomstick assaults were repeated. "They couldn't be further from the truth," says Cannestro. Reichsteins wife,Kristina, then begged Didden to make an example of thelineman. We got the ball first on kick off and we made a touchdown on the first few drives.On. "He's victimized because I asked him to do a favor in this. For a select number of fortunate athletes, that dream becomes a reality when they commit to a school and sign their letter of intent. Bellmore Journal; Life Goes On but Is Altered After School Scandal. I said, 'What's the matter?' "They had bags of ice and they were bashing it all over his body until the bags broke. The Bellmore-Merrick school boards decision not to rehire the coaches next year has taken a stake and driven it right through the heart of the community again, said head coach Kevin McElroy. One was sent to a boot camp, another to a juvenile treatment facility and the third returned home on probation. As she accepts her Someone to Watch award on stage. When Patty and Jimmy's son came home, he told them he had been sodomized, too. Hed just beat upon peoplehed be walking by andboom! 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. Should they also get paid the same amount even if another co-worker is better at their job? Once rated one of the best academic high schools in the nation, Mepham High is now mired in scandal. Treat others with the respect that you wouldlike to receive. Act appropriately. Theyre investigating the possibility that some students were planning to attack their schoolmates. His broad shoulders are slumpedand trembling as he walks the coffin down the aisle ofSaint Barnabas Church in Bellmore, Long Island. Most of themare yelling. Amos scored 29 touchdowns in hisjunior year and broke all of Long Islandsrushing records. Sofia LaSpina has etched her name in Long Island history. The third player in the Mepham HS hazing scandal was sentenced to probation after he made a deal with prosecutors and provided information. Stats are entered by the coach or designated team statistician in the admin. But for the victims' families, the report came as a vindication, they said.