A day later, the threeboys were suspended, and a student demonstrationerupted behind the schoolto the delight of theTV crews camped out there. In my opinion, a good education is so very important for our countrys youth, especially the athletes. Four members of the faculty were either fired or forced out because of the scandal. The issue spans to not only the professional level, but the high school and collegiate divisions as well. Colleges and the NCAA can make money selling jerseys and other souvenirs that might include the likeness of players, yet the actual players never receive a cent. (Smith/AP) Last week's criminal charges involving six New Mexico high school football players alleged to have sexually . A failure can be a downward spiral or a setback turning into a benefit. Rick Scott Is Unfortunately Right About Novak Djokovic. 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. ''Despite these warnings and policies, the players all expected hazing to take place in one form or another at the camp,'' the report said. Everybody knew I got hazed in the lockerroom, he says. Know what is expected andacceptable. Be responsible. But rather, in my opinion, how could the coaches have known?" } Hed just beat upon peoplehed be walking by andboom! Students attend a pep rally at Mepham High School in Bellmore, N.Y. The way they walked? 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. 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. He went to camp but didntstay in the fated cabin. 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. Parents demanded:Shouldnt they have been there to stop theseboys? Reichsteins wife,Kristina, then begged Didden to make an example of thelineman. A football captain begged for the season to be reinstated, and his pleas were met with thunderous applause. Mary explodes. There were no screams like that.". What's more, the 16-year-old ringleader of the assaults had his own history of disciplinary problems. In the bunks, 17-year-old players were assigned to watch over 13-year-old boys. Mysons season has been completely fucked up! The coach told Bergerhe needed a physical. 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. Theyre sick of reporters, andtheyre worried about the lineman. Theyre investigating the possibility that some students were planning to attack their schoolmates. Including intelligent heated gloves, soothing foot rollers, and classic cabbage-shaped servingware. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. 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. In an earlier proceeding, the three attackers, charged as juveniles, admitted to the assaults. For a select number of fortunate athletes, that dream becomes a reality when they commit to a school and sign their letter of intent. "Everybody says we should just know. no.". 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. Were happy as can be, said Carol, an aunt of one of the victims. 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. 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. No," says McElroy. A few blocks from school, Allie Pagano and Sarah Mirenda, both 14, stop at the local pizza shop, Luigi's, on their way home. There's coaches. 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. (516) 569-4000, To donate or for more information, click here, Chamber, mayors office are no match for the Thunderbolts. "He made that statement and from that day on, he's been, his family, harassed by letters and threats," says Carol. I said, 'What's the matter?' When people talked aboutMepham, they talked about Famous Amos. 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. On a Friday morning in August, 60 kids were droppedoff for the bus ride to Pennsylvania. 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. On 10/29, the Mepham varsity football team won their away conference game against Sewanhaka (Floral Park, NY) by a score of 27-12. Was there anything that indicated they were injured or traumatized? It devastated us. Subscriber Exclusive. Doyou know who I am?, The freshman, trying to show a little backbone,replied: This is America. Everyone should be so lucky.''. This is a sore pointfor Mary. The Biden administrations policy of blocking unvaccinated people from the country continues to make little sense. MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 2022 Fall Boys Football New York: Long Island Division II. Sofia was sent to a boot camp, and Carney was sent to a juvenile detention center. "They have to be lying.". mepham high school football scandal. 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. Four days ago, hisfather died in his sleep. Also, sleep-away sports camps will no longer be authorized by the school district, Billig said. 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. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Football is important to the high school experience and different familys history around the world. Three days after camp ended, Carol and Vinny's son asked for help. Mepham High School football hazing case tore Long Island apart in 2003. Theyre a beautiful family. ), I knew all those kids, saysanother boy, a JV player. 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. Its the kind of bar where people stillsmoke and no one cares. The coaches' lawyer and officials for the Bellmore-Merrick School District did not comment on the report's findings or its criticisms. Weve been 0 and 8 since 1999!says James. They also understand they will need to sacrifice time, energy, and their social life in order to achieve these goals. Go ahead. Theres fury and finger-pointingandopportunityon all sides in this corner of LongIsland. And coming in, you expect it.Youre ready for it., From what I heard, the guys stuck his head inthe toilet, and that was it. He alwayslistened. They hit his headon the porcelain and he got a concussion. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google I ask. "We have a clip of the JV football scrimmage," says McElroy, who believes it proves that there was nothing obviously wrong. South Side. Stats are entered by the coach or designated team statistician in the admin. . Still, they will be held accountable for what they did on some level, she added. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; ut austin undergraduate majors Newsletter . And who you can expect to see performing and presenting. I dont evencare what they did.. 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. Its all fun and games, saysMcDermott. 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. He said no," recalls Carol. Students should not have to tryout for school sports. 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. That decision ''let down and insulted the victims and their families,'' the report says. 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. She says Didden said no twice.Thats when Vic stood up and called Didden aliar. 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). Does heknow this for sure? Terms of Service apply. 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. 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. ''There's no question that they knew hazing had gone on for years, and they allowed it to go on,'' said Robert Kelly, a lawyer for two of the victims. Mepham was known mainlyfor its wrestling program until Coach Mac arrived in1986. 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. At last nights meeting, one player called the coaches caring role models, and team captain Dan Cosenza hugged McElroy. Two of the kids are underclassmen, littlekids, he says. That blond buzzcut, the baby face, the meager beginnings of agoateehes only 16, too young to beburying his father. But they dont want to appearself-serving, he says. When I was in ninth grade, says Lohman,my father died and my mother wanted to move toFlorida. 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. But even those who are, still have an astonishingly low chance at making the professional leagues. Most students, the girls say, have not gotten caught up in the anger and recrimination that have divided their parents. ''Our issue is our children are being blamed,'' said Paule Pachter, one of the parents in the group. I need to see a doctor,'" says Carol. When several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. 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. All rights reserved. NEW! I should just sit there and go, 'Hmm, he's hazing him.' Then it became a football school. Criminal coercion. 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. 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. 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. That kid wassick! says a player named Rob. That washazing! Andbecause we were the group with Amos, our team isetched in his memory.. One of the attackers was allowed to attend camp despite a history of disciplinary problems and not having a permission slip. Not a lot of kids are good enough to play in the top college sports programs in the country. Our community is being blamed. 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. Why wasn't there a coach sleeping in the cabins? The superintendent, while admonishing the team for notcooperating with the investigation, has also putforward a tidy defense of McElroy and the principal,Didden. But other voices emerge at the meeting, corroboratingthe victims contention that hazing is a fact oflife at Mepham. Hes been introuble before, that kid. Anyone can read what you share. Of course this thing escalated tosodomy, Berger says. But it really happened., McElroys lawyer vehemently denies almost everyaspect of Bergers story. I think they hated me because I introduced the pull-up to their strength and conditioning program. Some parents and athletes believe equal playing time for all sports and activities is deserved all through their middle school and high school careers. According to the report, ''a lack of accountability appears to permeate the entire structure of the administration and running of this camp program.'' High school coaches should not be required to give equal playing time to all players who make the team. 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. 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. We're checking it off. The parents are organizing to demand that the school administration be held accountable for allowing the incident to occur, they said. Over the course of five days, their sons were brutally sodomized by their teammates. The problem was with thekidsand with the parents who brought them upthat way., Sothe parents. It involved a fight amongteenage boys. 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. But the school district, which canceled the football season last fall, has now, after seeing the grand jury report, relieved the coaches of their teaching positions at Mepham. And McElroy neverprevented him from playing on the varsity team. Did a kid come and tell us? }, First published on April 12, 2004 / 5:10 PM. 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). He triedseriously to treat him as a regular kid, like nothingever happened. Berger produced the requiredslip of paper. 1999, McAlester High School, Oklahoma: A football player suffered a head injury after he was jumped by older teammates in a locker-room hazing. "He was absolutely screaming. The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh But others angrily argue that not enough attention is being paid to the victims' ordeals. 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. He told Pennsylvaniapolice that he couldnt release informationabout a student without a subpoena. Hasnt hebeen through enough? Sofia LaSpina has etched her name in Long Island history. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, youll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home conference game against MacArthur (Levittown, NY) by a score of 14-7. All the negative attention has galvanized them, they said. It looks like a tasty treat for any high school football fan. Now the . "He came to me and said, 'I'm bleeding. "We're not animals. And he stands where the priest stood and speaks,reading from crinkled sheets of paper rapidly, almostinaudibly, in a low monotone. Not like Wesley Berger, Vic says.Hes overexposed.. But for the victims' families, the report came as a vindication, they said. No. But then come the off-color jokes about broomsticks and pine cones from his friends. "He didn't go to school for a long time. When members of a high-school football team on Long Island were accused of sexual attacks, the community was appalled . 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. He said, 'Well, your son was just online and saying he can't take it anymore. For many years, people have been debating about whether sports teams for kids should have selective tryouts. Kevin Minnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | Dec 7, 2022. Hasan Minhaj Brings His Powerpoints and Power Suits to Independent Spirit Awards. Now when they talk about Mepham, they use the wordssodomy and hazing. Sofia was sentenced to the boot camp and Carney to the detention center both in Pennsylvania. Children have strived for years to make their parents, teachers and coaches proud of them. "He said to him, 'Don't even think of sleeping at football camp. Keep yourmouth shut, the letters read, andnothing will happen to you or your family.. He even threatened teachers. And don't you dare tell,'" says Kristina, who lobbied to get Carney thrown off the trip. Those individuals who just made the team now deal with a problem that happens mainly from the. , 2023-02-08, 18:25:23 How long has it been since you've licked a high school girls pussy daddy? } He taught us not to run away from ourproblems., How old were these kids, 16, 17? saysAndrew Longaro. ''We don't do it in front of them,'' the teenager said, referring to the victims. Also it brings down students self esteem. Relatives of the victims, 13 and 14 at the time of the attacks, expressed satisfaction at the outcome. The school's 2003 football season was canceled amid allegations that three varsity football players sexually assaulted three . Vic and Kristina have done The Early Show and20/20. But the grand jury did not find the coaches criminally negligent. Into the locker! Treat others with the respect that you wouldlike to receive. Act appropriately. Most high school athletes across America share one common aspiration: play their sport at the next level in college. The grand jury has been investigating the attacks for months to determine whether the coaches should be indicted and what led to the assaults. says Cannestro. This guysstill the head coach., Its a fact of lifein Bellmore and Merrick that the farther south you go,the more money youll find. They were carried outover several nights, with several victims, one of whomrequired surgery for his injuries. The coach wentalong with canceling the season because he knew kidswere not coming forward. Who? "Not once. And would you let it happen a second and third time? A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their cigarettes and clowning. Parents are paying up on school meals again. If you do something wrong, youd better go home and pack your toothbrush because youll pay the consequences, he told the teen. "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? In recent years, the Pirates havent done aswell, losing roughly as many games as theyvewon, but the coach remains a local legendafather figure who welcomes players to his house forbarbecues with his teenage daughters in attendance.Its not surprising, then, that McElroy and theadministration would be the first stop on thewhos-to-blame tour. 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. At this point, the victims would have already suffered numerous attacks. There are the ugly jokes, the signs and buttons declaring neighborhood solidarity, and for some people, new-found activism. As well as rebuking the attackers, the report criticizes the school system and the Pennsylvania judge who handled the cases. These individuals hope to be part of something special, whether its achieving individual goals or team goals. He suggests that broomsticks,golf balls, and pinecones are consistent withtraditional forms of hazing. Some have hired lawyers for their children. Clutching their schoolbooks in their arms, Allie and Sarah said they actually felt tremendous pride in their school these days. "They had bags of ice and they were bashing it all over his body until the bags broke. He gave his son a cellphone. Thats when Berger says Coach Mac lunged athimhis hand reaching the boys throat. 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. Students ''don't know who to blame,'' said Allie. Ke Huy Quan Continues His Winning Streak at the Independent Spirit Awards. This incident could have been foreseeable by the coaches, and possibly the administration, if the coach reported anything to the principal and athletic director. I cried," says Carol, who asked her friend, Jim Rullo, to make a speech on her behalf. That, thelineman says, is the kind of man his father was. During his career, the prolific actor inhabited an array of troubled characters. PARLIN, N.J. - The investigation at a New Jersey prep football powerhouse that has led to sex crime charges against seven teens prompted an almost unheard-of . 49 - 18 W. Moreover, they must spend money on equipment, clothing, and food (37). It stated that, at the camp,. This is hard tosayI know he was a good coach and a lot of kidsliked him.