These individuals hope to be part of something special, whether its achieving individual goals or team goals. 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. A day later, the threeboys were suspended, and a student. Hes the man of the family now. 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. This story has been shared 140,209 times. . The conversation easily shifts to a defenseof Coach Mac. That, thelineman says, is the kind of man his father was. Still, they will be held accountable for what they did on some level, she added. "My son came forward, did something that he did not want to do. In the bunks, 17-year-old players were assigned to watch over 13-year-old boys. The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh 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. 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. At least one group of parents has decided they will continue to speak out. "Am I an evil person? I'm grabbing all the medication out of my cabinet and looking for everything that I think he's gonna hurt himself. David Woycik, a lawyer for the victims, said, My clients were relieved that [Sofia and Carney] will be out of the community and off the streets and they are pleased the judicial system worked to a certain extent.. 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. In my opinion, a good education is so very important for our countrys youth, especially the athletes. 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. The superintendent, while admonishing the team for notcooperating with the investigation, has also putforward a tidy defense of McElroy and the principal,Didden. If you do something wrong, youd better go home and pack your toothbrush because youll pay the consequences, he told the teen. "Did I tell the perpetrators to go and do that to those kids? Anotherparent, Jim Rullo, delivers a prepared statement onbehalf of the victims families. The emotional impact on him is unbelievable," adds Carol. The way they walked? You know, what could be going on? Since returning from camp, he has barely slept. Did I do anything to those kids?" McElroy was practically a secondfather to Zereoue when the running back moved to ahome for wayward boys in Bellmorearriving, toMephams good fortune, at the start of hishigh-school career. Ke Huy Quan Continues His Winning Streak at the Independent Spirit Awards. He said his surgery was a success, but he needs time to heal before he can tour again. Youth sports are becoming too intense for young children to keep up with. 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. '', ''This is a wake-up call,'' said the father of one of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his son. 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. 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. . Nor did he suspendthe three alleged perpetrators, and as a result, theywere allowed to walk the hallways of Mepham High fornearly two weeks. If three victims getanything close to that much each, it would devastatethe school districts budget. October 11, 2014 / 7:28 PM / AP. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. "I couldn't even process it in my head. Decent football player, though.. 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.'" During the recessional, he submits to a seeminglyendless succession of embracesmuch like theones he received from his former teammates last nightat the wake. 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. She shouts out all the ladies (mothers and wives) in the room. Hes well known as abully. 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 coaches are suing to get their jobs back. Were happy as can be, said Carol, an aunt of one of the victims. But are they really fortunate? Thanks for contacting us. The third player in the Mepham HS hazing scandal was sentenced to probation after he made a deal with prosecutors and provided information. Every year parents and students of local schools can come and enjoy seeing kids of their community playing football, which could make a player's future bright, and a grandparent proud. Children have strived for years to make their parents, teachers and coaches proud of them. He taught us not to run away from ourproblems., How old were these kids, 16, 17? saysAndrew Longaro. There's coaches. Everybody knew I got hazed in the lockerroom, he says. Four days ago, hisfather died in his sleep. 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. Clutching their schoolbooks in their arms, Allie and Sarah said they actually felt tremendous pride in their school these days. The victims didn't tell us. In an earlier proceeding, the three attackers, charged as juveniles, admitted to the assaults. Heresisted, and according to his version of events, heremembers a JV coach telling him to roll with it. And who you can expect to see performing and presenting. But I justgot off the phone with the mother of one of thevictims, and she told me that were her bestadvocate. And McElroy neverprevented him from playing on the varsity team. says Cannestro. But its notthe only time I hear neighbors, even parents, floatthis notion. After all, theywerent just studentsthey wereathletes.. Although some parents claim that their child has felt so defeated by an unsuccessful tryout that they dont want to continue with the sport, this is not always what happens. This has allowed more and more players to look to PEDs in order to gain an edge over their opponents. 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 . Did a kid come and tell us? Know what is expected andacceptable. Be responsible. He even threatened teachers. The priest declares that the father had nothingbut life ahead of him. (Smith/AP) Last week's criminal charges involving six New Mexico high school football players alleged to have sexually . Youve got some Janning to do! Then came the civil suit, settled for apaltry sum, to cover medical bills.Berger got threatening letters: Keep singing,Berger, and youll see.. During his career, the prolific actor inhabited an array of troubled characters. It devastated us. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. And he was very excited," recalls Patty. Five football coaches at the center of the Mepham High School sexual abuse scandal will not be allowed to coach the team next year, the Bellmore-Merrick school board said on Wednesday. Regardless, I was all about making them the best well-rounded people before they head into the cruel world. "They had bags of ice and they were bashing it all over his body until the bags broke. Sofia was sent to a boot camp, and Carney was sent to a juvenile detention center. Instead, they were treated as juveniles. ''Our issue is our children are being blamed,'' said Paule Pachter, one of the parents in the group. Its all fun and games, saysMcDermott. The school's 2003 football season was canceled amid allegations that three varsity football players sexually assaulted three . Whos going to give him thatmoney now? 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. ''Our parents are being blamed. Was there anything that indicated they were injured or traumatized? And people who might have had the chance to prevent this incident are not being held accountable.''. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their cigarettes and clowning. } Mepham High School Football Coach Anthony Cracco's Sex Scandal Has 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. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The grand jury has been investigating the attacks for months to determine whether the coaches should be indicted and what led to the assaults. They reallycouldnt do anything about it. That blond buzzcut, the baby face, the meager beginnings of agoateehes only 16, too young to beburying his father. It is understandable that everyone can not make the team but it is a terrible thing to cut children by telling them they did not have enough room on the team or are not ready to be on it. Half that shit they didisnt even that bad.. Theyre investigating the possibility that some students were planning to attack their schoolmates. All five lost their coaching positions. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Hes been introuble before, that kid. We wanted them to be tried as adults, but we lost that battle. Signup for our newsletter to get notified about our next ride. Heand a group of kids have me surrounded. Theres no way youcant play me. 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. One was sent to a boot camp, another to a juvenile treatment facility and the third returned home on probation. We got all new things to bring to pack. Many have lost sight of the fact that baseball players are not the only athletes that face this life threatening addiction. He's back home on Long Island. At last nights meeting, one player called the coaches caring role models, and team captain Dan Cosenza hugged McElroy. Doyou know who I am?, The freshman, trying to show a little backbone,replied: This is America. 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. The football players were unfairly penalized by the sanctions that were placed on the team. 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. 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. 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. For a select number of fortunate athletes, that dream becomes a reality when they commit to a school and sign their letter of intent. The coach told Bergerhe needed a physical. Athletes must commit time to practice and traveling. I cried," says Carol, who asked her friend, Jim Rullo, to make a speech on her behalf. Those kids are running at full speed. And his youth. Berger produced the requiredslip of paper. ''It's got to end here. "He's one of the victims.". "There's nothing anyone else could have done differently," adds Cannestro. "We're not suggesting anything about injuries. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? The Biden administrations policy of blocking unvaccinated people from the country continues to make little sense. Yeah, that shit gotfreakin blown up. "He was absolutely screaming. I want to bepart of the team.. He was riding the bus along with varsity members, who held him upside down. There are the ugly jokes, the signs and buttons declaring neighborhood solidarity, and for some people, new-found activism. ''They continue to try to bury this thing and pretend they did everything they could, and that's just not true.''. "He came to me and said, 'I'm bleeding. So, no., But, you know, says McDermott, ifthey wanted to do it? 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. At first, shock and disbelief prevailed. Parents are paying up on school meals again. Once the season started, eight players tackled him inthe locker room and lowered him into the toilet; thistime, he says, it contained urine. The Nassau Conference II showdown between these two unbeatens has . Not, 'Coach, things aren't good over here.' 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. Broomsticks dipped in mineral ice, a kind of liquid heat, golf balls, pine cones and toothbrushes, were all pushed into the boy's rectums. The coach wentalong with canceling the season because he knew kidswere not coming forward. The public was barred from the hearing, but the penalties and the judges comments were disclosed by relatives of victims, lawyers and cops. Weve been 0 and 8 since 1999!says James. 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 made that statement and from that day on, he's been, his family, harassed by letters and threats," says Carol. They were later suspended from classes on September 18. Imagine your best friends making the school soccer team and you getting cut, because your not ready or there is no room. We as coaches donot see this incident as hazing, he said,but as a criminal act., Coach Mac has an attorney, Joseph Rosenthal, who isshifting the blame right back to the parents.The coach is a very dedicated, sincereperson, the lawyer says. Most are no longer talking about the issue publicly, tired of the maelstrom of feelings that is stirred each time. Legendary football coach Joe Paterno was one of those who was fired, which shook up the coaching staff. But even those who are, still have an astonishingly low chance at making the professional leagues. But my son says nobody knew he would cross theline., Andys son plays lacrosse. 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. says McElroy. Most of the shit they did was pranks,like shaving cream, one Mepham boy tells me ona sunny Wednesday, a day before the funeral of thelinemans father. A minivan with two others whizzes by, music blaring. A day later, the three alleged victims are stillhaving broomsticks thrown at them from cars in theparking lot. Research shows that 70% of kids drop out of sports for many reasons and not making the team is one. 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). 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 . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Sofia was sentenced to the boot camp and Carney to the detention center both in Pennsylvania. I should just sit there and go, 'Hmm, he's hazing him.' 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. 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. Mysons season has been completely fucked up! Adds Jesse: Mepham kids say,Youre from Kennedy, and punch us.Theyre the bully school, the physical school.Even in middle school, we knew which kids were goingto Mepham and which to Kennedy.. He told Pennsylvaniapolice that he couldnt release informationabout a student without a subpoena. One afternoon after practice, they air theirtheories, the chief one being that the lineman musthave been traumatized as a kid. 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. It was supposed to be fun, and glorious. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home playoff game against Elmont Memorial (Elmont, NY) by a score of 14-7. Hasan Minhaj Brings His Powerpoints and Power Suits to Independent Spirit Awards. At 1:21 p.m. last Friday, the Mepham High School football and cheerleading squads should have rushed onto Mepham's field for a These parents are now lobbying for a national hazing law, one with severe penalties. But others angrily argue that not enough attention is being paid to the victims' ordeals. We dont beat guysup., Some of his old teammates have gathered to buy drinksfrom him. Your sonwoo hoo!Hes having fun. He suggests that broomsticks,golf balls, and pinecones are consistent withtraditional forms of hazing. They hit his headon the porcelain and he got a concussion. According to her, Didden said he wouldinvestigate the incident. The incident angered the victim's mother, who. His dadsaved his friends life that day. 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're not animals. Now the Reichsteins have written the stateDepartment of Education, demanding an investigation. }, First published on April 12, 2004 / 5:10 PM. A player tried to flush his head in a urinal. The boy, wearing a regulation backward baseball cap,is standing at the schools west entrance. Vic and Kristina have done The Early Show and20/20. Treat others with the respect that you wouldlike to receive. Act appropriately. But the happy boys these parents sent to camp last summer didn't return that way. But the school board was unswayed by the coaches defenders. Murdaugh defense team plans to appeal conviction asks McElroy. He told him to find a friend and never bealone. When the allegations surfaced in early September, the three accused teenagers were suspended from Mepham High School's football team. He went to camp but didntstay in the fated cabin. Most of themare yelling. He never brought this incident toMcElroys attention; he must have brought it tothe JV coachs attention. 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. Go to the back of theline.. At this point, the victims would have already suffered numerous attacks. 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 failure can be a downward spiral or a setback turning into a benefit. When members of a high-school football team on Long Island were accused of sexual attacks, the community was appalled . 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. As she accepts her Someone to Watch award on stage. 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. "These boys were like 6 feet 2 inches and 6 feet 4 inches, and roughly 250 lbs. Kids have come to practice Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday to get better, while their academics are suffering. 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. 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. Offscreen, he was one himself. This is hard tosayI know he was a good coach and a lot of kidsliked him. I believe that exclusive tryouts should be held for children because they are extremely good for their mental health in three ways: tryouts teach kids humility, in that they arent always going to be selected, they help kids learn to work harder, and they boost kids confidence. Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay. And I can't ever get that back from him," says Patty. He was just frightened," says his father, Vinny. On a warm night in October,Mary Williams and her boyfriend, Andy Corcoran, bothMepham class of 1980, sit having a drink. The team did it along with some guidance from my assistant coach and the parents. On September 17, the Bellmore-Merrick Central HighSchool District Board of Education canceledMepham's football season. I said, 'What's the matter?' For Carol's son, it doesn't end. "Not once. Berger sayshe got up and called his dad, who went straight to thecoaches. She says Didden said no twice.Thats when Vic stood up and called Didden aliar. Oh, Loosey! 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. The boy was a member of the 2007 Charlton County High School junior varsity golf team. But these parents say the risk to their children was greater. 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. Anyone can read what you share. Hisfriend was a captain on the team, he maybe was gonnaget a scholarship. Privacy Policy and Parents demanded:Shouldnt they have been there to stop theseboys? Reichsteins wife,Kristina, then begged Didden to make an example of thelineman. They speak ofbroomsticks, pinecones, and golf balls. We love our children. We love kids. One student lifts up another and dumps him, legs flailing, in a bush. Diasparra cut a deal and received probation. Which mayexplain why Coach Mac, in his only public statement,has concurred with Caramore. 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've received your submission. Coaches, the report says, were oblivious to what was occurring. The report criticized the Wayne County judge, Robert Conway, for his decision not to move the attackers' cases from juvenile to adult court. 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. By Michael Luo. And I know the family of one of theattackers. When parents came to an emergency meeting on September16 with the principal and superintendent, they heardnot mea culpas but accusations. At Mepham High School on Long Island, the entire football season was canceled after players admitted to sadistically hazing fellow teammates. He was always in troubleat school, but not in football. Wesley?Wesley was a nasty rat bastard! "Something happened in between those practices every single time, to my son. Keep yourmouth shut, the letters read, andnothing will happen to you or your family.. !Effin this, effinthatyoure not coming on my team,youre done, youre done, youredone! And I started screaming at him.. More than 60 players attended the camp, including the boy's best friend Patty and Jimmy's son who was also just 13. So it just goes on and on. ", Are they lying? 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 . And would you let it happen a second and third time? We got the ball first on kick off and we made a touchdown on the first few drives.On. display: block; Criminal coercion. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. What's more, the 16-year-old ringleader of the assaults had his own history of disciplinary problems. Students attend a pep rally at Mepham High School in Bellmore, N.Y. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. MacArthur 2022 on Nov 4, 2022. Long Beach. display: none; The parents are organizing to demand that the school administration be held accountable for allowing the incident to occur, they said. 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. Everyone laughs. But it really happened., McElroys lawyer vehemently denies almost everyaspect of Bergers story. Who? When I was in ninth grade, says Lohman,my father died and my mother wanted to move toFlorida. It's, like, they're monsters," says Patty. 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.