And McElroy neverprevented him from playing on the varsity team. 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. But the victims told their parents they were screaming at the top of their lungs. 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 way they walked? It's a couple of days.' 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.. 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? The issue spans to not only the professional level, but the high school and collegiate divisions as well. "We have a clip of the JV football scrimmage," says McElroy, who believes it proves that there was nothing obviously wrong. Nassau County Girl Scouts fundraise for victims of quake in Syria, Turkey at Masjid Hamza, Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home conference game against MacArthur (Levittown, NY) by a score of 14-7. "The kid who just made the tackle," says Cannestro, identifying one of the players on the tape. This incident could have been foreseeable by the coaches, and possibly the administration, if the coach reported anything to the principal and athletic director. no.". Yeah, that shit gotfreakin blown up. 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 . You may notstart, but youll be on the team.. 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. They also understand they will need to sacrifice time, energy, and their social life in order to achieve these goals. Mary is athird-generation Bellmoron. Her boy,Kyle, played varsity. Nassau County Girl Scouts fundraise for victims of quake in Syria, Turkey at Masjid Hamza, Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions. "He's victimized because I asked him to do a favor in this. He really was.". We got the ball first on kick off and we made a touchdown on the first few drives.On. When several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. Sofia was sent to a boot camp, and Carney was sent to a juvenile detention center. Ke Huy Quan Continues His Winning Streak at the Independent Spirit Awards. "He was robbed of his innocence. 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. Murdaugh defense team plans to appeal conviction Some have hired lawyers for their children. After all, theywerent just studentsthey wereathletes.. Parents are paying up on school meals again. Know what is expected andacceptable. Be responsible. On a Friday morning in August, 60 kids were droppedoff for the bus ride to Pennsylvania. What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan shows just that. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. MacArthur 2022 on Nov 4, 2022. Nor did he suspendthe three alleged perpetrators, and as a result, theywere allowed to walk the hallways of Mepham High fornearly two weeks. Keep yourmouth shut, the letters read, andnothing will happen to you or your family.. In the case of my four month concussion, there are residual mental and physical problems. Dont eventhink about sleeping at camp, he said. Sports in Mepham isvery big.. Theres a no-cut policy. Throughout September, a question hung in the air:Would Wayne County district attorney Mark Zimmer trythe boys as adults, which would mean that each couldface up to twenty years in prison? 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! On Bellmore Avenue, themain drag in town, a mile or so east of Mepham,Docs Pub serves as an unofficial class-reunionspace. Did I do anything to those kids?" asks McElroy. Trust me been there done that, the most regretted thing about school sports for many are tryouts. 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. At this point, the victims would have already suffered numerous attacks. I need to see a doctor,'" says Carol. And I know the family of one of theattackers. Thats when Berger says Coach Mac lunged athimhis hand reaching the boys throat. "I couldn't even process it in my head. Carol said it appeared Conway had sentenced Sofia to the boot camp because he disliked the teens attitude. Were happy as can be, said Carol, an aunt of one of the victims. Kevin Minnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | Dec 7, 2022. A failure can be a downward spiral or a setback turning into a benefit. He's back home on Long Island. 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. "He said to him, 'Don't even think of sleeping at football camp. Treat others with the respect that you wouldlike to receive. Act appropriately. In practice, theyd put meon the B squad and Id tear up the Asquad. He says he stayed on the team for twoyears but was allowed on the field only once,returning a kickoff 50 yards. Kids in the bunks didn't tell us. He never judged us, saysDave Lohman, class of 94. West Jersey Football League all-stars: United Division, 2022. Go to the back of theline.. And he's looking for something in the house to hurt himself.' The victims didn't tell us. 18 - 35 L. 10/15/2022. That decision ''let down and insulted the victims and their families,'' the report says. #inline-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { 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. There are the ugly jokes, the signs and buttons declaring neighborhood solidarity, and for some people, new-found activism. 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. If three victims getanything close to that much each, it would devastatethe school districts budget. Both coaches still don't understand why they're being blamed for what happened last summer at Mepham High School's football camp. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google 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. Its all fun and games, saysMcDermott. What LAppartement 4F Co-owner Ashley Coiffard Put on Her Wedding Registry. 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. A day later, the three alleged victims are stillhaving broomsticks thrown at them from cars in theparking lot. One of the attackers was allowed to attend camp despite a history of disciplinary problems and not having a permission slip. Heand a group of kids have me surrounded. False imprisonment. Youre old enough to knowwhat youre doing., I had some friends who were older, saysMcDermott. Sometimes its hardto tell what bothers the people of Bellmore andMerrick moreallegations of sodomy or the abruptend of football season. Berger sayshe got up and called his dad, who went straight to thecoaches. It involved a fight amongteenage boys. We're going to all the sports stores. The grand jury has been investigating the attacks for months to determine whether the coaches should be indicted and what led to the assaults. "He made that statement and from that day on, he's been, his family, harassed by letters and threats," says Carol. Were more Jewish! another kidyells, laughing. Since returning from camp, he has barely slept. Those individuals who just made the team now deal with a problem that happens mainly from the. A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their cigarettes and clowning. But the school board was unswayed by the coaches defenders. Should they also get paid the same amount even if another co-worker is better at their job? When athletes experience head trauma, they only recover a little, which might end their career early or other times people never recover. But its notthe only time I hear neighbors, even parents, floatthis notion. By the end of three exciting days in Atlantic City, 14 champions will emerge at the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics State . 10/08/2022. "You didn't monitor him very carefully, obviously," says Patty of what happened to her 13-year-old son. At 1:21 p.m. last Friday, the Mepham High School football and cheerleading squads should have rushed onto Mepham's field for a ''They continue to try to bury this thing and pretend they did everything they could, and that's just not true.''. This is a sore pointfor Mary. When a. Statistically showing, at least 100,000 college football players get hurt yearly. (516) 569-4000, To donate or for more information, click here, Chamber, mayors office are no match for the Thunderbolts. At least one group of parents has decided they will continue to speak out. ''People just want to move on,'' said one teenager, sucking on his cigarette. Before the 68 varsity and junior-varsity players left the Long Island communities of Bellmore and Merrick to attend the weeklong camp in Preston Park, Pa., coaches warned the team that hazing would not be tolerated, and spelled out the edict in a note sent home to players' parents. The coaches also showed 48 Hours a tape never before made public - one they say was recorded on the last day of camp. 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. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? CNN. The abuse occurred day and night, and young players were attacked repeatedly and forced to sodomize each other, the report says. He did more for me than any coach ever. This was a sexual attack!, Are we gonna argue about this? When trying to become a professional athlete, one must start playing sports as early as possible (Ferguson 34).Playing sports comes with many sacrifices. 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Most high school athletes across America share one common aspiration: play their sport at the next level in college. 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. My father was agreat man, he begins, and tells a story of howhis dad once saw a crashed, burning car, pulled overand ran to help, and discovered that the guy trappedin the passengers seat was a friend. I ask. He never brought this incident toMcElroys attention; he must have brought it tothe JV coachs attention. The Biden administrations policy of blocking unvaccinated people from the country continues to make little sense. Students attend a pep rally at Mepham High School in Bellmore, N.Y. At first, shock and disbelief prevailed. Then came the civil suit, settled for apaltry sum, to cover medical bills.Berger got threatening letters: Keep singing,Berger, and youll see.. 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. They speak ofbroomsticks, pinecones, and golf balls. Tell us how you did it coach. These words were forced into my face with a camera lens almost resting against my cheeks (page 395). Broomsticks dipped in mineral ice, a kind of liquid heat, golf balls, pine cones and toothbrushes, were all pushed into the boy's rectums. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. Most are no longer talking about the issue publicly, tired of the maelstrom of feelings that is stirred each time. What I know about the Berger incident isit did not involve hazing. High school coaches should not be required to give equal playing time to all players who make the team. That hasnt satisfied parents whocomplain about the lost scholarships, the deflatedhomecoming celebration, and the fund-raisers for othersports, all of which depend on football and are nowruined, theyre saying, because of a couple ofmessed-up kids. 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. Decent football player, though.. There's coaches. And his youth. Three varsity players are charged by Pennsylvania authorities with sodomizing three junior varsity players with broomsticks, pine cones and golf balls. I need to know for medical.' 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. 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.'" Who doyou think you are? said the lineman, accordingto Reichsteins son. }, First published on April 12, 2004 / 5:10 PM. The answer to all those questions is no.". 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.) All the negative attention has galvanized them, they said. 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. Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay. But even those who are, still have an astonishingly low chance at making the professional leagues. Sofia was sentenced to the boot camp and Carney to the detention center both in Pennsylvania. "My son came forward, did something that he did not want to do. ''These assaults appear to have grown out of a history of hazing both at the football camp and at Mepham High School itself,'' the report says. 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. No! But I justgot off the phone with the mother of one of thevictims, and she told me that were her bestadvocate. says McElroy. Mary explodes. Mysons season has been completely fucked up! This was the 94th meeting between the two schools . . Offscreen, he was one himself. Four days ago, hisfather died in his sleep. Due to the poormoral character of your children, Kristina saysCaramore told the parents, this investigationis not moving forward. She stood up and askedDidden twice if any child had been threatened beforethe camp incidents. But others angrily argue that not enough attention is being paid to the victims' ordeals. It's, like, they're monsters," says Patty. What about the boys who were raped? "I assumed he was homesick, so I said, 'Stick it out. These parents are now lobbying for a national hazing law, one with severe penalties. On September 17, the Bellmore-Merrick Central HighSchool District Board of Education canceledMepham's football season. 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. McElroy hadnothing to do with this kid, Joe Rosenthalsays. ''It's got to end 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. I think they hated me because I introduced the pull-up to their strength and conditioning program. The group, which calls itself Mepham Parents 4 Change, consists of eight families, but says it is quickly gathering support. It was horrible. But at a hearing in Honesdale, Pa., President Judge Robert Conway barred 16-year-old Tom Diasparra from returning to the Bellemore, L.I., high school and warned him to watch his step. Where does it end?". We got all new things to bring to pack. A player tried to flush his head in a urinal. Not a lot of kids are good enough to play in the top college sports programs in the country. I notice when they're injured. OK? The coaches would have to be everywhere at thesame time, says Dave Hill. The superintendent, while admonishing the team for notcooperating with the investigation, has also putforward a tidy defense of McElroy and the principal,Didden. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { The morals, the attitudes, of a Mepham student,are different, suggests another Kennedy player,Danny. Anyone can read what you share. If you do something wrong, youd better go home and pack your toothbrush because youll pay the consequences, he told the teen. I think the kids covered it up to saveCoach Mac and save their season., Tending bar at Docs is Rob McDermott, class of95. 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 The priest declares that the father had nothingbut life ahead of him. He said, 'Well, your son was just online and saying he can't take it anymore. The football players were unfairly penalized by the sanctions that were placed on the team. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home playoff game against Elmont Memorial (Elmont, NY) by a score of 14-7. The issue of blame, however, continues to polarize parents and promises to loom larger as the criminal case moves ahead. South Side. Into the locker! "They had bags of ice and they were bashing it all over his body until the bags broke. Over the course of five days, their sons were brutally sodomized by their teammates. What's more, before camp, parents Victor and Kristina Reichstein say Carney threatened their 13-year-old son. Privacy Policy and In the bunks, 17-year-old players were assigned to watch over 13-year-old boys. 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.
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