He knows the mainkid, she says. Involuntary deviate sexualintercourse. Both coaches still don't understand why they're being blamed for what happened last summer at Mepham High School's football camp. ''They continue to try to bury this thing and pretend they did everything they could, and that's just not true.''. 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. Mary is athird-generation Bellmoron. Her boy,Kyle, played varsity. What LAppartement 4F Co-owner Ashley Coiffard Put on Her Wedding Registry. Offscreen, he was one himself. Long Beach. 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! Once each school year, older Mepham students would beat up younger ones on school grounds in a ritual called ''Freshman Friday,'' the grand jury found. That boy was not hurt at camp, but other kids were. The boy was a member of the 2007 Charlton County High School junior varsity golf team. Three varsity players are charged by Pennsylvania authorities with sodomizing three junior varsity players with broomsticks, pine cones and golf balls. Hed just beat upon peoplehed be walking by andboom! By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. 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. Did either coach notice anything on these children's faces? We dont beat guysup., Some of his old teammates have gathered to buy drinksfrom him. 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 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. The school also erred by putting the coaches in one cabin and leaving the players in other cabins, supervised only by an older teammate, the report says. Regardless, I was all about making them the best well-rounded people before they head into the cruel world. CNN. As well as rebuking the attackers, the report criticizes the school system and the Pennsylvania judge who handled the cases. I cried," says Carol, who asked her friend, Jim Rullo, to make a speech on her behalf. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have broken up after he allegedly cheated on her with Raquel Leviss. Theres a no-cut policy. Wesley?Wesley was a nasty rat bastard! mepham high school football scandal. He said his surgery was a success, but he needs time to heal before he can tour again. MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 2022 Fall Boys Football New York: Long Island Division II. The coaches are suing to get their jobs back. On October 6, heannounced that that was his intention. Imagine your best friends making the school soccer team and you getting cut, because your not ready or there is no room. All the negative attention has galvanized them, they said. Full speed," says McElroy. I dont evencare what they did.. 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. Im theprincipal, he said, and Illdecide who can go on the trip. The lineman wasallowed to go to camp. We wanted them to be tried as adults, but we lost that battle. There were no screams like that.". This story has been shared 140,209 times. She shouts out all the ladies (mothers and wives) in the room. '', ''This is a wake-up call,'' said the father of one of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his son. 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. The problem was with thekidsand with the parents who brought them upthat way., Sothe parents. At 1:21 p.m. last Friday, the Mepham High School football and cheerleading squads should have rushed onto Mepham's field for a South Side. When athletes experience head trauma, they only recover a little, which might end their career early or other times people never recover. We love our community. Other players laughed, the report said. Mineral ice and especially that he now had, from the first time, a cut," says Carol. The group, which calls itself Mepham Parents 4 Change, consists of eight families, but says it is quickly gathering support. After Dax Shepard asked her about her musical chairs relationship situation. We've received your submission. Where does it end?". Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay. Now when they talk about Mepham, they use the wordssodomy and hazing. That washazing! "He was laying in bed with a big butcher knife in his hand 'cause he was scared. , 2023-02-08, 18:25:23 How long has it been since you've licked a high school girls pussy daddy? And I know the family of one of theattackers. 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. . Whether its being in thelocker room, making sure everybodys on the samepage, rallying the troops, or making sureeveryones focused on the task at hand., How do you weed out the undisciplined players?On any high-school team, the seniors give you alittle bit of a hard time, he says. When a. Statistically showing, at least 100,000 college football players get hurt yearly. She says Didden said no twice.Thats when Vic stood up and called Didden aliar. It was supposed to be fun, and glorious. What's more, before camp, parents Victor and Kristina Reichstein say Carney threatened their 13-year-old son. Also it brings down students self esteem. 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. Football is important to the high school experience and different familys history around the world. "He was after my son morning, noon, and night. He had his little list. NEW! But the grand jury did not find the coaches criminally negligent. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? Yeah, that shit gotfreakin blown up. This is hard tosayI know he was a good coach and a lot of kidsliked him. West Jersey Football League all-stars: United Division, 2022. On Bellmore Avenue, themain drag in town, a mile or so east of Mepham,Docs Pub serves as an unofficial class-reunionspace. Which mayexplain why Coach Mac, in his only public statement,has concurred with Caramore. A problem arises though once try outs are over and the team is announced. Athletes must commit time to practice and traveling. If they have failing grades as well, the colleges are sending their students into the world without a real chance at becoming professional athletes, and without an actual education. Mary explodes. According to the report, ''a lack of accountability appears to permeate the entire structure of the administration and running of this camp program.'' But the victims told their parents they were screaming at the top of their lungs. Despite the linemans threats, noone could have anticipated what happened atcamp, Caramore told parents in a speech, adding thatwhatever happened wasnt hazing:None of us in Bellmore-Merrick has used thatterm to define what is, in fact, a brutalcrime., The hazing-or-not debate is a key factor in the legalbattles to come. 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. Tryouts are the worst thing about sports, they bring nothing but more stress to your plate. Soon after the first revelations of the attacks, the Reichsteins reached out to newspapers and television stations with their story. Mepham High School football head coach Anthony Cracco says LaSpina is the perfect role model for anyone who wants to just play because she worked hard and never got discouraged, adding there's a . 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 coach wentalong with canceling the season because he knew kidswere not coming forward. However, some would argue to say high school football is too dangerous to keep around. He went to camp but didntstay in the fated cabin. Signup for our newsletter to get notified about our next ride. He said, 'Well, your son was just online and saying he can't take it anymore. The sentences are indeterminate, but will be reviewed every four months. 18 - 35 L. 10/15/2022. For me, this challenge helped me develop as a person than will work harder and strive for the best in my academics. 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. But these parents say the risk to their children was greater. Rullo, now a community activist for change in his school district, says he received numerous letters and phone calls, including one that said that he and his family would die. The superintendent, while admonishing the team for notcooperating with the investigation, has also putforward a tidy defense of McElroy and the principal,Didden. Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza do not seem like a match made in action-comedy-chemistry heaven, but it somehow works. So, no., But, you know, says McDermott, ifthey wanted to do it? 49 - 18 W. But he wonders whether whathappened at camp could have been prevented if hehadnt settled his lawsuit. Mephamsstudent body is pulled from the northern part of thecommunity, where there are $50,000-a-year jobs and theschool parking lot is dominated by Chevys and Fords. At this point, the victims would have already suffered numerous attacks. 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.'' It's the biggest week of the year for high school wrestling fans. In 1994, Wesley Bergerwas a Mepham freshman, a football player with a shelfof trophiesMVP for the peewee league,fastest-runner and best-tackler awards. 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. I need to see a doctor,'" says Carol. And would you let it happen a second and third time? The report criticized the Wayne County judge, Robert Conway, for his decision not to move the attackers' cases from juvenile to adult court. Ken Carney, 16, the ringleader of the attacks, was well-known by school administrators as a disciplinary problem. 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). Kevin Minnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | Dec 7, 2022. We're checking it off. McElroy hadnothing to do with this kid, Joe Rosenthalsays. He suggests that broomsticks,golf balls, and pinecones are consistent withtraditional forms of hazing. Thanks for contacting us. The way they walked? 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. 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. Terms of Service apply. But my son says nobody knew he would cross theline., Andys son plays lacrosse. 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. "Yeah," says Cannestro. Kids in the bunks didn't tell us. With FamousAmos on the squad, the team made the county playoffsall four years. 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. "There's nothing anyone else could have done differently," adds Cannestro. Trust me been there done that, the most regretted thing about school sports for many are tryouts. These parents are now lobbying for a national hazing law, one with severe penalties. 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. Bellmore Journal; Life Goes On but Is Altered After School Scandal, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/20/nyregion/bellmore-journal-life-goes-on-but-is-altered-after-school-scandal.html. Should a person get paid just for showing up for there a job and not actually doing anything? Criminal coercion. 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. Once rated one of the best academic high. But other voices emerge at the meeting, corroboratingthe victims contention that hazing is a fact oflife at Mepham. The abuse occurred day and night, and young players were attacked repeatedly and forced to sodomize each other, the report says. The coaches say they were staying in another cabin less than 50 yards from the players, and if anyone screamed, they would have heard it. Everyone laughs. Hes the man of the family now. Nothing.". "He was robbed of his innocence. Everyone in the pews has heard how the father had beendevastated by the criminal charges his son was facing.Aggravated assault. My sons not. Your sonwoo hoo!Hes having fun. The fact thatthese studies show the prevalence of this conduct inmany hazing situations supports a conclusion thattheres no reason to believe that this wouldhave occurred outside of such a setting, or abelief that such conduct would reoccur., Besides, he notes, the juvenile-justice systemaffords kids a second chance. Berger says his friends persuaded him to stay off theteam. That decision ''let down and insulted the victims and their families,'' the report says. Some parents and athletes believe equal playing time for all sports and activities is deserved all through their middle school and high school careers. I think the kids covered it up to saveCoach Mac and save their season., Tending bar at Docs is Rob McDermott, class of95. Watch this highlight video of the Mepham (North Bellmore, NY) football team in its game Recap: Mepham vs. MacArthur 2022 on Nov 4, 2022. The owner of the store posted a sign in his window earlier this month: ''We are Bellmore. "He came to me and said, 'I'm bleeding. The school's 2003 football season was canceled amid allegations that three varsity football players sexually assaulted three . "You didn't monitor him very carefully, obviously," says Patty of what happened to her 13-year-old son. Diasparra cut a deal and received probation. During his career, the prolific actor inhabited an array of troubled characters. When parents came to an emergency meeting on September16 with the principal and superintendent, they heardnot mea culpas but accusations. Hes been introuble before, that kid. Does heknow this for sure? Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. ''People just want to move on,'' said one teenager, sucking on his cigarette. We have more wealthy backgrounds, saysDanny. Tell me why I should just know? Over the next few days, the broomstick assaults were repeated. 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. The third player in the Mepham HS hazing scandal was sentenced to probation after he made a deal with prosecutors and provided information. Now even they, however, have grown weary, wishing for a return to their old life. College athletics are oftentimes not as glamorous as one would think. But its notthe only time I hear neighbors, even parents, floatthis notion. Subscriber Exclusive. This has allowed more and more players to look to PEDs in order to gain an edge over their opponents. "Everybody says we should just know. I'm grabbing all the medication out of my cabinet and looking for everything that I think he's gonna hurt himself. A day later, the threeboys were suspended, and a student. Hasan Minhaj Brings His Powerpoints and Power Suits to Independent Spirit Awards. The question has whirled aroundBellmore for weeks: Who would raise a child who woulddo this to another child? Just because someone shows up and participates, doesnt not mean they deserve the same treatment as everyone else. Not a lot of kids are good enough to play in the top college sports programs in the country. This wasn't just something that happened when the lights went out.". Now, McElroy and Junior Varsity Coach Art Cannestro exclusively tell their story to 48 Hours. They were carried outover several nights, with several victims, one of whomrequired surgery for his injuries. We're going to all the sports stores. 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. Theyre sick of reporters, andtheyre worried about the lineman. Hes well known as abully. 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. . Rick Scott Is Unfortunately Right About Novak Djokovic. All rights reserved. They had hoped that the three assailants (Phil Sofia, Ken Carney, and Tom Diasparra) would be tried as adults for the crimes.