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. In that case, new players at. some by the crimes, others by the cancellation of the season. A school divided Students split over Central board's decision to cancel 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. The team did it along with some guidance from my assistant coach and the parents. This wasn't just something that happened when the lights went out.". It was just too outrageous," says Jimmy. I said, 'What's the matter?' Go to the back of theline.. We got all new things to bring to pack. Anyone can read what you share. Im theprincipal, he said, and Illdecide who can go on the trip. The lineman wasallowed to go to camp. Michelle Yeoh Promises No Swearing, Only Tears During Best Lead Performance Win. 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. "The question should not be the coaches should have known. "What constitutes a scream?" He suggests that broomsticks,golf balls, and pinecones are consistent withtraditional forms of hazing. 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.) It involved a fight amongteenage boys. But rather, in my opinion, how could the coaches have known?" Since the scandal began, parents of students have squabbled among themselves and with members of the school administration over everything from the decision to cancel the football season to whether the school district could have prevented the incident. 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.. However, some would argue to say high school football is too dangerous to keep around. On the second day, the incidents became brutal. 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. 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. Just because someone shows up and participates, doesnt not mean they deserve the same treatment as everyone else. Everyone laughs. 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. Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. Also, sleep-away sports camps will no longer be authorized by the school district, Billig said. There's coaches. So it just goes on and on. It's the biggest week of the year for high school wrestling fans. Mepham High School Football Coach Anthony Cracco's Sex Scandal Has Bellmore . I am 13 years old and I am on the Friendswood junior high C-football team I am a second string slot receiver and starting strong safety and I 'm also a second string strong side linebacker it was our last game of the season,so we really wanted to go out on the win or a record for the season was one way in five losses and one tie,we hadn 't had a great season so we especially wanted to go out on a win. Report Says Hazing Culture Led to Attacks On 3 Athletes He said, 'Well, your son was just online and saying he can't take it anymore. "The bottom line is, if we did anything wrong, we wouldn't be sitting here talking to you," says Cannestro. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. In the southern reachesof Long Island, nestled between the bucolic SouthernState Parkway and the fast-food joints and cardealerships on Sunrise Highway, the four small townsof Bellmore, North Bellmore, Merrick, and NorthMerrick make up a solid community of working- andmiddle-class families. Kristina and Vic Reichstein stand upand say their son, a freshman, was threatened by thelineman during practice in July and August. 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.'" On a warm night in October,Mary Williams and her boyfriend, Andy Corcoran, bothMepham class of 1980, sit having a drink. He previously suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18, and was ultimately taken off life support. I think the kids covered it up to saveCoach Mac and save their season., Tending bar at Docs is Rob McDermott, class of95. Long Beach. Gavin Roman broke the state record for most catches in a season during Holy Spirit's 63-34 rivalry win against Atlantic City in Absecon. 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. On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home playoff game against Elmont Memorial (Elmont, NY) by a score of 14-7. School administrators, however, let him get on the bus anyway. And he's looking for something in the house to hurt himself.' Moreover, they must spend money on equipment, clothing, and food (37). Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. 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. We got the ball first on kick off and we made a touchdown on the first few drives.On. We're in education because we love kids.". As we mentioned earlier, the freshmans mother mentioned to coach McElroy the fact that the upperclassman was calling her son those insulting names. The third player in the Mepham HS hazing scandal was sentenced to probation after he made a deal with prosecutors and provided information. Meet the Long Island High Schooler Who Made History With a Touchdown The coach wentalong with canceling the season because he knew kidswere not coming forward. 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. Over the next few days, the broomstick assaults were repeated. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Everyone should be so lucky.''. 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. And he told us that they were keeping them up. 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. Once rated one of the best academic high. By Michael Luo. There's supervision, like any other school event.". Yeah, that shit gotfreakin blown up. You may notstart, but youll be on the team.. "He missed the whole first, basically, semester. 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. The group, which calls itself Mepham Parents 4 Change, consists of eight families, but says it is quickly gathering support. Carol said it appeared Conway had sentenced Sofia to the boot camp because he disliked the teens attitude. Who doyou think you are? said the lineman, accordingto Reichsteins son. 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. The lineman was furious. He said his surgery was a success, but he needs time to heal before he can tour again. If such a policy had been in place, one of the attackers would not have been allowed at the camp, the report says. It would be the adventure of his life five days of intense football in the woods of Pennsylvania. "He was waiting for them [the coaches] to come in and save him, but no one came," says Carol's husband, Vinny. They speak ofbroomsticks, pinecones, and golf balls. These parents are now lobbying for a national hazing law, one with severe penalties. Brackets for the 2023 NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships in Atlantic She shouts out all the ladies (mothers and wives) in the room. Tell me why I should just know? Then it became a football school. 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. Everyone in the pews has heard how the father had beendevastated by the criminal charges his son was facing.Aggravated assault. Criminal coercion. He quotes oneof the boys as saying, I will never trustanyone again. , 2023-02-08, 18:25:23 How long has it been since you've licked a high school girls pussy daddy? 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hasnt hebeen through enough? 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. 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. And I know the family of one of theattackers. McElroy and his coaching staff claim they had no responsibility for a vicious alleged hazing incident at a training camp in Pennsylvania in August. "Am I an evil person? These individuals hope to be part of something special, whether its achieving individual goals or team goals. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. They hit his headon the porcelain and he got a concussion. 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. 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. 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. He never brought this incident toMcElroys attention; he must have brought it tothe JV coachs attention. 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. 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. Anger, fear in wake of Mepham attacks Parents afraid after football 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 . We love our community. 49 - 18 W. The coaches' lawyer and officials for the Bellmore-Merrick School District did not comment on the report's findings or its criticisms. Because the National Football League sits on a higher platform, they bring in an exceptional amount of money compared to that, However, whenever hazing involves assaulting the victim, then it goes to another level. Source: Football players to be tried as juveniles - CNN 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. Into the locker! Three days after camp ended, Carol and Vinny's son asked for help. One student lifts up another and dumps him, legs flailing, in a bush. "All of a sudden, you get this child who's been broken. 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. Hes been introuble before, that kid. 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. (516) 569-4000, To donate or for more information, click here, Chamber, mayors office are no match for the Thunderbolts. Nor did he suspendthe three alleged perpetrators, and as a result, theywere allowed to walk the hallways of Mepham High fornearly two weeks. Mary explodes. He went to camp but didntstay in the fated cabin. He told him to find a friend and never bealone. The public was barred from the hearing, but the penalties and the judges comments were disclosed by relatives of victims, lawyers and cops. 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. Now the . Diasparra cut a deal and received probation. 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. no.". Amos scored 29 touchdowns in hisjunior year and broke all of Long Islandsrushing records. Relatives of the victims, 13 and 14 at the time of the attacks, expressed satisfaction at the outcome. False imprisonment. Hed just beat upon peoplehed be walking by andboom! But the school board was unswayed by the coaches defenders. 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. In the case of my four month concussion, there are residual mental and physical problems. Not, 'Coach, things aren't good over here.' On 11/4, the Mepham varsity football team won their home conference game against MacArthur (Levittown, NY) by a score of 14-7. Murdaugh defense team plans to appeal conviction This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. Due to the amount of padding they have to wear, football players can easily disguise their size therefore keeping them from receiving scrutiny from the public. According to the report, ''a lack of accountability appears to permeate the entire structure of the administration and running of this camp program.'' 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. Atlantic City Football 2022-2023 - NJ.com 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). Did a kid come and tell us? 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. So, no., But, you know, says McDermott, ifthey wanted to do it? Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have broken up after he allegedly cheated on her with Raquel Leviss. 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 guy grabbed me in front of the wholeteam, Berger says. Thanks for contacting us. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. On September 17, the Bellmore-Merrick Central HighSchool District Board of Education canceledMepham's football season. This has allowed more and more players to look to PEDs in order to gain an edge over their opponents. The police call what happened in August at thePirates five-day training camp a series ofAbner Louimastyle sex attacks (though,curiously, no student interviewed by police has evenmentioned Louimas name). What about, say, having your head flushed in a toilet? Offscreen, he was one himself. Know what is expected andacceptable. Be responsible. 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. Everything Everywhere All at Once has won in every category they were nominated for. And he stands where the priest stood and speaks,reading from crinkled sheets of paper rapidly, almostinaudibly, in a low monotone. 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. And McElroy neverprevented him from playing on the varsity team. "He was after my son morning, noon, and night. They have criticized the coaches and school district for lax supervision, accusing Mepham officials of ignoring the long disciplinary record of one of the three attackers. In an earlier proceeding, the three attackers, charged as juveniles, admitted to the assaults. "Something happened in between those practices every single time, to my son. Because if these attacks are acceptedas hazing, then the school is responsible. Mepham Football team - Long Island High School Sports - Newsday I notice when they're injured. Please enter valid email address to continue. As she accepts her Someone to Watch award on stage. "He said to him, 'Don't even think of sleeping at football camp. "You didn't monitor him very carefully, obviously," says Patty of what happened to her 13-year-old son. I don't have psychic skills. I think they hated me because I introduced the pull-up to their strength and conditioning program. Not a wink. West Jersey Football League all-stars: United Division, 2022. The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh Some have hired lawyers for their children. And his youth. "He was laying in bed with a big butcher knife in his hand 'cause he was scared. McElroy says district policy discourages it: "To put a coach in the room, you're putting the coach or the adult right now at incredible risk of sexual charges.". Other players laughed, the report said. He says the coach started yelling.Hes like, No! 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. Future of Sayreville football coaches may hinge on supervision We've received your submission. What we're saying is, I notice when somebody's limping. The incident angered the victim's mother, who. As well as rebuking the attackers, the report criticizes the school system and the Pennsylvania judge who handled the cases. More than 60 players attended the camp, including the boy's best friend Patty and Jimmy's son who was also just 13. When I was in ninth grade, says Lohman,my father died and my mother wanted to move toFlorida. All rights reserved. McElroy hadnothing to do with this kid, Joe Rosenthalsays. Mepham High School Football Case Study | ipl.org 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. at Garden City. Terms of Service apply. And don't you dare tell,'" says Kristina, who lobbied to get Carney thrown off the trip. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. He alwayslistened. For Carol's son, it doesn't end. 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. The star lineman towersover most of the other pallbearers. Youve got some Janning to do! Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. The question has whirled aroundBellmore for weeks: Who would raise a child who woulddo this to another child? 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. ", Patty says her son also hasn't recovered from the ordeal: "About a month ago, I had gotten a call from a neighbor. 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. 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 . He was just frightened," says his father, Vinny. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { When Patty and Jimmy's son came home, he told them he had been sodomized, too. When people talked aboutMepham, they talked about Famous Amos. The Mepham-Garden City football game this week could be a juicy one. The Biden administrations policy of blocking unvaccinated people from the country continues to make little sense. 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. He's back home on Long Island. Over the course of five days, their sons were brutally sodomized by their teammates. A problem arises though once try outs are over and the team is announced. 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. The report criticized the Wayne County judge, Robert Conway, for his decision not to move the attackers' cases from juvenile to adult court. 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 football players had hazed new members by beating them and dunking their heads into toilets, the report said. It stated that, at the camp,. "He [my son] called several times. Hedoesnt have a senior season to put on hiscollege application., This guy comes to my job, says Andy.He says, Oh, Im in Mephamnow, maybe I should shove a pinecone up myass! I said, Thats notfunny. These guys on the team are gonna beharassed the rest of their fuckin lives., My son knows one of the boys who wasattacked, Mary says sadly. 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. "I assumed he was homesick, so I said, 'Stick it out. Doyou know who I am?, The freshman, trying to show a little backbone,replied: This is America. I went to summerschool with them. The lineman, he says,was always starting fights. I heard the kidliked it.. "We're not suggesting anything about injuries. #inline-recirc-item--id-a617c056-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { display: block; 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. I want to bepart of the team.. Dominick Novello, Mepham battle through tough conditions to advance to Half that shit they didisnt even that bad.. Which mayexplain why Coach Mac, in his only public statement,has concurred with Caramore. Mepham victims file suitCharge Central District officials knew about Students attend a pep rally at Mepham High School in Bellmore, N.Y. "We went out. Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay. !Effin this, effinthatyoure not coming on my team,youre done, youre done, youredone! And I started screaming at him.. ''They continue to try to bury this thing and pretend they did everything they could, and that's just not true.''. We dont beat guysup., Some of his old teammates have gathered to buy drinksfrom him. I need to know for medical.' Trust me been there done that, the most regretted thing about school sports for many are tryouts. At 1:21 p.m. last Friday, the Mepham High School football and cheerleading squads should have rushed onto Mepham's field for a Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza do not seem like a match made in action-comedy-chemistry heaven, but it somehow works. Weve been 0 and 8 since 1999!says James. Theyre a beautiful family. This was a sexual attack!, Are we gonna argue about this? How could we have known?". Go ahead. But my son says nobody knew he would cross theline., Andys son plays lacrosse. We've received your submission. display: none; Subscriber Exclusive. On October 6, heannounced that that was his intention. Football: State record broken in Holy Spirit's Thanksgiving win over Theres no way youcant play me. In the meantime, experts say violent hazings in high schools are becoming more frequent. mepham high school football scandal - tourdefat.com After Dax Shepard asked her about her musical chairs relationship situation. His broad shoulders are slumpedand trembling as he walks the coffin down the aisle ofSaint Barnabas Church in Bellmore, Long Island. 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. But it really happened., McElroys lawyer vehemently denies almost everyaspect of Bergers story. "He was absolutely screaming. 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. Not a lot of kids are good enough to play in the top college sports programs in the country. Should they also get paid the same amount even if another co-worker is better at their job? "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? Nothing.". 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.