display: none; The coaches' lawyer and officials for the Bellmore-Merrick School District did not comment on the report's findings or its criticisms. 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. Or as David Woycik, who represents another victim,puts it: Theres bound to be a movie madeabout this., This is not what Isigned on for when I tried to do the rightthing, says Vic Reichstein. They bashed him in his head, over his back, his legs, his arms," recalls Patty, who says her son was assaulted at least 3-4 times a day. Heand a group of kids have me surrounded. Oct. 20, 2003. 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. "The question should not be the coaches should have known. 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. The grand jury criticizes the school district for not providing adequate supervision during the weeklong camp, and says the district should adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward violent behavior. The question has whirled aroundBellmore for weeks: Who would raise a child who woulddo this to another child? Four members of the faculty were either fired or forced out because of the scandal. Not like Wesley Berger, Vic says.Hes overexposed.. mepham high school football scandal. 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. False imprisonment. Mary is athird-generation Bellmoron. Her boy,Kyle, played varsity. 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). What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan shows just that. 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. We dont beat guysup., Some of his old teammates have gathered to buy drinksfrom him. The football players were unfairly penalized by the sanctions that were placed on the team. For a select number of fortunate athletes, that dream becomes a reality when they commit to a school and sign their letter of intent. } 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. Were more Jewish! another kidyells, laughing. at Garden City. Over the next few days, the broomstick assaults were repeated. Considering the college scholarships that can be provided, the countless generations of players in certain families, and the homecoming activities would be pointless without it. The public was barred from the hearing, but the penalties and the judges comments were disclosed by relatives of victims, lawyers and cops. Trust me been there done that, the most regretted thing about school sports for many are tryouts. , 2023-02-08, 18:25:23 How long has it been since you've licked a high school girls pussy daddy? Weve been 0 and 8 since 1999!says James. I don't have psychic skills. Privacy Policy and Then came the civil suit, settled for apaltry sum, to cover medical bills.Berger got threatening letters: Keep singing,Berger, and youll see.. The issue spans to not only the professional level, but the high school and collegiate divisions as well. Including dishwasher-safe Japanese porcelain, two sets of French-made knives, and a sleek kettle. A football captain begged for the season to be reinstated, and his pleas were met with thunderous applause. 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.'" They reallycouldnt do anything about it. The lineman was furious. 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. Amos scored 29 touchdowns in hisjunior year and broke all of Long Islandsrushing records. "He came to me and said, 'I'm bleeding. 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. Thelinemans fathers death on October 5created one delay in moving the case forward; otherdelays have been due to the attorneys effortsto bring the case back to juvenile status, and tonegotiate their clients surrender into custody. The third player in the Mepham HS hazing scandal was sentenced to probation after he made a deal with prosecutors and provided information. "Not once. "The bottom line is, if we did anything wrong, we wouldn't be sitting here talking to you," says Cannestro. And I know the family of one of theattackers. Thats when Berger says Coach Mac lunged athimhis hand reaching the boys throat. "He was after my son morning, noon, and night. 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. 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. I'm grabbing all the medication out of my cabinet and looking for everything that I think he's gonna hurt himself. Most of themare yelling. In my opinion, a good education is so very important for our countrys youth, especially the athletes. ''It's got to end here. Nor did he suspendthe three alleged perpetrators, and as a result, theywere allowed to walk the hallways of Mepham High fornearly two weeks. Some say that although they are shocked and angry over the incident, they are torn over whether the alleged attackers, still juveniles, deserve long prison sentences -- which they would face if they are tried as adults, as the prosecution wants. Vic and Kristina have done The Early Show and20/20. Bells toll. A pack of teenagers congregates across the street from Mepham High School, smoking their cigarettes and clowning. The incident angered the victim's mother, who. (Smith/AP) Last week's criminal charges involving six New Mexico high school football players alleged to have sexually . Into the locker! 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. McElroy hadnothing to do with this kid, Joe Rosenthalsays. Coaches, the report says, were oblivious to what was occurring. Here's why food advocates are worried they cant afford it. Did I do anything to those kids?" 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. 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? In the bunks, 17-year-old players were assigned to watch over 13-year-old boys. 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. There's supervision, like any other school event.". 49 - 18 W. Broomsticks dipped in mineral ice, a kind of liquid heat, golf balls, pine cones and toothbrushes, were all pushed into the boy's rectums. . Students moved from one cabin to another without the coaches' knowing, the report says. Mepham High School football hazing case tore Long Island apart in 2003. For Carol's son, it doesn't end. What I know about the Berger incident isit did not involve hazing. Over the course of five days, their sons were brutally sodomized by their teammates. Most high school athletes across America share one common aspiration: play their sport at the next level in college. Students should not have to tryout for school sports. 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.) 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. Most students, the girls say, have not gotten caught up in the anger and recrimination that have divided their parents. Berger produced the requiredslip of paper. But critics say their mistakes started early. Now the Reichsteins have written the stateDepartment of Education, demanding an investigation. We love our community. Tell me why I should just know? 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. He told Pennsylvaniapolice that he couldnt release informationabout a student without a subpoena. Should a person get paid just for showing up for there a job and not actually doing anything? South Side. All that has led these parents to ask the same kind of questions asked after the shootings at Columbine: How much did the school know about their student assailants, and who should be held responsible? Mepham High School Football Tragedy 1056 Words | 5 Pages. Heresisted, and according to his version of events, heremembers a JV coach telling him to roll with it. Both told stories of defending their school when they were teased by students outside the district and cited the ''Mepham Pride'' buttons that they and many classmates have taken to wearing. 28 - 13 W. 10/22/2022. Who doyou think you are? said the lineman, accordingto Reichsteins son. He never judged us, saysDave Lohman, class of 94. Go ahead. 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. They speak ofbroomsticks, pinecones, and golf balls. He told him to find a friend and never bealone. Which mayexplain why Coach Mac, in his only public statement,has concurred with Caramore. When people talked aboutMepham, they talked about Famous Amos. Once the season started, eight players tackled him inthe locker room and lowered him into the toilet; thistime, he says, it contained urine. On a warm night in October,Mary Williams and her boyfriend, Andy Corcoran, bothMepham class of 1980, sit having a drink. "He was absolutely screaming. What about the boys who were raped? Carol said it appeared Conway had sentenced Sofia to the boot camp because he disliked the teens attitude. What's more, the 16-year-old ringleader of the assaults had his own history of disciplinary problems. For me, this challenge helped me develop as a person than will work harder and strive for the best in my academics. says McElroy. He even threatened teachers. "He was robbed of his innocence. On 11/11, the Mepham varsity football team won their neutral playoff game against Long Beach (NY) by a score of 14-0. This was a sexual attack!, Are we gonna argue about this? She shouts out all the ladies (mothers and wives) in the room. On September 17, the Bellmore-Merrick Central HighSchool District Board of Education canceledMephams football season. ''We don't do it in front of them,'' the teenager said, referring to the victims. 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.. "I don't want everything he's gone through to be just a waste. Sports in Mepham isvery big.. Most are no longer talking about the issue publicly, tired of the maelstrom of feelings that is stirred each time. This guysstill the head coach., Its a fact of lifein Bellmore and Merrick that the farther south you go,the more money youll find. And people who might have had the chance to prevent this incident are not being held accountable.''. "He said to him, 'Don't even think of sleeping at football camp. 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. 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. All the while, older players watched and laughed. No. 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. McElroy and his coaching staff claim they had no responsibility for a vicious alleged hazing incident at a training camp in Pennsylvania in August. The abuse occurred day and night, and young players were attacked repeatedly and forced to sodomize each other, the report says. ''Our issue is our children are being blamed,'' said Paule Pachter, one of the parents in the group. Does heknow this for sure? Coach Mac talked to my mom, convinced us tostay. When Patty and Jimmy's son came home, he told them he had been sodomized, too. And don't you dare tell,'" says Kristina, who lobbied to get Carney thrown off the trip. October 11, 2014 / 7:28 PM / AP. He said his surgery was a success, but he needs time to heal before he can tour again. According to her, Didden said he wouldinvestigate the incident. In 1994, Wesley Bergerwas a Mepham freshman, a football player with a shelfof trophiesMVP for the peewee league,fastest-runner and best-tackler awards. Theyre investigating the possibility that some students were planning to attack their schoolmates. Terms of Service apply. But the happy boys these parents sent to camp last summer didn't return that way. 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. All five lost their coaching positions. Berger sayshe got up and called his dad, who went straight to thecoaches. Anyplayer that wants to be on the football team can be onthe team. All rights reserved. During the first day of camp, the hazing was minor, such as one player smearing gel and powder into another's hair. 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 he stands where the priest stood and speaks,reading from crinkled sheets of paper rapidly, almostinaudibly, in a low monotone. The report criticized the Wayne County judge, Robert Conway, for his decision not to move the attackers' cases from juvenile to adult court. Treat others with the respect that you wouldlike to receive. Act appropriately. Just because someone shows up and participates, doesnt not mean they deserve the same treatment as everyone else. MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 2022 Fall Boys Football New York: Long Island Division II. Not, 'Coach, things aren't good over here.' 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. 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. Did either coach notice anything on these children's faces? And one of the leaders selected joined with two other varsity players to sodomize these children. 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. When several parents received threatening letters after speaking out about the incident, emotions ratcheted higher. The coaches, who supervised the trip, say that they had no idea any of this was happening during the camp. He was always in troubleat school, but not in football. I think the kids covered it up to saveCoach Mac and save their season., Tending bar at Docs is Rob McDermott, class of95. 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. Are you on crack? I ask. 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 . Three days after camp ended, Carol and Vinny's son asked for help. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; ut austin undergraduate majors Newsletter . The 15-year-old wide receiver became the first female football player in Long Island history to score a touchdown Saturday night, when. These parents are now lobbying for a national hazing law, one with severe penalties. The team did it along with some guidance from my assistant coach and the parents. This was the 94th meeting between the two schools . It stated that, at the camp,. That decision ''let down and insulted the victims and their families,'' the report says. But even those who are, still have an astonishingly low chance at making the professional leagues. 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. They were carried outover several nights, with several victims, one of whomrequired surgery for his injuries. Thepurported ringleader, according to police, was thelineman. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. 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. After all, theywerent just studentsthey wereathletes.. Theres no way youcant play me. Yeah, that shit gotfreakin blown up. This password will be used to sign into all, I Inherited Millions From My Mother, and Everyone Knows, Shania Twain Gives Rare Update on Her Ex-Husband and Ex-BFF, Journey Should Probably Go Their Separate Ways, 10 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From Glass Jars to Guayabera Shirts. Students have pushed their bodies to the limits, causing extreme injury that will hold them back from sports in the future. 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. ", "Did a parent come and complain to us? ''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. When parents came to an emergency meeting on September16 with the principal and superintendent, they heardnot mea culpas but accusations. Mineral ice and especially that he now had, from the first time, a cut," says Carol. Theres fury and finger-pointingandopportunityon all sides in this corner of LongIsland. These individuals hope to be part of something special, whether its achieving individual goals or team goals. Waiting outside in front of the hearseis a police escort, to ward off the media.
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