woburn football hazing

It was very nasty. We couldn't do it without you. Video shows alleged hazing incident that ended Haverhill football team's season, THE UNIVERSITY -- THE VIDEO YOU WILL SEE IS HIGHLY DISTURBING. It's really not a bad school.". The Rams released him in training camp before he was drafted by the Boston Breakers of the fledgling United States Football League. All of those charged are students at Woburn Memorial High School. Kevin Couceles says cellphone video shared on social media shows his then 14-year-old son being assaulted in the locker room after a football game last September. Several students, including football players in uniform, are seen pouring water on him and throwing water bottles. Seven Woburn students charged in alleged locker room assaults on former football player, Read the original report: After Woburn football player endures multiple alleged assaults, parents left outraged by official response. Editorial: Put sports hazing out of its misery, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Editorial: Sports betting rollout still ironing out kinks, Editorial: Give localities control over age to vote, Editorial: DNA sleuth tracks down suspects, kin, Seeing orbs in photos? Former Woburn High School football player Johnathan Coucelos said he was assaulted and bullied by teammates in the locker room, The three-year initiative is called Transforming Narratives of Gun Violence. Crowley said they have reached out to the Couceles family. ""A freshman getting dragged down on the floor, them pulling down his pants and pulling down the other dude's pants and humping him in the face. Woburn Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Crowley sent a letter to the community on Tuesday to provide an update on the "troubling situation involving the WMHS athletics program that has been covered in the news recently. Woburn school officials were aware of alleged bullying in the high school football program for several years before 14-year-old freshman Johnathan Coucelos was attacked by a swarm of teammates in the locker room last fall, according to court records and interviews with former players and parents. What happens when providers turn to medication first? Officials said in Saturday's statement that the incident involved a sports team and an alleged incident that occurred "earlier in the school year.". Multiple criminal complaints have been filed against several New Jersey high school students following two probes into allegations of rampant abuse and hazing. #ada-button-frame { The video appears to show three boys one of them wearing a Haverhill football shirt dragging another teen across the floor of a locker room. The Woburn hazing accusations are the latest in a series of troubling charges of inappropriate behavior within high school athletic programs in Greater Boston. But that disappointment pales in comparison to the disturbing allegations leveled at members of the Haverhill High School football team. The Coucelos family accused school officials of putting the football teams interests ahead of student safety with their disciplinary measures. We are strictly responding to how the integrity of the team, the leadership of the athletic department and football program is unfairly under attack in the community., They stated, Head Coach Jack Belcher has always given us nothing short of his undivided attention and passion for his job as our coach and leader. Former Woburn High School football player Johnathan Coucelos said he was assaulted and bullied by teammates in the locker room, and the school did nothing to protect him. But conflicting witness statements prevented Nelson from establishing who groped Coucelos, he stated. "I urge patience as we are all eager to view the results, myself included.". The superintendent said in his letter Tuesday that Woburn Public Schools has retained outside private counsel -- the law firm of Butters Brazilian LLP and Attorney Patrick Hanley -- to conduct a comprehensive Title IX investigation, which remains ongoing. (CNN) - Police are investigating whether a juvenile football player was hazed, and sexually assaulted at school. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. He was called a snitch. The statement issued by Police Chief Robert Rufo, Mayor Scott Galvin and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Crowley did not state the nature of the complaint or the specific team, but WCVB reports that officials are investigating whether a teenage member of the football program was hazed and sexually assaulted. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. What happened to that boy in the locker room was heinous, said Lee Wilson, whose son Logan played for Belcher and graduated in 2020. Its also heinous that Belcher kept those kids on the team.. "The only game left on the 2022 Haverhill High football schedule was the Thanksgiving rivalry game against Lowell High School.The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. Hahn said he provided notice to the city and school district about their intent to sue. Now, police are filing criminal charges against seven students accused of the assault. This content is imported from Facebook. He says there needs to be more accountability. While charges are pending for some students, Couceles says the coaches and school leadership should be held accountable, too. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Callanan is leaving after the school year to become the director of academic achievement at Reading Memorial High School. The family also asked Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association to take action against Woburn school officials for allegedly violating MIAA rules on hazing, fighting, and sportsmanship, among others. While the coach generally treated his son relatively well because he was one of the teams better players Logan is now a quarterback at Fitchburg State University Wilson said he was aware of Belchers practice of pitting older, stronger players against other teammates. Thats a perversion of sports culture, which instead of building character, produces cowardly thugs. A family in Woburn, Massachusetts, wants to see justice served when it comes to the teenagers accused of assaulting their son in a high school locker room last fall. All seven face single counts of assault and battery, while one also is charged with indecent assault and battery for allegedly grabbing Couceloss genitals. AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS WEARING A HAVERHIL FOOTBALL SHIRT. THIS IS VIDEO OF THE ALLEGED HAZING INCIDENT IN THE FOOTBALL LOCKROOM. Wilson said he wasnt surprised by news of bullying in Belchers program. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. A hazing investigation at Woburn Memorial High School has led to charges against seven high school students. A video of the incident allegedly shows members of the Haverhill High School football team hazing a teenage boy. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. In Danvers, a member of the boys hockey program publicly accused teammates of using racial slurs and engaging in homophobic hazing with a sex toy during the 2019-2020 season. April 14, 2022, 10:11 p.m. }Customer Service. The family, meanwhile, is asking a judge to review a Woburn District Court clerk magistrates decision to reject applications for criminal complaints against Callanan and Woburn Detective Edward Fumicello, the school resource officer, for allegedly allowing video surveillance footage of the hallway outside the locker room and coachs offices to be deleted after they viewed the recording, despite an ongoing investigation. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. It goes on to show a fourth teen in underwear squatting into the victims face, while other boys screamed and cheered, according to reports. The Woburn case put a spotlight on numerous violent incidents in high school sports over the last year that have been brought to the attention of government officials, civil rights groups, and student safety organizations. Crowley said in his most recent statement to the Globe that the school district also will make certain that the investigators are aware of this past, unsubstantiated allegation regarding Coach Belcher to ensure that they are provided with any and all context necessary for a full and fair investigation.. ", "The boys involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team," the mayor said in his statement. The Haverhill High School football stadium and locker room are located approximately 10 minutes off campus. "As these matters concern allegations involving minors, there was and remains much we cannot say publicly about this situation," Crowley said. 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"We are committed to a thorough, multifaceted fact finding operation, and we pledge to be forthcoming regarding the results of those investigations and to enact their findings and recommendations., "As these investigations remain active and ongoing, we will continue to allow that process to unfold," he added. Student leaders of the Woburn team took a stand in recent days supporting Belcher. The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. He allegedly was punched and struck with water bottles, as well as being indecently assaulted. No one was against it, Hanley described the player as saying. He told Hanley he took no action after Coucelos reported he was jumped because he saw no visible injuries and no need to pry further.. This week, the Danvers High wrestling program was suspended after an investigation into a fight that allegedly occurred over a racial slur led to the discovery of a team Snapchat group that included racist and biased language. Lowell staged a miraculous comeback in last year s contest, scoring 34 points in the second half to stun the Hillies, 41-36. It's been a turbulent few years for the Woburn football program. Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved., Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said in a statement shared on Facebook Wednesday night that he was alarmed, concerned, and frankly disgusted by the video and that this can never be allowed to occur again., He said the boys involved in the incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team., I fully support the superintendents actions in cancelling the Thanksgiving game, suspending those involved and conducting a full investigation, he said in the statement. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. 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He said he witnessed Belcher routinely pit players against each other during practice. 7 students face charges in alleged Woburn HS hazing attack April 14, 2022, 10:11 PM Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old "Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team.That message from Police Chief Robert Rufo, Mayor Scott Galvin and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Crowley comes one day after sources told NewsCenter 5 that police are investigating whether a juvenile was hazed and sexually assaulted at the school in an incident involving the football team.The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office also said they were notified about the allegations by police and are participating in the investigation.Officials said in Saturday's statement that the incident involved a sports team and an alleged incident that occurred "earlier in the school year. "As your superintendent I promise that the standards we will set for ourselves, our sports programs and how we are to treat one another will be of paramount importance as we continue to move through this process and learn all the facts and circumstances," Crowley wrote. "The matter has also been referred to the Haverhill Police Department for further investigation, according to the school officials' message. KYMA/CBS 13/KECY is an equal opportunity employer. Just no, they're kids temperament, that stuff. A Woburn police detective has been assigned to the case. I told Belcher hes an adult bully and shouldnt be coaching anybodys kids, the parent said. I JUST THINK ITS AWFUL. All of those charged are students at Woburn Memorial High School. In April, seven Woburn High School students were charged after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates in September 2021. Full statement: "On Wednesday, Oct. 13, the Woburn Police Department received a complaint involving members of a Woburn High School sports team regarding an incident earlier in the school year. An investigation into that incident found players violated the school and athletic code of conduct, but that the actions did not legally rise to the level of bullying or hazing. The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office has said they have been notified of the incident by woburn police. Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. "We wish to state, without reservation, that the Woburn Public Schools took this matter seriously as soon as we learned about it and that our response was comprehensive and thorough.". Something needs to be said, something to be done. 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