2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. "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. Officials in Woburn said Saturday that authorities are The Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Moving forward, he said all of the districts coaches will be required to undertake extensive supplemental training. 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. Woburn likes to cover things up, said Kevin Coucelos, Johnathans father and a lifelong resident. Haverhill High School is shutting down all football activities, canceling all future practices and forfeiting the Thanksgiving Day game, due to an alleged hazing incident involving some members of the school's team. Nelson concluded Coucelos was indeed assaulted and groped in the locker room. Today and every day, I urge every member of our community to be kind to one another and do everything in their power to be part of making our community kinder and stronger. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Johnathan Coucelos (center) and his family have helped drive the scrutiny of Woburn's football program. It was disgusting. Andrews, a 2020 graduate of Endicott College, indicated his football experience was limited to Pop Warner and high school. They have known for years they have a bully coaching our kids and they havent done anything to stop him, Kevin Coucelos, Johnathans father, said. Then I saw it boil over into the locker room because it caused kids to literally hate each other and fight off the field.. Now, police are filing criminal charges against seven students accused of the assault. The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. "This is an active and ongoing investigation. A video of the incident allegedly shows members of the Haverhill High School football team hazing a teenage boy. Peter Hahn, the attorney representing the Couceles family, said five high school students are facing charges for assault and battery for the September incident. At the conclusion of the Title IX investigation, a second investigation, in the form of an administrative review and policy analysis will be conducted by a second outside agency, a firm headed by former Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety and Security Daniel Bennett, Former State Police Colonel Kerry Gilpin and Attorney John Benzan. Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. I told Belcher hes an adult bully and shouldnt be coaching anybodys kids, the parent said. Crowley, in a letter to the community this month, said the district has retained an outside law firm to conduct a Title IX investigation of the Coucelos incident, which will be followed by an administrative review and policy analysis by a separate outside agency. The Haverhill High School football stadium and locker room are located approximately 10 minutes off campus. Two players were suspended from school for two weeks over the incident, but while one quit the team, the other continued playing football during his suspension, the family said. Woburn, MA Police are pursuing criminal charges against seven students at Woburn Memorial High School after a freshman football player, 14-year-old Johnathan He says there needs to be more accountability. AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS WEARING A HAVERHIL FOOTBALL SHIRT. All seven face single counts of assault and battery, while one also is charged with indecent assault and battery for allegedly grabbing Couceloss genitals. But former players and parents allege bullying became routine under Belcher, who has posted a 29-20 record at Woburn. Woburn police are seeking assault charges in Lowell Juvenile Court against seven Woburn students, including five football players, for the alleged locker room attack and two subsequent incidents in which Johnathan was the alleged victim. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in connection to a hazing investigation in Woburn, Massachusetts. "I fully support the superintendents actions in cancelling the Thanksgiving game, suspending those involved and conducting a full investigation. KYMA KECY is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Crowley said in his letter Tuesday that the district has cooperated fully with the law enforcement investigation. After months of waiting, the case is expected to be heard in juvenile court next month. "I understand that there have been strong reactions to this situation and appreciate there is a deep desire for as much information as possible regarding the incident and the school districts response," Crowley wrote. racial slurs and engaging in homophobic hazing, Danvers High wrestling program was suspended. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. "They haven't given my son or even us any support whatsoever," Kevin Coucelos said. mm 34 32 Ruben high school football team on the gridiron in a friday night matchup against Melrose. 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. OVERALL 7-4 0.64 Win %. Whats more, the boy and his parents allege, school authorities failed to correct the abusive nature of Belchers coaching after they reported the incident. A parent who asked not to be identified said her son, who graduated in 2021, was bullied on the practice field, in the locker room, and elsewhere in the school by his football teammates. "I am alarmed, concerned and frankly disgusted by what I have been told and by the video that I was shown," Fiorentini said in a statement Wednesday night. 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.. 2023 by KYMA / NPG of Yuma-El Centro Broadcasting. Nelson also determined the groping did not meet the narrow definitions of sexual misconduct under the Title IX law. Breaking News He is a good person that cares tremendously for us.. 2 Men Shot; 1 Dies In Early Morning Shooting In Woburn: Police, Woburn Teachers Ratify, Staff Ratify Contracts To Strike, MA Has Another Mega Millions Winner After $31M Ticket Sold In Woburn, Dive In Commonwealth Virtual Information Session, Free Online Mindfulness Session: Taming the Overactive Mind, Author Event with Sociologist Amanda Freeman, Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Woburn Public Library, Woburn Area Pet Adoption: Little, Roland, Hootie & More, Woburn Area Prospective Homeowners: Look Through 3 New Properties For Sale. Belcher, 60, has been familiar to many in the Woburn area since he was a three-sport star at neighboring Stoneham High School in the late 1970s. The Woburn Police Department received a complaint Wednesday involving members of a Woburn High School sports team regarding an incident earlier in the You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. "This is an active and ongoing investigation. Couceles says a student pulled down his sons pants and groped his genitals. While charges are pending for some students, Couceles says the coaches and school leadership should be held accountable, too. It is my understanding that the allegation was made in 2019 and that the High School administration promptly investigated the allegation in accordance with our bullying prevention policy and procedure, and that it was not substantiated. "The Woburn Police Department and Woburn Public Schools will continue to work together to ensure the safety of all students. 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. 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. "We acknowledge and support the student and family that had the strength to come forward to report this deeply troubling matter," Woburn Superintendent of Schools Matt Crowley told the Globe. In response, Woburn school superintendent Matt Crowley issued a statement that said, I was informed by the High School administration that there was one allegation of bullying made against Coach Jack Belcher. We couldn't do it without you. But in recent years, perhaps spurred on by the random, gutless behavior enabled by social media, hazings descended into outright physical and psychological abuse, encouraged or ignored in some cases by adults in leadership positions. "Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form," the message reads. Run by Black journalists at The Boston Globe, Black News Hour, a new radio program, delivers reliable news that connects with our community and expands on deeper issues impacting our city. Contests & Promotions. He allegedly was punched and struck with water bottles, as well as being indecently assaulted. A hearing is scheduled before the Supreme Judicial Court in April on the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Associations appeal of a lower court injunction that permitted the former Woburn player to compete this year for another MIAA schools football and basketball teams after the MIAA denied his waiver request for a fifth year of eligibility. "It was gross. TONIGHT IS THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING HERE AT HAV. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. Black News Hour presented by The Boston Globe. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Bullying claims date back years in Woburn High School football program By Bob Hohler Globe Staff,Updated February 26, 2022, Unlike Callanan, who told Hanley she feels terrible for Johnathan, Belcher expressed less empathy, saying he was aware of Coucelos before the attack in a negative way, as a pain in the neck or wise-guy.. The moments before were obstructed from view by the crowd gathered around. The 25 new centers are expected to ease the burden on emergency rooms for patients with behavioral health crises. I also told the principal, who didnt stop him.. On Sept. 25, 2018, three years to the day before the Coucelos incident, a 15-year-old Woburn player was kicked so hard in the head by a teammate that he stumbled, dazed, from the practice field and vomited, he stated in a civil case pending before the state Supreme Judicial Court. >> WANT TO GET STUDENTS -- STUDENT ATHLETES AND ADULT LEADERS IN A ROOM AND START TALKING ABOUT HOW TO BEAT HUMAN BEINGS. It gets me emotional every time I have to talk about this.". 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 No one was against it, Hanley described the player as saying. Police Investigating Woburn High School Team Incident - Woburn, MA - Officials did not specify the team, but WCVB reported Friday that the football team was display: none; I want to cry every time I see that. In Peabody, members of the football team were disciplined last week after a video showed players unsupervised in a locker room last month using a racial slur and mimicking sexual acts. An inexperienced and ill-trained volunteer assistant football coach failed to inform his supervisors at Woburn Memorial High School after a 14-year-old freshman player, Johnathan Coucelos, reported last fall that he was jumped by teammates in a locker room, according to an independent investigators report obtained by the Globe. "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. >> WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE VIDEO? LEAGUE 4-1 2nd Middlesex - Liberty. Something needs to be said, something to be done. I didn't like what I saw," said student Elliot Batista. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. Asked to cite an inaccuracy, Callanan did not respond. It's really not a bad school.". James Austin's son is on the football team. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. He was attacked in his Spanish class. Unfortunately, Lowells seniors wont be able to experience that joy of victory or agony of defeat. Thats a perversion of sports culture, which instead of building character, produces cowardly thugs. 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 report said the freshman was then harassed for months both physically and through text messages, leading to him dropping out of school out of fear for his own safety. One has an additional "indecent assault and battery" charge. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. >> I DONT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH KIDS TODAY. But conflicting witness statements prevented Nelson from establishing who groped Coucelos, he stated. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Belcher told Hanley he had left the building before the incident. Callanan said in an e-mail, I can reaffirm that I acted appropriately throughout my handling of the familys claims and that much of the information provided to you to date, and which you have printed, is inaccurate.. It was very nasty. Belcher, who with Callanan hired Andrews in 2021, remains, as does Duran, who supervises the football coaches and also is considered responsible for player safety. It's not good for our school. }Customer Service, An inexperienced and ill-trained volunteer assistant football coach failed to inform his supervisors at Woburn Memorial High School after a 14-year-old freshman player, Johnathan Coucelos, reported last fall that he was jumped by teammates in a locker room, according to. Belcher started his high school coaching career as an assistant at Bishop Fenwick in 2001. I feel like parents need to be more involved and acknowledge who their kids friends are. Some Woburn residents are upset that alleged assailants were allowed to play at Fenway in the Thanksgiving game against Winchester. Several media outlets have reported on a video, posted to Boston 25, allegedly showing members of the football team hazing a teenage boy. (CNN) - Police are investigating whether a juvenile football player was hazed, and sexually assaulted at school. On Sept. 25, 2018, three years to the day ", Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. The investigation found Coucelos also was assaulted in his Spanish classroom by a former football player who accused him of snitching and was punched in a school bathroom by a student who chided him for not defending himself more forcefully during the locker room assault. There was little to no supervision in the locker room, he said. ""The boys involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team," the mayor said in his statement. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Now there was a heavy police presence here at the game, but no issues here tonight. Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe.. Hanley found the team assault was planned, organized, and executed by a substantial number of sophomore players. One player said he punched Coucelos multiple times after the sophomores like 30 kids decided to beat up Johnathan.. One tradition put on hold, while another continues, exposing vulnerable youngsters to physical and emotional harm. But, the former student said, he soon became disturbed by Belchers coaching methods, which he described as abusive. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in THE MASSACHUSETTS INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CREATING A PROGRAM WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE TO STOP HAZING AND TO REMIND STUDENTS PLAYING SPORTS IS A PRIVILEGE. The two teams were scheduled to play in Haverhill at 10 a.m., the time all high-school games are played on that season-ending day for most teams. Hire A Woburn Area Pro To Get A Head Start On Spring Cleaning. The Rams released him in training camp before he was drafted by the Boston Breakers of the fledgling United States Football League. 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