Elk River Football team suspended.

[Steve Foss]

So, correct me if I'm wrong.

1. Nobody who has participated in this thread was present during the incident.

2. Nobody who has participated in this thread has spoken directly with anyone who was present during the incident.

3. Nobody who has participated in this thread knows what really happened.

4. Everybody who is arguing in this thread is arguing because they feel like arguing.

You guys kill me. Is this Silly Town, or what?

[jeffreyd]

yep

[Mr.Seaguar]

Hey Foss- What kind of hazing they have for the manager of the A-V club?

[Steve Foss]

Hey Foss- What kind of hazing they have for the manager of the A-V club?

I dunno. What's the A-V club? You'll have to fill me in.

[JimmyJames]

I can't believe I read as much of this as I did.This is not acceptable , anyone thinkin it's o.k, just part of growin up, is ridiculous. I'm thinkin you are the same ones that like the idea of something being shoved up your butt.

[nonteepical]

just have the principal make the custodian, sniff the ends of all the broomhandles in the school for evidence. that will tell you who's telling the truth.

[Shack]

Dang.

Your right Steve. This is the football forum, where topics are never debated unless we were actually "there" when it happened. What were we thinking? First time for everything.

All I do have that is first hand is my experiences going to Elk River and still being in the community working and via my parents and family still living their is for them to suspend the Football program, something had to of happen. Unless a parent caught wind of a text, e-mail, Tweet, My-Book or what ever, it was something similar to what I posted I did in my bully post. I would have to think for a kid to admit anything, even today, it had to have some truth to it.

Well I would have to believe the school board has concluded it's review meeting. For the sake of being a former Elk River student, that still has pride about his hometown and for those involved, they de-bunk the whole ordeal.

[Shack]

just have the principal make the custodian, sniff the ends of all the broomhandles in the school for evidence. that will tell you who's telling the truth.

Nonteepical how do you know this? Sounds like you are speaking from experience?

Well, do not answer. We will just take your word for it.

[nonteepical]

actually my brother-inlaw reads this forum and is a custodian, and his wife, my sister, is the assistant principal in the same school.( not elk river)

[Dave S]

As per the latest report on the news, 9 players are being punished for the incident with 4 of those being kicked off the team.

Sure sounds like a rumor now, doesn't it.

[Shack]

No, the rumors were wrong, at least what I was told. The great Channel 9. They were the only ones who mentioned "out loud" penetration & sodomy. I am not sure if the other networks said it though. Star Tribe was the closest to the facts. Pretty much what they wrote on Friday.

Quote:

Elk River school board kicks 4 off football team, suspends 5 others

By NORMAN DRAPER, Star Tribune

August 29, 2010

Four Elk River High School football players will be permanently kicked off the varsity team for their roles in hazing incidents early last week, the Elk River school board ruled at a special meeting Sunday night.

Three other players will be suspended for four games, and another two will have to sit out one game, according to the district's superintendent. There are about 50 players on the team.

After meeting for nearly two hours in closed session, board members decided to briefly open their meeting in order to take the actions.

The hazing involved players striking or poking other players on or near the buttocks in the high school wrestling room.

"These are good kids, and they made a mistake," Superintendent Mark Bezek said after the board acted. "But it's a serious mistake."

The football team will also have to undergo sensitivity training in an effort to prevent future incidents, Bezek said.

Privacy law prevented the school board or Bezek from naming the players who were disciplined. The superintendent said he did not know how important the disciplined players are to the team, which will resume practice on Monday.

"The reaction by the school board was appropriate," Bezek said. "I'm very pleased with the outcome of the investigation conducted by the staff. Staff had the information needed to deal with this."

District officials were aided in their investigation by the Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney law firm of Minneapolis.

Last Wednesday, the district suspended the high school varsity football program through the weekend after a parent complained about the hazing. It apparently occurred Monday and Tuesday between morning and afternoon football practices.

According to Elk River police chief Jeffrey Beahen, players were accosted in the school wrestling room, forced to the floor and struck with broom handles. The players were wearing their football gear and were not forced to disrobe.

Although initial complaints came from parents of black players, district and school officials soon discovered that white players were also hazed, according to a Star Tribune source. The choice of hazing victims appeared to be random.

Players and coaches were questioned about the hazing Wednesday and Thursday. Elk River police also investigated the incidents, which apparently were a repeat of hazing episodes last year. Beahen said, though, that so far, no parents or players have shown any interest in pursuing criminal charges, preferring for the district to discipline those involved in the hazing incidents.

The football team's season starts at home Thursday against Becker.

As Sunday night's meeting was underway, some team members and parents gathered at the nearby high school in support of the team.

Norman Draper

Even if innocent, to order anyone on the ground is just not right, unless the coach calls for some chin to ground push ups. I think any form of hazing, by definition, is done in MN. I think it is best though. Again, even if innocent, what could next year bring if it was not stopped?

I never been a fan when it comes to even the classing of grade levels, but at that age I do not think it will ever change. I do not think hazing in some form will ever stop. What's the main point of High School sports? They can get phy ed in other forms and the "team" also in other ways, heck even winning? It's to show the town (or try) they are the best in the area with what is bread within the community. Beside scholarships, nothing is gained but more funding for sports programs.

But!!! I think High School sports are the purest form of any organized sport and it does carve great futures for some. Unfortunetly junk like this happens though. I hope everything is as written and those who were hazed have the best fall playing and those that got dealt with learn something so they do not become creeps, but do not let it dwell enough to cause them to become creeps down the line.

[zepman]

Upperclassmen used mop and broom handles to spank, poke and jab at underclassmen while they were all wearing full pads...including padded pants. This occured on school grounds...the wrestling room... and no student/athletes were found to have been isolated from the group.

Go back and read through some of the threads you guys posted...words like penetration, crime, racial separation, just to name a few... were used to describe and fuel your emotions for this TERRIBLE LACK OF JUDGEMENT used by the kids at Elk River High. Yes, they were all rumors...and I'm relieved they are.

I won't change my stance from earlier...this IS and SHOULD have been a non-story from the beginning. Elk River should have handled this in-house instead of getting it caught up in the media where the outcome of game and season suspensions were only a formality to apease a few and protect the school.

[Shack]

I think ER handled it the way it should be handled. Keeping anything from the rest, to be found out after the fact, would go over aswell as if Jackson was a true Vikes starter and failed. People would loose their jobs and any trust would be lost.

Back in High School I would have never went for any of this. Who would? Coach would have stopped it. Unless you are in the military or better yet, the Navy. If you have been in the Navy and were aboard a ship that crossed the equator or the Artic Circle, you know what I mean. You sign up as an adult for that though. Was this hazing discussed prior to the parents of the juvenile(s) signing them up? I would hope it would be with me when signing up one of my sons for a sport.

If I had to go threw anything that involved me being ordered to the ground of that locker room and then being poked with a stick unexpectedly, the headline would not read anything about hazing. It would read "Youth Gathering Turns Tragic" "With No Remorse, Sophomore Breaks Jaw of Starting Quarter Back with Broom Stick Early Saturday Morning". Back then I would have got them when the gett'in was good.

Big bobber, no prob dude. I was just posting. Forgot to address that. I just post. I take no offense at anything posted. Even though in here or Silly City I might jab, but always respect what is posted.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

I think the Superintendent said it best, "These are good kids, and they made a mistake," Superintendent Mark Bezek said after the board acted. "But it's a serious mistake."

Zepman There are concequences with the choices we make in life. "In House" should not apply here.

[zepman]

"In-house" does not mean a slap on the wrist....it just doesn't force the hand of the administration to look good publicly to cover their a$$.

[bottom-bouncer]

This one time at band camp! sensitivity training for a football team give me a f---ing break. For all you poor elks fans you will never see a state championship never!

[Getanet]

In today's world of texting, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and Hotspotoutdoors it's impossible to keep anything "in house." Any story such as this is out the door, across the county line and headed for the boarder in less time than it has taken to write this reply.

[harvey lee]

Today some people believe that anything goes and many may now pay for it.

[Big Tom]

This story is all about some parent way overreacting to FALSE claims and getting blown way out of proportion...it's a non-story.

Six Elk River coaches disciplined in hazing

The Elk River school board did not reveal specifics of its decision, citing privacy issues.

So much for false claims and a non-story.

[zepman]

Non-story...sorry. All of this is just PR [PoorWordUsage] and anyone could see the suspensions coming as soon as it hit the media. It had to happen.

This is nothing more than the school covering their arse.

Carry on...

[ozzie]

it is a non story!!!! all coaches will be back on the sidelines friday and shouldn't have been held out this long!!!

[Steve Foss]

Of course it's a story.

Look at all the controversy going on just on this HSO thread. Something happened. Tons of people wanted to know what really happened. That makes it newsworthy. Public interest defines what is and is not news.

[Big Tom]

Ultimately it is a story and a sad one. It painted a whole team and their coaches with an ugly brush. Hopefully it reminds others there is a line on acceptable behavior.

There are many sports "hazing rituals" that build team unity. This wasn't one of them. Removals of players from the team and discipline of those charged with overseeing the welfare of the players reflects that.

[harvey lee]

This kind of hazing does not need to happen. Really bad for the whole team.