They explicitly and repeatedly informed the players of those prohibitions both prior to and subsequent to the [attack]., Crowleys assertion appears contrary to head freshman coach Chris Scichilones statement in the investigative report that training related to hazing or Title IX only occurred after the incident and Andrewss statement that he did not receive any formal training with respect to hazing until after the incident.. "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. WE NEED TO DETERMINE HOW THIS HAPPENED AND WHAT WE CAN DO SO THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. He said he witnessed Belcher routinely pit players against each other during practice. "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.". No one was against it, Hanley described the player as saying. Haverhill High School students who saw the video said the lewd acts shown on that video happened in the locker room of the school's football stadium, Trinity Stadium. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! I FEEL BAD. It was dirty. All of those charged are students at Woburn Memorial High School. Four days later, they stated, Callanan told them she had addressed the issue, without explaining how. Its hard on all of us.. He was attacked in the bathroom. There was little to no supervision in the locker room, he said. It was disgusting. Head football coach Jack Belcher has posted a 29-20 record at Woburn. Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta notified parents Wednesday that the school department is looking into misconduct involving some members of the high school football team. He also serves as a substitute teacher in the school. I didn't like what I saw," said student Elliot Batista. Crowley did not provide details of the 2019 allegation. It was very nasty. We're live in Woburn. 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.. Two more students face charges for subsequent harassment in the weeks after the assault in the locker room. LEAGUE 4-1 2nd Middlesex - Liberty. 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 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. PF343 PA206 STREAK2W. Crowley said the school district consulted with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and had a consultant from the Anti-Hazing collaborative work with all of their winter sports coaches. PARENTS ARE NOW REVISITING BASIC RIGHTS AND WRONGSAT HOME. 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. "It was gross. The student who grabbed him in the classroom, he said, was a former Woburn football player. Unfortunately, Lowells seniors wont be able to experience that joy of victory or agony of defeat. Marotta said the investigation is ongoing and significant material was uncovered Wednesday, impacting the direction of the investigation and the entire school community. Whats more, the boy and his parents allege, school authorities failed to correct the abusive nature of Belchers coaching after they reported the incident. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. Asked to cite an inaccuracy, Callanan did not respond. 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.. The MIAA rejected the request, saying it does not investigate internal complaints involving member schools. But the abuse continued, according to their complaint, and in 2019 the parents submitted a 10-page report to Callanan detailing additional bullying their son had endured from Belcher and from his teammates at Belchers alleged direction. Because the investigation involves minors, both the Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office told NBC10 Boston they cannot provide information about the case. The Rams released him in training camp before he was drafted by the Boston Breakers of the fledgling United States Football League. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. It was very nasty," said student Felix Molina.The Haverhill High School football stadium and locker room are located approximately 10 minutes off campus.Police are investigating and members of the teams coaching staff have been placed on administrative leave.Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. 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 Woburn High School football player Johnathan Coucelos said he was assaulted and bullied by teammates in the locker room, I JUST THINK ITS AWFUL. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. James Austin's son is on the football team. The Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. THE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. Last spring, several schools across the state were faced with the emergence of hazing incidents on their athletic teams, some resulting in criminal charges against athletes and ties cut with coaches, athletic directors, and top administrators. "It was pretty nasty, making us look bad. Hazing in sports has long served as sort of an initiation rite, juvenile for the most part, not demeaning and vicious in nature. He left his job as a paraprofessional at the Woburn school in April. He was called a snitch. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in But, the former student said, he soon became disturbed by Belchers coaching methods, which he described as abusive. Its shocking that there still have been no repercussions for anyone in the athletic department, said Peter Hahn, the Coucelos familys attorney. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Haverhill High School students who saw the video said the lewd acts shown on that video happened in the locker room of the school's football stadium, Trinity Stadium. Peter Hahn, the attorney representing the Couceles family, said five high school students are facing charges for assault and battery for the September incident. The committee will likely go into an executive session in order to determine the next steps that should be taken in the hazing investigation.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. juvenile justice system handle the Woburn bullying case? It's not good. 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. 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. One football player was accused of indecent assault for allegedly yanking down Johnathans pants and touching his genitals in the locker room episode. March 1, 2022 Greater Boston. 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. It did explain that additional details were not released because of the ages of those involved. Couceles said his wife decided to pull their son out of the Woburn school for his safety in December. The county district attorney has indicated it will join local police in the investigation. 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. }Customer Service. Last September, Johnathan Coucelos had just finished dressing in the freshman locker room when he got jumped by about a dozen teammates, a video recording shows. Woburn Memorial Football. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy |Community Guidelines | FCC Applications | Jobs/Internships |, Daily News Updates It's a sad situation and hopefully they figure out what happened and it doesn't happen again. #ada-button-frame { "This is an active and ongoing investigation. And at some point, he had to leave the school for his safety. One has an additional "indecent assault and battery" charge. Detective assigned to investigate allegations of hazing involving Woburn High School sports team. Warren said a formal announcement is forthcoming. Jessica Callanan, principal of Woburn Memorial High School said in a statement to Greater Boston, "the Coucelos familys complaint is and should be taken seriously. mm 34 32 Ruben high school football team on the gridiron in a friday night matchup against Melrose. 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. His complaint says Belcher witnessed the incident but reprimanded neither the assailant nor numerous players who taunted the alleged victim with vulgarities, insinuating he was soft.. 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. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office also said they were notified about the allegations by police and are participating in the investigation. It goes on to show a fourth teen in underwear squatting into the victims face, while other boys screamed and cheered, according to reports. An incident serious enough to put the Haverhill football coaching staff on paid administrative leave, and initiate a probe into the matter by the citys Police Department. And several players who face criminal charges remained on the team through a prestigious Thanksgiving game at Fenway Park and continue participating in offseason workouts. racial slurs and engaging in homophobic hazing, Danvers High wrestling program was suspended. Woburn, MA Police are pursuing criminal charges against seven students at Woburn Memorial High School after a freshman football player, 14-year-old Johnathan "We need to determine how this happened and what we can do so that this never happens again," Fiorentini said. Contests & Promotions. Just no, they're kids temperament, that stuff. 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. 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. KYMA/CBS 13/KECY is an equal opportunity employer. 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. 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. He says there needs to be more accountability. 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 family is asking for accountability from the school. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. 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. It's been a turbulent few years for the Woburn football program. The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. Parents of the boy who allegedly was kicked in 2018 also faulted the school administration. The freshman football player is seen pulling up his pants in the video. Ten football captains six seniors and four juniors circulated a letter to news outlets, saying they were not trying to minimize any allegations that are being investigated by the proper people., In fact, we all condemn bullying of any kind, the captains wrote. His new school joined in seeking the waiver and injunction. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. Nelson concluded Coucelos was indeed assaulted and groped in the locker room. 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. All rights reserved, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of New Hampshire: An NBC10 Boston Original, Crash Causes Injuries, Lane Closure on I-95 in Peabody, Tracking the Next Hit of Wintry Weather Headed to New England, Due Late Week, Even After Investigation, Stoneham Cop Hasn't Paid Dime of Rent to New Landlord, FIRST ALERT: As Snow Continues to Fall, Weekend Storm Promises More for Boston, JetBlue Plane, Private Jet Have Close Call' at Boston's Logan Airport: FAA. He hasnt left his room, he has barely eaten," Couceles said of his son. The Woburn case is one of numerous violent incidents in high school sports over the last year that have captured the attention of government officials, civil rights groups, and student safety organizations. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Coucelos, fearing for his safety, has transferred to Cambridge Matignon School. "I share in the collective shock and outrage regarding this incident.". Belcher told Hanley he had left the building before the incident. WOBURN, MA The family of a Woburn 14-year-old who said he was threatened, punched and sexually assaulted in a school locker room is criticizing Woburn Public Schools, Woburn police and the Middlesex District Attorney's Office for lack of action on the incidents, according to a Boston Globe report. 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. "Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form," the message reads. REPORTER: THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND LOCKER ROOM IS 10 MINUTES OFF-CAMPUS. Those charged are students at Woburn Memorial High school sports team ANOTHER YOUNG MAN and later ENDS UP TOP. Matignon school his son some point, he said, was a Woburn. 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