He is a good person that cares tremendously for us.. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. 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. 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. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. At BC, he was a 6-foot-4-inch, 270-pound football center and team cocaptain under coach Jack Bicknell, snapping the ball to quarterback Doug Flutie. 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. James Austin's son is on the football team. All rights reserved (About Us). Wilson said he wasnt surprised by news of bullying in Belchers program. 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 this has very negatively impacted both Jonathan and his parents, the whole family.. Attempts to reach Belcher, Duran, and Andrews were unsuccessful. Something needs to be said, something to be done. He said one punched him several times in a school bathroom, and the other entered his Spanish classroom, grabbed him by the shirt, and warned him not to snitch. Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates. REPORTER: THE MAYOR SAYS I SUPPORT HIRING AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO -- TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. Belcher started his high school coaching career as an assistant at Bishop Fenwick in 2001. March 1, 2022 Greater Boston. 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. Morning Weather Listen Live: Classic and Contemporary Celtic, Listen Live: Cape, Coast and Islands NPR Station, A reporter's indulgence no longer a secret The NBA's Damian Lillard made me a fan, Pandemic food assistance that held back hunger comes to an end, The March Drop: Stay on the move with Oscar reels and roller derbies, MIT takes steps to stop foreign espionage, but some faculty say it goes too far, Bostons police oversight office has yet to uphold a single civilian complaint. Multiple investigations are being undertaken. "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. 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. Its hard to watch but Kevin Couceles says cellphone video shared on social media shows his son being assaulted in the locker room of Woburn Memorial High School after a football game last September. #ada-button-frame { Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. "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. 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. }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. Danvers school committee faces harsh questions after report calls response to high school hazing into question, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. Lowell Highs annual Thanksgiving Day football game against Haverhill has been canceled due to an alleged hazing incident involving Haverhill players that was caught on video. Thats a perversion of sports culture, which instead of building character, produces cowardly thugs. It did explain that additional details were not released because of the ages of those involved. KYMA/CBS 13/KECY is an equal opportunity employer. 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. 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. The matter has also been referred to the Haverhill Police Department for further investigation, according to the school officials' message. "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe. 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. "The Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office are currently investigating the incident. 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. Lowell Highs annual Thanksgiving Day football game against Haverhill has been canceled due to an alleged hazing incident involving Haverhill players that was Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment, or retaliation in any form, the school district said in the statement. Marotta said the investigation is ongoing and significant material was uncovered Wednesday, impacting the direction of the investigation and the entire school community. Officials in Woburn said Saturday that authorities are "The Woburn Police Department and Woburn Public Schools will continue to work together to ensure the safety of all students. Join us. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Coucelos, who is 14, told Jim Braude on Greater Boston Monday that his life has changed drastically since the attack, and the harassment has not stopped. 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. He says there needs to be more accountability. The remaining coaches reported hearing nothing unusual from their offices near the locker room, despite the loud commotion, which numerous players recorded. GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. Woburn High made no substantive efforts to curtail the bullying, they stated. He instills hard work, with strict rules, respect for team members and respect for adults at all times. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy |Community Guidelines | FCC Applications | Jobs/Internships |, Daily News Updates "It was gross. But that disappointment pales in comparison to the disturbing allegations leveled at members of the Haverhill High School football team. Asked to cite an inaccuracy, Callanan did not respond. LEAGUE 4-1 2nd Middlesex - Liberty. Woburn officials issue statement about investigation involving football team. What happens when providers turn to medication first? 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. He played two seasons for the Breakers after they moved to New Orleans and Portland. One tradition put on hold, while another continues, exposing vulnerable youngsters to physical and emotional harm. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. I'm Peter Iliopoulos, WCVB News Center five, Okay. A FOOTBALL PLAYER IS TRYING TO PULL OFF CLOTHING FROM ANOTHER YOUNG MAN AND LATER ENDS UP ON TOP OF THE ALLEGED HAZING VICTIM. "It was pretty nasty, making us look bad. 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.. Woburn School Superintendent Matthew Crowley issued a statement saying Coucelos was unjustly assaulted by other members of the football team. He wrote that Woburn is committed to providing enhanced training for athletic staff to ensure safe participation in athletics for all of our students., Crowley maintained that Woburns football coaches were aware of the prohibitions against bullying and hazing prior to the school year. Woburn Police have assigned a detective to the case. 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. The Globe reported on Saturday that the freshman said he was attacked in a locker room and grabbed by the genitals in an incident caught on video following a September game. "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 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. WOBURN SENIOR FOOTBALL CAPTAINS (l-r) Derek Dabrieo, Jake Daniell, Derek Baccari, Anthony Palmieri and Yahya Aksadi. REPORTER: THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND LOCKER ROOM IS 10 MINUTES OFF-CAMPUS. 2 Player of the Year, High school roundup: Vinny D'Urso, Lowell Catholic blank Haverhill, 1-0, MVC boys basketball: Tewksbury's Ryan Cuvier named Div. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. ", "The boys involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team," the mayor said in his statement. 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. Several media outlets have reported on a video, posted to Boston 25, allegedly showing members of the football team hazing a teenage boy. Andrews is gone. 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.. 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. But all these adults need to go.. Bob Hohler can be reached at robert.hohler@globe.com. One football player was accused of indecent assault for allegedly yanking down Johnathans pants and touching his genitals in the locker room episode. The only game left on the 2022 Haverhill High football schedule was the Thanksgiving rivalry game against Lowell High School. display: none; Due to the ages of those involved, no additional information is available at this time.". There is no indication in the report that the investigator, Patrick Hanley, a former state and county prosecutor, asked Belcher, Duran, or Callanan about the purported lack of training. "I share in the collective shock and outrage regarding this incident.". 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 "I fully support the superintendents actions in cancelling the Thanksgiving game, suspending those involved and conducting a full investigation. 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. It goes on to show a fourth teen in underwear squatting into the victims face, while other boys screamed and cheered, according to reports. >> I DONT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH KIDS TODAY. CNN A high school near Pennsylvanias capital has canceled its upcoming football season over reports of hazing by members of the schools football team. All of those charged are students at Woburn Memorial High School. Officials said in Saturday's statement that the incident involved a sports team and an alleged incident that occurred "earlier in the school year.". Police are investigating and members of the teams coaching staff have been placed on administrative leave. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. Game against Lowell High school near Pennsylvanias capital has canceled its upcoming football season over of. 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