High school football violence continues to escalate amidst resignation of John Jay assistant coach
John Jay High School assistant football coach Mack Breed has resigned due to allegations claiming he instructed two football players to attack a referee earlier this season.
According to ESPN.com, Breed resigned through a statement released by his attorney James Reeves.
Reeves’ statement suggests that Breed should not be shouldering all the blame and that the two players who attacked the referee are equally culpable.
The two football players in question, Victor Rojas and Michael Moreno, claim that they were doing just as Breed told them when attacking the official.
The incident at John Jay was the first in a string of violent events that have unfolded on high school gridirons over the past few weeks.
Just this past Friday, a high school football player from Salesian High School in Los Angeles, California smeared IcyHot cream all over the face of an opponent, according to CBS Los Angeles.
The player from La Canada High School can be seen on video, clearly in pain, with the substance smeared all over his face.
Another incident involving a referee took place in Glencliff, Tennessee this past week, according to CNN.
A player ran into the back of an official and was assessed a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, but upon review of the video, the player will not be disciplined.
The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association reviewed the hit and deemed to be accidental.
“Our staff reviewed the tape several times and felt there was not malicious intent,” said Mathew Gillespie of the TSSAA.
All of the incidents in high school football the past few weeks, especially the one in Marble Falls, have members of the mainstream media and other experts calling for coaches to be held to a higher standard.
Judy Ho, a clinical psychologist and Pepperdine University professor, says that players will obey coaches out of respect or fear of being ostracized and losing playing time.
“When you’re an athlete, you’re constantly feeling like your job is on the line. There’s always a question of are you going to get to play today,” Ho said.
Cameras and social media are making these incidents easier to capture, but the trend in violence in high school football continues to escalate.
