A high school basketball coach was fired after being caught on camera committing an “unacceptable” act toward a player, sparking outrage.
A high school basketball coach in New York has lost his job after a shocking incident during a game.
The camera captured Jim Zullo, the coach of the girls’ varsity team at Northville High School, acting inappropriately toward a player.
This incident has caused a lot of discussions and anger among students, parents, and the community.
High school basketball coach pulled player’s hair after the team lost their game
The incident occurred after a championship game held on March 21 at Hudson Valley Community College.
The Northville Falcons were playing against LaFargeville. Unfortunately, the Falcons lost the match, leaving the players visibly upset.
Hailey Monroe, a senior and the team’s leading scorer had fouled out of the game. She was seen crying after the loss.
After the game, Coach Zullo approached Monroe and pulled her ponytail. This action was caught on camera and quickly spread on social media.
Many people found the behavior unacceptable and expressed their outrage online. They felt that a coach should support and guide players, not treat them poorly.
Community reaction
The community reacted strongly to the video. Many fans and parents shared their thoughts on social media.
Some said that a coach’s role is to mentor and encourage players, especially during tough times.
One viewer wrote: Yes, I get it, emotions are high. However, a coach’s role is to coach, mentor, support, and provide guidance, not to abuse. That’s why they are held to a higher standard than the players they coach.
The second user added: Unacceptable behavior from the coach! Kudos to the friend for standing up for her teammate and showing what it means to be a good friend.
The third user commented: She was star player and fouled out with not much time left on clock. That set him in to rage. I’d press charges and have him arrested if this was my daughter.
The fourth user wrote: As a parent, I would have needed bail money.
Another user said: If that was my daughter, he would’ve taken a baseball bat to the face.
Someone added: He literally committed battery against her and people think it’s okay. He has no business touching her or anyone like that.
The basketball coach responded to the incident
After the incident, Coach Zullo defended his actions. He claimed that Monroe had used a rude word towards him when he asked her to shake hands with the opposing team.
He expressed his disappointment and acknowledged that he reacted inappropriately. However, most people felt that there is no excuse for his behavior.
Physical contact, especially in anger, is not acceptable in any situation.
School District broke silence on the incident
The Northville Central School District quickly responded to the incident. They released a statement saying they “deeply disturbed” by Coach Zullo’s actions.
“We hold our coaches to the highest standards of professionalism, sportsmanship, and respect for our student-athletes, and this behavior is completely unacceptable,” the statement continued.
In their statement, the school district assured the public that they would take this matter seriously.
They also mentioned that they would provide support to the affected players and their families.
The district made it clear that Zullo would no longer be coaching at Northville High School.
“The District is committed to ensuring that this type of behavior has no place within our programs, and we will continue to uphold the values of respect and integrity that our athletes, families and community expect and deserve.
“This individual will no longer be coaching for the Northville Central School District.
It concluded: “We assure the public that this matter is being taken extremely seriously, and the District is actively addressing it.
The District will be following up with the affected players and their families to provide support and outline the actions we are taking in response to this incident.”