He said thedistricts nearly weeklong investigation found that the coaches on May 24 engaged in actions that were deemed"inappropriate, demeaning and divisive" during a non-mandatory strengthening and conditioning workout in the high schools auxiliary gym. You can get anywhere . Superintendent Jeff Talbert said surveillance video gave administrators the information they needed to warrant their recommendation to dismiss the coaches to the school board. The most important thing for Mr. Wattley at this point is that the truth comes out so that his name is cleared of these ridiculous charges against him, and we will make sure that happens. His statements were supported by five McKinley football players who attended the school board meeting in support of their eight coaches. He was one of several football players who attended the disciplinary hearing Monday to show their support for Wattley. The Canton City School Board held a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss the incident that occurred . The player said coach McLeod had been sitting in a chair beside him eating a piece of the pizza. He later called the special board meeting that resulted in the] group of coaches losing their jobs. School board president John "J.R." Rinaldi said Hall will continue to serve as the district's athletic director and will work with the district's administrative team to build his football staff. 13 Canton McKinley (11-12) at No. A high school football coach and six assistant coaches McKinley Senior High School in Canton, Ohio, have been fired after they allegedly forced a player to eat pork against his religious beliefs . misguided attempt to instill discipline, Canton McKinley High School football coaches to face further discipline, possible criminal charges, suspended on May 26 with the other coaches, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Nobody is perfect, not even Coach Wattley is perfect and he knows that. Hall was a school kid when he watched McDaniels' 1992-94 run as a McKinley quarterback; then he was a lineman on McKinley teams that won state titles in 1997 and '98, with Josh's dad, Thom, as head coach, and Josh's brother, Ben, at quarterback. We hope that the district can acknowledge that, too, and bring everyone together.. McKinley football player Mani Powell said he wants his coaches back. It was along those lines, and the kid knew he was being disciplined. Reach Kelli at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com. According to the district, the coaches knew the teen was a member of the Hebrew Israelite faith, and that consuming pork was in violation of his religion's practices. Canton McKinley sophomore Dante McClellan looks to make a play at Akron East, Wed., Feb. 15, 2023 "We struggled at the rim," Vlkajkovich said. MEDINA, Ohio - Solon and Midview both picked up big wins in the OHSAA Division I regional semifinals at Medina High School on Tuesday night. He said the student had stopped regularly communicating with his coaches, had left workouts early, and had been acting disrespectfully to coaches. Traffic alert: Crash closes 224 West at Kenmore Leg in Summit County, Fan Expo Cleveland to feature 'The Office' cast, Christina Ricci and more as celebrity guests this March, FORECAST | Another surge in temps with highs topping 60 degrees, 3 skyscraper-sized asteroids making approach to Earth this week, Marcus Wattley and six of his assistant coaches were fired by Canton City Schools, Canton McKinley student allegedly forced to eat pepperoni pizza files a lawsuit against Canton City Schools in U.S. District Court, Attorney: Fired Canton McKinley head football coach Marcus Wattley never forced player to eat pork, Canton McKinley football coaches fired for pizza incident file defamation suit, Canton McKinley football coach Marcus Wattley, 6 assistants fired following misconduct investigation. "They are not Christian or Muslim. He disputed Pattakos' statement that Wattley had offered the player chicken nuggets or any alternative food. Assistant coachesCade Brodie and Tyler Thatcher, and assistant baseball coach Romero Harris, who hasrelated weight room duties, also were dismissed from the team, but they do not have separate jobs with the Canton City School District. Ben McDaniels (born June 6, 1980) is an American football coach who is the Wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). McDaniels had a 26-year head coaching career that included head coaching stops at Warren G. Harding High School, Canton McKinley High School and Massillon Jackson High School. Four young men in this program have been shot in this last calendar year alone, Pattakos said. 8/19. Canton City Schools Superintendent Jeff Talbert hasn't released details of what happened on May 24. Many religious traditions, including smaller traditions that are not well-known to a wider Western public,have food prohibitions and it would be a considerable religiousviolation to force someone to eat something that is considered a religious taboo.". On 10/28, the McKinley varsity football team won their home playoff game against GlenOak (Canton, OH) by a score of 40-22. Las Vegas is, and he's going to rock it 'til the wheels fall off. He saidthe video would not be publicly released due to federal student privacy regulations. Talbert said counselors will be available for the football players Friday. Hall is one of the drivers behind the Marion Motley statue planned for a spot near the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Team Statistics. (Former St. Vincent-St. Mary head coach Dan) Boarman showed me a lot, how to take care of kids and everything that comes with the kid not just the football player but the student, the person and the athlete. I'll buy you a pizza and we can all watch you eat. We have a number of careers that have been destroyed here. Nordonia, 11-13 last year, was looking to also avenge a 58-42 loss last year to McKinley as a 19th seed in the . CANTON, Ohio There are new developments in the scandal that once crippled the Canton McKinley football team. The player blames his former coaches for describing him as a troubled kid in the media asthe reason his offers to play Division Ifootball fell through. Note: This video has been altered to protect kids' identities. Calling Wattley a "rising star,"Pattakos said Wattley is heartbroken to be away from his team but he believes he did nothing wrong. Wattley spoke Monday following a roughly two-hour disciplinary hearing with Canton City school officials about whether Wattley should retain his job as a district academic and athletic liaison. Last offseason, former McKinley star Harold Fannin signed with . Their complex narrative is being analyzed around the country. Record: 10-0. According to Gilbert,Wattley on May 24 ordered the player to sit in a chair in the middle of the gym and consume an entire pepperoni pizza while his teammates andcoaches yelled at him. All rights reserved. Pattakos, who said the player apologized to the coaches and showed up for the voluntary workout the next day after his punishment, blames anassistant coach for inflaming the situation by reporting an exaggerated version to administrators and the players family. London Fletcher ran up and dove and hit the back of my ankle. Wattley's attorney Peter Pattakostold The Canton Repository on Mondaythat Wattley and the assistant coaches were trying to rescue a troubled player whose off-the-field behavior was negatively influencing his teammates and jeopardizing his future as a Division I college athlete. Im not going to respond to every allegation that comes up because its like a moving target. "What I can tell you is that all of our athletes are safe, we are continuing on with our strengthening and conditioning program and we will investigate this according to our district policies. He had planned to do some exercises with a stretch band due to his shoulder injury. Example video title will go here for this video. He said hes asked God for forgiveness for eating the pork residue. Following a due-process hearing with the Canton City School District June 8, the attorney for Canton McKinley Senior High . Canton McKinley Football's "You Can Get There From Here" series. The decision left the player, the players father, Kenny Walker, attorney Edward Gilbert, and former assistant football coach Josh Grimsley as defendants. "We were ahead, with the ball," recalls Kuberacki, 44. He was calling an audible. This is an extraordinary tactic that is used to teach an extraordinary lesson to an extraordinary young man under extraordinary circumstances.. DIVISION I STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. Pattakos said attempts to settle the lawsuit failed this week when the defendants offered only a four-figure settlement sum. "Look at how many times (Mayfield) has had the opportunity and hasn't won those games," Rose said. Here's what we know nowabout the May 24incident along with what's next for the fired coaches and the Canton McKinley football team: Attorney Ed Gilbert, who is representing the player and his family,believesthe school district violated the player's constitutional rights when the coaches punished the playerformissing a May 20voluntarystrengthening and conditioning practice to nurse a slight shoulder injury he received during a priorpractice. But, he still faces the possibility of. The weekly sessions are now monthly check-ins. Its unclear whether the player told the coaches about the yardwork. A few thousand watched the Marietta Pioneers nurse a lead against the visiting John Carroll Blue Streaks. CNN Seven of eight Ohio high school football coaches who allegedly forced a Hebrew Israelite player to eat a pizza that previously had pork on it, despite knowing his beliefs forbade him. ", More Stark County sports from Steve Doerschuk: 'I know where to go and pour them': Fate of 40-year-old Hudepohl six-packs rides on Bengals winning AFC title, Super Bowl. Josh Grimsley, Wattleys former defensive line coach who also works as a school resource assistant for the Canton City School District, was so bothered by the punishment that he sent a text message to his supervisor, Safety and Security Director Steve Humphrey, shortly after the May 24 workout ended. We feel that he overreacted.". Video showed the moments the player claims the coaches forced him to eat a pork-based pepperoni pizza after showing up later to a non-mandatory practice. More about Hebrew Israelites: Canton family's faith at the center of McKinley High football coach abuse allegations, I miss my boys. Grimsley's attorney, Bartholomew T. Freeze, could not be reached Thursday. Following the vote to relieve Wattley of his duties, the board confirmed athletic director Antonio Hall will serve as interim head football coach for the 2021 season. But it wasnt until roughly five years later when the player, then in eighth grade, started to strictly follow the faiths dietary restrictions. . He has been on staff, mostly as offensive coordinator, for all nine of Bill Belichick's New England Super Bowls. CANTONMarcus Wattley broke his silence Monday about the discipline of a player that led to the end of his career as McKinley High Schools head football coach. CANTON, Ohio (WOIO) - Former Canton McKinley football coach Marcus Wattley is still fighting to get his job back as the head coach of the Bulldogs. The lawsuit also names Canton City Schools as a defendant. 2023 www.cantonrep.com. He also had exceptional talent that few McKinley coaches have recently enjoyed. … It was nice seeing him, but like, what was going through my mind at the time was the disrespect that they put me through, he testified. I just always told them whenever they bought food and stuff, I told them I dont eat pork and left it at that, he said. We will continue to make every reasonable effort to ensure that justice is served in this case.. Deservedly so. The lawsuit filed by the Hebrew Israelite players family alleged that on May 24, 2021 the coaches forced him to eat a pepperoni pizza after he missed a voluntary practice session. He also said he wasnt missing workouts due to using marijuana as the coaches have suggested. CANTON, Ohio (WJW) The Canton City School District Board of Education held a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss further discipline for a group of football coaches. The Bulldogs went 9-3 in Wattleys first year, winning a Federal League championship. 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