Texas high school football player DEFENDS coach who made team do 400 push-ups as punishment, leaving eight teenagers hospitalized: 'He would never make us do a workout thinking it was gonna put any of us at risk'
Head coach, John Harrell, has been placed on leave while an independent investigation is conducted. Pushups were punishment and saw eight students requiring medical attention. Varsity captain for the team, Brady Luff, defended Harrell and stated he would never put the students in harm's way
By Alyssa Guzman and James Gordon
Daily Mail
January 13, 2023
Rockwall-Heath High School Head Football Coach, John Harrell, has been put on administrative leave following last Friday's workout
A high school football player in Texas is defending his coach, who is currently under investigation for alleged misconduct after he forced the team to do 400 push-ups in an hour without any breaks.
Rockwall-Heath High School Head Football Coach, John Harrell, has been put on administrative leave after eight students were hospitalized following the extreme workout.
Brady Luff, a varsity captain for the team, defended his coach and stated that Harrell would never put the students at risk.
He also denied that the players were deprived of water during the workout.
'Our motto, it's the number 16,' the junior told WFAA. 'Sixteen ball games to win a championship. We do these workouts and it's all about discipline. If we get them right, we move on. If not, we do 16 push-ups.
'I've heard people say that we didn't have water, and that is not true,' Luff said.
'We have these big jugs full of water. You can go there in between reps and get water whenever you want. No one was deprived of water.'
The team, Rockwall-Heath Hawks, had a 7-5 record this season and lost in the second round of the playoffs.
Some parents of other players have said that the push-ups had dangerous consequences, with one mother claiming that her son was hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis - the breakdown of muscle tissue that can release damaging proteins into the bloodstream, which can cause kidney damage or failure.
Coach Harrell had been the head coach of the Rockwall-Heath football team for a year and has been part of the school's program since 2019.
Principal Todd Bradford addressed the situation on Monday, writing in a letter to student-athlete parents:
'On Monday, January 9, 2023, several parents reported that their student(s) subsequently needed medical attention, and in some cases, hospitalization. Please know the District immediately implemented measures to address the situation and provide support for our students.'
'It also advised parents to inform their students to see the trainer if they experience not being able to 'bend or extend your arms, unable to lift arms above your head, dark urine (tea or cola-colored), and sharp arm pain,' as well as, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, confusion, or lethargy.
'Student safety is a top priority for Rockwall IDS and we will continue to take immediate and appropriate measures in the best interests of our students as we address this situation,' the letter said.
The Dallas-based school has also launched a third-party investigation into the incident and said students who attended the class on Monday did a light, non-strenuous workout.
Despite the terrifying situation, some of the players defended Harrell and said he was not trying to harm students, but to teach them discipline.
Luff also defended his coach earlier this week.
'He's treated us with nothing but respect and he loves every single one of us like his own.'
Luff also told WFAA that Harrell was at the hospital 'all night with those boys' to make sure they were okay.
'He would never made us do a workout thinking that it was going to put any of us at risk,' he told the outlet.
His mother also defended the coach, saying she 'would have been the first person up at the principal's office' if she thought something was wrong.
Harrell was promoted to head coach in January 2022 and he has been with the school since 2019.
1 comment:
The coach may be pushing these boys a bit hard. 400 push ups may not be building muscle. Instead it may damage muscle tissue. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you don't start a muscle building program beginning at 400 push ups. Just ask any Marine Drill Sergeant.
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