|
A small town in Minnesota has been rocked by allegations that hockey players on a high school team may have been involved in a sex scandal, which allegedly resulted in their suspension.
During a press conference held on Thursday, officials at Maple Grove High School have revealed that 13 hockey players were benched following an incident that happened 'off the ice' in December.
Head coach Gary Stefano was also placed on paid administrative leave stemming from the alleged transgression, but reinstated a day later following an investigation conducted by the school.
Scandal: Thirteen players on Maple Grove High School hockey team were suspended over an unspecified 'off the ice' incident that happened in December at a private home
Osseo Area Public Schools spokesperson Barb Olson said officials determined that the incident, which was brought to their attention only a month after the fact, violated one of Minnesota State High School League rules, according to Minnesota Star Tribune.
While officials declined to specify what led to the suspensions, citing privacy laws, reports have been circulating that a sex scandal involving the players was at the heart of the case.
Principal Sara Vernig would not confirm those rumors, saying, 'I can't answer that. It's part of the investigation.'
However, while speaking to reporters Thursday, Coach Stefano said that references to a purported sex video called 'The Show' had been 'brought up.' School officials stopped him from elaborating further.
The coach called the incident the 'worst experience' in his 32-year career, 17 of them spent at Maple Grove.
Role model: Head coach Gary Stefano was put on a one-day administrative leave, after which he was reinstated, insisting that he has not lost control of the hockey program
The 1,700-person school in a tight-knit community of 61,000 was left reeling in the aftermath of the incident that took place in mid-December at a private home.
While school officials stayed mum on the specifics, a source told City Pages that the case centered around a sex tape dubbed 'The Show' which featured one of the Maple Grove players having sex with a fellow high school student.
According to the paper, the source obtained the information from family members of the student athletes.
A person who identified himself as a student teacher in the Osseo School District wrote on Twitter that the incident involved a girl having sex with a hockey player while his friends on the team secretly watched and videotaped the encounter.
According to the Twitter user, this might have been part of the hockey team's annual tradition involving getting a girl intoxicated.
School officials were not aware of the incident until January 14, and the coach said he addressed the allegations immediately. In the aftermath, most of the players on the team were hit with a two-game suspension, while 'a couple' were benched for four games.
In the face of mounting criticism, Stefano insisted that he has not lost control of the high-profile hockey program and remained a positive role model for the teens.
Some in the community, however, disagreed, claiming that there are problems with leadership both within Maple Grove's hockey organization and the school district. Others put it even more bluntly, calling for Stefano's firing.
A coach of a club team made up of students from the Osseo School District emailed City Pages to say that his players have characterized the actions of the Maple Grove hockey players as 'horrible.'
During the news conference Thursday, officials looked elsewhere for blame, claiming that impressionable teenagers were influenced by shows like MTV's Jersey Shore and the popular raunchy comedy The Hangover.
Rumor mill: While officials at Maple Grove kept mum, reports began circulating that the incident involved a sexual encounter between a hockey player and a female student, which was recorded by other team members
Parents of some team members were eager to move past the incident, offering the 'boys will be boys argument' while at the same time acknowledging the need to make changes.
Lisa Kermode, whose son plays varsity hockey for the school, insisted that the entire episode has been 'overexaggerated.'
Maple Grove Police Captain Tracy Stille said that the incident did not lead to a criminal complaint or a report with his department.
On Thursday morning, Principal Vernig sent a letter to the parents outlining an action plan to clarify standards of behavior and improve leadership, according to Maple Grove Patch. Vernig called the plan a 'work in progress,' adding that 'changing culture will require time.'
As part of the process, hockey players will be asked to developed a code of honor and hold each other accountable to it. Among other steps, the school will organize a meeting for all the coaches and collect anonymous survey data from students at the end of the season to assess progress.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario