canton mckinley football coach
"It was a situation that deserves to be investigated so we're going to investigate it," Talbert told The Repository. And he believes they should have stopped the punishment when he said that day that it violated his religion. Explore the benefits. The attorney alsoblamesthe Canton City School District for conducting a rushed and incomplete investigation, an accusation the district denies. Example video title will go here for this video. The player testified he knew consequences existed for missing off-season workouts, which he said the coaches called mandatory. Gilbert, who did not attend the school board meeting, said the player has been devastated by the situation and continues to undergo psychological counseling. Attorney Peter Pattakos, who is representing former McKinley head coach Marcus Wattley and former assistant coaches Frank McLeod, Zachary Sweat, Romero Harris, Cade Brodie and Tyler Thatcher, notified the Stark County judge Wednesday that he was voluntarily dismissing the defamation lawsuit the coaches filed against Canton City School District leaders, a former assistant coach, a former McKinley player and the players father and attorney. 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. violated the player's constitutional rights, the districts completed internal investigation, interviews with five of the coaches and three players, Hebrew Israelites do consider themselves to be Jewish, was hired as the districts interim head football coach for the upcoming season, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. I learned from a great man how to coach football. Feb 9. Wattley, who was hired as McKinley's coach in 2019, said he misses his players. Pattakos said Wattley previously had witnessed the eating-alone lesson work effectively in a different Division I locker room. Records show the Canton City School District and Superintendent Jeff Talbert were already dismissed from the lawsuit. I will defer to Judge Haupt and her able staff to handle. Deservedly so. After meeting for more than an hour in executive session, the board of education unanimously voted to terminate Wattley's contract, along with the following other coaches: Wattley and the remaining six coaches were originally on administrative leave following an accusation that they forced a student to eat pepperoni pizza after he showed up late to a non-mandatory practice on May 24. CANTON, Ohio The Canton City School District has fired head high school football coach Marcus Wattley and six of his assistants following an investigation into misconduct against a player. Eating pork violated the player's Hebrew Israelite faith. Ex-McKinley football player sues, alleges coaches coerced him to eat pizza against beliefs, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. As of Monday, both investigations were ongoing. It doesnt make any sense.. Few have better insight on McDaniels than current McKinley head coach Antonio Hall. He also had exceptional talent that few McKinley coaches have recently enjoyed. Gilbert says his team, the player, and his family are now determining if they will appeal the dismissal. But they should have known that he didnt eat pork, he contends. More on Canton McKinley football: Canton McKinley Bulldogs 2022 high school football preview. 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. So I just went with it and went to the contest, the player testified. When Pattakos asked him if he believed that any of the coaches intended to harm him by violating his religious beliefs, the player responded: I dont know what they were what was going through their heads, so I dont know.. Canton McKinley High School Head Football Coach Marcus Wattley and five assistant coaches are suing Canton City school officials and others for spreading "false, malicious and extremely defamatory statements" that cost them their jobs and their reputations. Bottom line: Head coach . Theyve run plenty of sprints. to me "dogging" Wattley because you couldn't stand the fact I said McK football is in a much better place now than two years ago and then had to make your 2nd profile of the day yesterday to pose . CANTON, Ohio With an attorney by his side, the father of a junior at McKinley Senior High School shared his anger after he told News 5 his son, who is a . I wasnt taking it, so then he just sat it down right beside me again. Overall, he was a coach for 40-years and was named to the Ohio high school coaches hall of fame. Thats the lesson that needed to get through to him.. The sprints werent working,Pattakos said. "Josh was a coach on the field. McKinley Senior High School Grades 9-12 2323 17th St NW, Canton, OH 44708. No Bulldogcoachs tenure has spanned more than five years since Thom McDaniels guided the program from 1982-1997. Yet, he admits he didnt notify coaches on May 20, 2021, that he wouldnt be at practice that day because he wanted to rest an injured shoulder. I'm just glad he has this opportunity. The teammates affidavits also said that Wattley told the player he could leave if he didnt want to participate. "This incident does not reflect the Canton City School District's culture of protecting the physical and emotional wellbeing of our students.". Team Statistics. School officials told The Repository this week that the school will review its entire athletic program. "What is on that video shows that what happened on May 24 is an ill-mannered attempt to instill accountability and discipline in our students," Talbert said. 2023 www.cantonrep.com. McLeods disciplinary hearing with school officials over his job as a safety and security liaison was held earlier Monday. CANTON, Ohio (WOIO) - Canton City Schools held a special meeting Thursday evening that addressed a controversy involving seven McKinley High School football coaches and a student-athlete.. Melt Bar & Grilled closes 2 Ohio locations, Ohio Gov. Wattley and his staff deserved better than this, and more importantly, so did the young men in that locker room and the whole Canton McKinley community. Las Vegas is, and he's going to rock it 'til the wheels fall off. While we remain eager to present our claims against Mr. Gilbert and his clients to a jury and further clear the coaches good names, it is most important to the coaches to obtain complete justice in this matter, which requires that all responsible parties, including the (Canton City school leaders), be parties to the trial on the claims at issue, Pattakos wrote. It was along those lines, and the kid knew he was being disciplined. It was just hurting to lift it in the air., When a coach sent him a text message asking him about his absence, the player responded that Ill owe you Monday.. But it wasnt until roughly five years later when the player, then in eighth grade, started to strictly follow the faiths dietary restrictions. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. This wasnt about that (a single missed workout). He saidthe video would not be publicly released due to federal student privacy regulations. Seven high school football coaches in Canton, Ohio, have been let go after they allegedly forced a 17-year-old player, who is a Hebrew Israelite and cannot consume pork, to eat a pepperoni pizza . Two days after Grimsley sent the message, the district suspended Grimsley, Wattley and six other assistant coaches while it investigated allegations of misconduct before firing Wattley, Grimsley and five other coaches on June 3. When Pattakos asked him whether he planned to cut the coaches out of his life forever, the player said, I mean, I dont plan on rebuilding no relationship we had.. A federal judge in U.S. District Court dismissed seven former football coaches from a lawsuit filed by a former football player and his family, citing insufficient evidence to support allegations that the player was forced to eat food against his religion. 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. London Fletcher ran up and dove and hit the back of my ankle. "There's nobody in the business who is going to work harder than Josh. 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. McKinley football player Mani Powellsaid he wants his coaches back. He said he missed some workouts because he was getting paid to do yard work for a coachs friend, a woman at his moms church and his grandfather. Attorney Ed Gilbert, who is representing the player and his family, called the coaches explanation for their punishment bizarre and a desperate attempt to try to hurt (the players) family. He said no matter what the coaches say, it doesnt excuse them for coercing a player to eat pork against his religious beliefs. The former Canton McKinley football coaches who have been waiting for more than a year for a chance to clear their names in court have decided to wait a while longer. Its not like they put their hands on me, but they forced me to eat it, he said. Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler in Seattle, last offseason engineered his way to Denver (and to a new . The lawyer representing the students family did not immediately return 19 News request for comment. 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. Talbert, a former head football coach, said surveillance video of the high school's auxiliary gym gave administrators the information they needed to warrant their recommendations to dismiss the coaches for behavior that fell short of the district's professional and ethical standards. 11, 2021 at 4:07 PM PDT. McKinley football player Mani Powell said he wants his coaches back. All rights reserved. In the meantime, district leadership, including Superintendent Jeff Talbert and every board member who approved this decision, should be ashamed, not least for making such a momentous decision based on such an obviously faulty and rushed investigation. Besides pork, the player said he also abstains from eating seafood because its a bottom feeder, just like a pig.. John Carroll quarterback Nick Caserio ended the third quarter with two completions to receiver Dave Ziegler, then opened the fourth quarter with a 12-yard strike to McDaniels. "Josh took after his dad in every aspect," said Kinta Mitchell, a co-captain with McDaniels on the '94 team. 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. Record: 10-0. "I remember sitting in the stands watching a McKinley-Masillon ninth-grade game," Rose said. All rights reserved. Video that shows the events that led to 7 McKinley High School coaches being removed. He emphasized that the player had the ability to leave at any time and had the option of selecting an alternative food that did not contain pork. And I was cussing at them, and they were saying, Oh, then he was like, when did he get so tough?. McKinley went 14-6 in Wattleys two seasons as head coach, with a couple of second-round playoff losses and an 0-2 record against rival Massillon. He said the student had stopped regularly communicating with his coaches, had left workouts early, and had been acting disrespectfully to coaches. It was rushed. "I've always thought if he got another shot at a head coaching job, he would flourish. "I'm very excited Josh is getting another opportunity. Hall, who is coming up on the one-year anniversary of his hire as McKinleys athletic director, playedon McKinleys 1997 and 1998 state championshipteams. Nordonia, 11-13 last year, was looking to also avenge a 58-42 loss last year to McKinley as a 19th seed in the . Thats why it raises concerns when this young man doesnt text his coaches and explains where he is when they are expecting them to be at a voluntary workout, even though it is voluntary. The truth about the Canton school board's indefensible decision to fire McKinley football coach Marcus Wattley and his staff over false accusations that they forced a player to eat pork against his religion "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes." FEB 24 WILSON BOMBSHELL And now we know more about why so many people dislike Russell Wilson. And then they started telling everyone to grab 45-pound plates, but as I reached to go grab one, Coach Watt says, Not you, youre chilling, the player said. 0:36. It says in the Bible that its unclean if you touch it, said the player who said his family attends the Gathering of Christ Church in Cleveland. Gilbert has said the family has agreed to meet with district officials before pursuing a lawsuit. A 17-year-old Canton McKinley High School football player is a starting tackle for a big-name football program, but he said he's been left scarred by an incident in which his coaches forced him to eat pepperoni pizza as punishment for missing a practice, despite knowing he doesn't eat pork for religious reasons. Canton family's faith at the center of McKinley High football coach abuse allegations, Head football coach Marcus Wattley, six others dismissed for misconduct. CANTON, Ohio The Canton City School District has fired head high school football coach Marcus Wattley and six of his assistants following an investigation into misconduct against a player. Editors Note: Below is a previous report by 19 News about the lawsuit. A district investigation found the charges against the coaches to be true, and Superintendent Jeff Talbert called their actions "inappropriate, demeaning, and divisive." Former Browns coach Paul Brown hails from nearby Massillon and, last summer, Canton erected a statue of former Browns running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marion Motley just down the hill from the museum. 330-438-2712 Fax: 330-580-3507 Jonas Wertin, Principal wertin_j@ccsdistrict.org McKinley Quick Links McKinley Virtual Tour The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported. You did not serve the community.. He did it a few times and I remember saying, 'The kid is calling audibles as a freshman. We wont stop fighting until we get them back., More about McKinley's new head coach: Interim McKinley Bulldogs football coach Antonio Hall will look to 'put our kids first'. CANTON, Ohio (WOIO) - The whistleblower who alerted school officials about the alleged actions of Canton McKinley High School coaches said he was unfairly . Location: Massillon, Ohio. Attorney Edward Gilbert, who is representing the 17-year-old player at the center of the controversyand his family, on June 14 released the surveillance video that was taken on May 24 when the family says Wattley and his staff forced the player to eat an entire pepperoni pizza against his Hebrew Israelite religious beliefs as punishment for missing a voluntary workout. "Josh came out of the huddle, went up to the line, then stepped back. Grimsley's attorney, Bartholomew T. Freeze, could not be reached Thursday. as the first-year head coach of the Denver Broncos, McDaniels saw his team go . He wasnt forced to eat pork. The students said the playerhas since apologized to them and to the coaches. Talbert said it was the surveillance video that gave him the information he needed to make his recommendation to fire Wattley and his assistants. Poll: Head football coach Marcus Wattley, six others dismissed for misconduct. "Black Hebrew Israelites consider themselves Jews; I also consider them to be a Black religionbearing many of the markers of African American spirituality," she said. His statements were supported by five McKinley football players who attended the school board meeting in support of their eight coaches. The coaches had filed the lawsuit in July 2021 after they said their reputations had been damaged by the false accusation that they punished the then-17-year-old football player on May 24, 2021, by forcing him to eat a pepperoni pizza while knowing that it was against his religious beliefs. Do you support the move, Interim McKinley Bulldogs football coach Antonio Hall will look to 'put our kids first', Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "What is on that video shows that what happened on May 24 is an ill-mannered attempt to instill accountability and discipline in our students," he said when firing the coaches. Dan Reardon has been named Canton McKinley High School's new head football coach. The Canton City school board on Thursday voted unanimously to not renew the coaching contracts of Wattley,assistant coaches Cade Brodie and Tyler Thatcher, and assistant baseball coach Romero Harris, who hasrelated weight room duties. An attorney representing Marcus Wattley told 3News Investigates that there's more to this story that hasn't been told. 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. McKinley's Harold Fannin Jr. runs after a catch against GlenOak at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. Head coach Joe Mazzulla couldn't hide his . You can read Judge Adams' dismissal ruling below: Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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