Investigation reveals ‘fight club’ within Texas HS baseball team

Two Texas high school baseball coaches have come under fire after an investigation allegedly turned up evidence of racist comments and a “fight club” created by members of the team.

The Dallas Morning News reported that it obtained documents showing that Plano East Senior High School students complained of “demeaning comments about them (from coaches), especially after players were injured.” The complaints were directed toward a head coach and assistant coach, both of whom were placed on administrative leave last summer.

“It was as if it was just a game to the coaches to see who could dish out the funniest nickname or phrase to ridicule the hurt player,” one student said during the investigation, as reported by The Dallas Morning News.

There was also evidence of a “fight club,” which players reportedly held in the batting cages while the coaches were away at a conference. The coaches said they were unaware of the club, but the investigation concluded that knowledge of the club was so widespread that it was difficult to argue coaches knew nothing about it.

From the article:

The fight club was promoted on social media, and players returned to classrooms with bruised knuckles and black eyes. 

“During the fights, usually organized by the seniors each year, all players are pit against one another in fights with the little protection given by cheap boxing gloves,” one student said during the investigation. “There was no backing out of the fight for fear of shame and humiliation by the others.” 

The investigation does not identify who brought concerns about (the coaches) to the school district’s attention, but they referred to themselves as “troubled varsity parents” who thought the coaches had promoted a culture of hazing and hostility. 

The newspaper couldn’t find whether the coaches were punished, but the school district did say the coaches have been on administrative leave since August and are no longer associated with the baseball program.

The coaches’ attorney denies the allegations, and supporters say complaints were motivated by lack of playing time.

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