Oklahoma HS Football Coaches in Federal Lawsuit Amid Abuse Allegations
A federal investigation unveiled new allegations centering around an Oklahoma high school football program.The details in the lawsuit, which is pending in Oklahoma City federal court, alleges a hazing and bullying culture within the Kingfisher High School football program as well as mental and physical child abuse, according to a report from KFOR.com.
The court documents, according to KFOR.com, reveal a variety of abusive situations, allegedly with the coach’s full knowledge. The allegations include one player being by towels that were at times knotted and wet while in the shower. Other documents, according to KFOR.com, state the beatings would stop once the player began to bleed.Below is an excerpt from the KFOR.com report.
The player was also allegedly tased at least four times and was shot with a paintball gun at close range in the locker room. The lawsuit claims the coaches and other players laughed and didn’t discipline the attackers. The victim was left with welts and in pain. At times he was also sent threatening messages from other players. In the messages from the documents, one player told him not to show up to practice and encouraged him to commit suicide. The player was told by another teammate that his mom would be killed if he told her about the abuse.
The lawsuit also details sexual assaults in the locker room. There were claims that coach’s forced players into locker room fights that they would sometimes bet on as well.
We first brought you allegations into this program about two years ago.
“They said that he was being too big of a p**** and he needed to toughen up,” an anonymous parent told KFOR in August of 2020.
That statement is from a parent whose son allegedly had to help another player off the field during a so-called drill called “King of the Ring” (aka bull in the ring).
“For ten minutes, they went at this boy,” the parent said.
“It was alleged that he was down on the ground and repeatedly,” said Kingfisher Police Chief David Catron in August of 2020. “Players were called in to make contact with him while he was still in a down position.”
Criminal charges were filed against a coach in that situation and a conviction ensued.
To read the full report from KFOR.com about the Oklahoma football program, click here.