A high school football coach in Texas was fired this week after several student-athletes were hospitalized after a grueling off-season workout, officials said.
Rockwall Heath High School head coach John Harrell was placed on paid administrative leave on Tuesday following a workout a week earlier on Friday that resulted in the player being suspended for the hospital.
It declined to specify the circumstances of those injuries, citing federal privacy laws.
But in a letter to soccer parents, principal Todd Bradford revealed that “student-athletes were required to perform multiple push-ups” and that “students then required medical attention and, in some cases, hospitalization.”
Bradford promised that the district would “rigorously investigate any connection between activities in class and student illnesses” and would retain an “independent third party to investigate the event.”
“Student safety is a top priority for Rockwall ISD and we will continue to take prompt and appropriate measures in the best interest of our students as we deal with this situation,” Bradford added.
Harrell is too School sports coordinatorwhich is about 25 miles northeast of downtown Dallas. Paid vacation covers both his duties as the football coach and the administrative head of the high school’s athletic program.
Harel could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.
It was Appointed coach of the university in January 2022 The Hawks went 7-5 in his season at the helm.
It was the Hawks’ final game of the season 52-7 loss to DeSoto High School in the 6A Division II playoffs on November 17. DeSoto went on to win address in this section.
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