A high school football coach has found himself in hot water and could be facing criminal charges after a video surfaced that showed him punching one of his players in the stomach.
According to Tony Shin of NBC 4 in Los Angeles, Beaumont High School football coach Will Martin has been placed on administrative leave after an anonymous parent released the footage. The parent says Martin disciplines players by making them close their eyes, put their hands above their heads and take a punch from him in the gut.
Here’s the video, which shows students laughing as Martin taunts the player before punching him.
FootballScoop obtained full video of HS coach hitting player. Players defend him. I say you simply can not do this. https://t.co/VuzDjjla1q pic.twitter.com/HOfBlV8URe
— FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) October 16, 2017
The parent who released the video says he or she was told Martin has done the same thing to dozens of players. Beaumont Unified School District has turned the footage over to police for investigation of potential criminal charges.
“On October 3, 2017, the Beaumont Unified School District administration was informed of allegations of misconduct by a Beaumont High School teacher,” a district spokesperson said in a statement. “The teacher was immediately put on administrative leave and the district is conducting a thorough investigation. We want to reassure parents that our No. 1 priority is the safety and well-being of our students, and that the Beaumont Unified School District takes reports of teacher misconduct very seriously.”
Some players have defended the coach, with one parent saying she believes people are overreacting to the punch.
“If it’s so bad, why are the kids laughing? Why are the kids thinking it’s funny?” Jessica Taylor, whose son plays for Martin, told NBC4. “I don’t see a problem with it. My son says there are drills where you get hit like that, and my son says, ‘Mom, it’s football.'”
In an era where we have seen high school coaches fired for a variety of offenses, it would be a surprise if Martin is not the next to lose his job.
