A Texas mom has filed a lawsuit against previous Rockwall-Heath High School football coach John Harrell and 12 assistant coaches, alleging they forced players to finish almost 400 push-ups in an hour without rest or water, leading to many cases of rhabdomyolysis, a serious health condition.
‘ 400 push-ups in one hours’
According to a report from the New York Post, basketball coach John Harrell and the secretary coaches at Rockwall-Heath High School in Texas ordered people to perform nearly 400 push-ups in an hours, with no water or relax cuts, on January 6, 2023, according to a New York Post report. It asserts that this intense workout was intended as punishment for alleged “hustle” on the field and uniform violations.
Players hospitalised
At least 26 players experienced symptoms or were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition caused by the breakdown of muscle tissue, which releases harmful substances into the bloodstream. The plaintiff’s son was hospitalised for seven days due to the severity of his condition.
‘ Life-affecting injury ‘
Attorney Mike Sawicki, representing the plaintiff’s son, described the injury as potentially long-term and life-changing.
” I stubbed my toe, or this is not, I’m a little winded after some sprinting,” the statement means. This is a potentially long-term, life-affecting injury, and it’s not something you’re just going to tough out”, Sawicki said, as quoted by the New York Post.
He further said that his client’s son could have faced “kidney failure” if left untreated, which could have caused significant harm.
Any minor infraction for a variety of reasons, according to Sawicki,” Coach Harrell wrote the program,” according to Sawicki.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that the athletic director of the university cautioned staff members against punishing athletes with physical activity. According to Sawicki,” the intention behind all of this was to impart discipline to the students.”
Previous lawsuits against Harrell
Sawicki revealed that the coach had previously settled two lawsuits with other parents whose children had experienced similar workouts, despite not charging Harrell with any criminal offenses against him. This is the first lawsuit to include 12 assistant coaches, including Chadrick A. President, Seth McBride, Lucas Lucero, Joshua Rohmer, Chance Casey, Cody Monson, Jake Rogers, Joseph Haag, Garret Campfield, Alex Contreras, Brody Trahan, and Jordan Wallace.
Sawicki explained that the assistant coaches were named in the lawsuit after details of their active participation in the exercise were revealed. However, he believes they were unaware of the risks posed to the players.
Sawicki told Fox 4 that” I think it’s a function of not asking the right questions or ignoring the data that was already available.”
What the investigation revealed
According to a district investigation, the coaches had private conversations about the players ‘ injuries and had speculated about possible supplements. Additionally, the report asserts that some players faced bullying to prevent them from expressing their injuries and that the coaches tried to discredit them.
Sawicki’s law firm, which also investigated the allegations, concluded that the inappropriate workouts caused the student’s injuries.
Coach’s resignation
Two months after being placed on administrative leave following the incident, John Harrell resigned from his position.
