High school football players have been hospitalized after their coach forced them to complete nearly 400 pushups without a break.
WOWK 13 News reported that Rockwall-Heath High School football coach John Harrell had been placed on administrative leave after he told them to drop to the ground and give him hundreds of pushups.
In a letter to parents, Rockwall-Heath Principal Todd Bradford notified parents that the coach had instructed his players to ‘perform multiple pushups’ during an off-season football program on January 6.
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Bradford added that three days later, some students required ‘medical attention and in some cases, hospitalization.’
The letter also urged parents to look for potential symptoms in their children, including the inability to bend or extend limbs, nausea, loss of consciousness, vomiting, dark urine and abdominal pain.
Bradford also said the school had hired a ‘third party’ to investigate the matter.
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“To thoroughly investigate any connection between the activities in class and student illnesses, the district is retaining an independent third party to investigate the event,” the letter read.
“The district is also taking interim action, including but not limited to, placing Coach Harrell on administrative leave while the investigation is pending and notifying appropriate outside agencies.”
The news comes as a college basketball coach was suspended after six players were hospitalized due to an extreme workout.
AP News reported that Concordia University’s Scott Kollar had been temporarily placed on leave after his team completed ‘particularly high-intensity, collegiate-level circuit training’.
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Five players were hospitalized from January 2-4, with another player also entering hospital on the 6th.
In a letter obtained by ESPN, Athletic Director Pete Gnan wrote to parents: "Our athletics program has zero tolerance for harassment or retaliatory actions of any kind, and reporting mechanisms are in place for students, coaches and related staff.”
Ryan Collicott, whose child was the last to leave hospital, told WBBM: “He was, I guess, dehydrated. Plus the muscles were breaking down and getting into his bloodstream, I guess.”
He added: “There were probably a lot of people and parents who would be like, ‘Fire the guy!’ I don’t feel that way, as a parent.
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“I know him. I spoke to him. And I feel bad for him. And I’m more concerned for him now that I have my son right now.”
UNILAD has approached Rockwall-Heath High School and Concordia Chicago Athletics for comment.
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