High School Hazing Rears its Ugly Head Again

Unfortunately, we had a very similar situation involving the wrestling team at the high school my kids attend. Older boys using broom sticks on younger boys at a team party, with the coaches and some parents in the house at the same time.

What upset me was the fact that some parents were very quick to dismiss the allegations as "boys will be boys", and even after the facts came out, they supported the coaches and older boys.

Hard to believe that this behavior continues.

posted by dviking at 06:18 PM - reply - flag:

The leader or leaders of this are going to be in Seventh Heaven when they get to prison.

posted by outonleave at 07:41 PM - reply - flag:

Back when I was in high school, if you tried to mess with another dudes "rectum" you would be labeled a "fag" and you would be subject to ridicule and possible beatings. No one ever really cared about the people who everyone knew were gay, it was the ones who were potentially hiding it that were the most detested. I'm definitely not saying that it was right, but that's just the way it was.

Why do these "hazing" incidents always turn into some type of homosexual acts? What makes these dudes want to assrape eachother? I'm sure glad that we didn't have any of these types on my high school teams, cuz if someone tried to violate my rectum they wouldn't live to tell anyone about it.

This is why rape (along with child molestation) should be punishable by death.

posted by docshredder at 08:30 PM - reply - flag:

This is not hazing, this is rape.

The media, or anyone else reporting this as a hazing incident is in the wrong.

posted by bobfoot at 11:52 PM - reply - flag:

I know an easy way to stop all these faggots with their so-called hazing:a bat to the head!

posted by mars1 at 01:26 AM - reply - flag:

I don't think it is a "homosexual" act. It is rape and as with most rapes it is all about power.

"According to a state police report, an assistant coach told the other coaches during training camp "that some sort of hazing incident involving broomsticks was happening." Another coach walked into a cabin to see "a player on his stomach on the ground, with his legs spread open," while a teammate held a broomstick, the police report said. The coach told the players to "cut it out" and the group broke up."

Cut it out is not an appropriate reaction to rape, of any sort.

posted by Fence at 04:06 AM - reply - flag:

I have two issues with this story:

On the field, the Cardinals who played in the state championship game in each of the past three years, winning the title in 2005 and 2006 have struggled, losing their first three contests by lopsided scores of 51-7, 34-6 and 35-13.

Why is it necessary to include the record of the team so far this year? It seems a way to say, "See, the whole team (and by extension, the town) is suffering because you kicked some kids off!" Who cares? If that's the culture surrounding the football players, the whole program should be disbanded for a few seasons, shouldn't it?

According to state police reports, a group of juniors assaulted several younger teammates over two days, holding the victims down while a broomstick was forced into their rectums over their athletic shorts.

What the hell does that mean? I take it the victims still had their briefs on -- and that makes no difference -- but that sentence is poorly worded.

posted by wfrazerjr at 08:08 AM - reply - flag:

This is not hazing, this is rape.

Yeah, I'd like to see the word "hazing" done away with altogether, because of the willingness of those in authority to excuse acts that are labeled as "hazing", and the willingness of so many to act as perpetrators or victims as long as it's considered some kind of rite of passage.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:26 AM - reply - flag:

The program needs to be given a "death sentence". Nothing is worth having players being raped.

posted by jc at 10:56 AM - reply - flag:

Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see anything in the article about anyone being prosecuted except the coaches. What about the kids who were the perpetrators? These kids are old enough to know better. How does an entire group think this kind of violence is okay, something that is going to be so particularly degrading and can cause some serious physical injuries. I agree, jc that the entire team should be given the death penalty for a few years, at least until those in this community who think this okay either to perptrate or have to submit to, have moved on.

posted by txsoccermom at 11:14 AM - reply - flag:

Similar hazing happened on my high-school football team in the early 90's. A group of guys on the team started hazing the younger guys. It started off innocently enough by 6 or 8 guys grabbing the person after he was in his gym clothes, holding them down, and taping them up like a mummy. It then moved onto where they would grab the guys after they got out of the shower and were still naked, and do the same thing. 1 day it escalated to where they would grab the guy naked, tape him, they 1 of the guys started shoving bar soap up the guys ass. This happened 2 or 3 times before everyone started questioning the guys sexuality openly and apparently he decided to stop doing it. The taping hazing stop shortly after that as well (I guess they were bored now that they had taken it to its extreme?)

Our coaches were all well aware of what was going on and none of them every made a mention of it. I personally never participated (it was always the same 6-8 guys), never actually witnessed first hand the soap thing (only heard about it immediately after as people ran out of the shower), nor was I a victim of it (had a bit of a tough-guy reputation and they were looking for the weaker guys).

I always thought it was "gay" and was one of the ones that told the "soap" guy that I thought it was. I get the "power" angle, but to get to that stage you had to wrestle around with a naked man...I'm sorry, that just didn't seem like heterosexual behavior to me :-)

And for those guys who say "If anybody ever tried this to me, I'd [insert macho-ism here]", let me just remind you that these are FOOTBALL players. In our case it was Lineman and Linebackers. Meaning if 6-8 of the biggest/strongest guys on the team decide they want to do something, there's not much you're going to do about it. Unless you're ready to get a gun and come back with a little revenge killing, you wouldn't be doing much as even 1 of these guys could kick your ass...much less 8 of them working together.

posted by bdaddy at 11:16 AM - reply - flag:

wfrazerj, I took the info about the team's record as an indication that the team has been affected by the incident and is no longer functioning as well as they had in the past. If the town is divided about culpability, the team probably is, too.

posted by joaquim at 11:48 AM - reply - flag:

Why should anyone be shocked by this sick act? The way the media makes a joke about sexual violence to males, any man who calls himself a man should be outraged by whats happening these days. This past weekend while checking the football scores on S.I.com,they had an advertisement in which a woman was kicking a man in his genitals and it was presented like a joke, not like a sexual assault,and it's becoming more and more common. With boys AND girls seeing this total lack of respect for peoples bodies we should not surprised that these perverted acts happen.Until felony charges start being brought,until coaches are fired,and until media broadcasts like Sports Illustrated come under heavy fire,this is going to get worse. WAKE UP

posted by win1rich at 04:34 PM - reply - flag:

"And for those guys who say "If anybody ever tried this to me, I'd [insert macho-ism here]", let me just remind you that these are FOOTBALL players. In our case it was Lineman and Linebackers. Meaning if 6-8 of the biggest/strongest guys on the team decide they want to do something, there's not much you're going to do about it. Unless you're ready to get a gun and come back with a little revenge killing, you wouldn't be doing much as even 1 of these guys could kick your ass...much less 8 of them working together."

Sounds like you have some bad memories...

posted by docshredder at 08:33 PM - reply - flag:

Sounds like you have some bad memories...

bdaddy described his memories above, in the post that you're responding to. They didn't involve participating in this hazing as a perp or as a victim; instead, he was a witness. That's all he needs to be to insert a reality check on the "if anyone tried that I'd" claims.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:01 PM - reply - flag:

Why do these "hazing" incidents always turn into some type of homosexual acts?

I played sports thru-out high school and whether it was football, baseball or wrestling, there was some sort of hazing procedure that went on but nothing like this. We would tape the freshmen to the goalpost and dump water on him and/or put shaving cream all over their heads. I know that it was childish but it was a way for the new guys to feel part of the team and we all went thru the same thing regardless of how big or small the guy was but it was never anything like this.

What these kids are doing nowadays is downright criminal. There is no way that I would go out of my way to violate or embarrass any of my teammates and anyone that chooses to do these acts should be punished by the courts. This is rape IMO and being man, I do want or care for anything to be shoved up my ass. If any of the victims were my kid, I personally would do anything in my powers to make sure that the same individuals that felt it was necessary to do these lewd acts would be violated in some capacity no matter what....but that's just me.

posted by BornIcon at 08:15 AM - reply - flag:

"That's all he needs to be to insert a reality check on the "if anyone tried that I'd" claims."

If you could read, you would see that he stated he was neither a victim nor a witness...

Plus, no matter how big someone or some people are, nobody can make anybody take some shit in their ass. I would be floppin around like a fish out of water, throwing elbows, knees, kicks to the groin, gouging out eyes etc. And yes, if they somehow managed to "haze" me, there would be some revenge killings.

posted by docshredder at 09:31 AM - reply - flag:

Plus, no matter how big someone or some people are, nobody can make anybody take some shit in their ass.

Yea, I guess all rapes are consensual. I mean, doesn't the same apply to women? Doesn't matter how big they are if they wanted to stop somebody all they'd have to do is "wiggle like a fish". LOL.

Sounds like you have some bad memories..

Sounds like your being very defensive. Gotta project some "tough" guy persona via the internet because you can't project the same in real-life? Not even 8 people could take me down! LOL.

posted by bdaddy at 10:28 AM - reply - flag:

Plus, no matter how big someone or some people are, nobody can make anybody take some shit in their ass.

Yea, I guess all rapes are consensual. I mean, doesn't the same apply to women? Doesn't matter how big they are if they wanted to stop somebody all they'd have to do is "wiggle like a fish". LOL.

Sounds like you have some bad memories..

Sounds like your being very defensive. Gotta project some "tough" guy persona via the internet because you can't project the same in real-life? Not even 8 people could take me down! LOL.

posted by bdaddy at 10:28 AM - reply - flag:

sorry for the doublepost...was trying to edit my italics out and didn't work so well :-)

posted by bdaddy at 10:29 AM - reply - flag:

Good for you. You are a real man. Unfortunately, I must live in the real world where rape and mob-mentality exists. It's the same world where fear, acceptance, peer-pressure and need to belong rule a teens life. To say that these kids did nothing is wrong. Somebody told someone something, otherwise it wouldn't be news. At least one of the kids used their voice which is IMHO just as good as purchasing tickets to your gun show.

At the end of the day the real problem is that these boys would have even tried in the first place. There's hazing and then there is abuse and truly criminal acts. This is criminal.

Adam

posted by adammcd at 11:54 AM - reply - flag:

My, how far we've come in the twenty years since I left high school. As a freshman playing varsity hockey, I was subject to some hazing, as well. Y'know, I had to buy tape for the seniors, that was tough. Whenever we did a checking drill, I got to line up against the biggest, fastest defenseman and take a big hit more often than not. While technically "hazing," these really were rights of passage that made me feel like a part of the team.

This is just shocking. Even in instances where I have heard of hazing being sexual in nature, there was nothing like this. Friends of mine who wrestled would tell me about "Butt beers" (had to pour a beer down the crack and then drink it) and I heard about "the baby elephant walk" (self explanatory?) or posing as "the naked Iraqi." Semi homoerotic to be sure, but mostly silly (not that I'm condoning it.) You'd pretty much always hear about it over beers and laughter. To penetrate the anus of one you eventually will call a teammate or friend is just perverse. It's not a right of passage and it sure as hell doesn't make you feel like part of the group. Watching the twisted face of some shithead as he jammed a broomhandle up there would make me want to leave the team, the sport, and the school. And all machoism aside, I think it would make some mad enough and humiliated enough to consider taking a life. I'd never know unless it happened to me what my reaction would be, but people have indeed killed over much less.

posted by tahoemoj at 12:39 PM - reply - flag:

docshredder:

If you could read, you would see that he stated he was neither a victim nor a witness...

I can read just fine, son. He stated that he hadn't witnessed one particular incident, but implied that he had witnessed others. Note, by the way, that you don't have to see something to witness it. I'm not sure what was going on in your mind when you took your pointless and misdirected little swipe at bdaddy, but it was probably better kept to yourself.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 01:38 PM - reply - flag:

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

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