The Placer County (Calif.) District Attorney's office is determining whether Geoff Capell, an assistant swimming coach at Roseville High School, should be charged with misdemeanor battery after grabbing a female swimmer's hair. The incident happened late last month, when Capell attempted to pull team captain Jennifer McCarroll out of the pool following a race during the Sierra Foothill League Swimming Championships, in which Roseville placed fifth out of six teams. Witnesses told local media that they thought Capell was furious at McCarroll and another swimmer for an "intentional disqualification" because the team was not in a position to win the meet. A video of the incident is making its rounds on the Internet, and Capell - the father of Roseville's varsity swimming coach, Kelly Capell - has resigned from his volunteer position.
"We're very sorry that this unfortunate incident occurred," Steve Williams, Roseville Joint Unified School District's director of pupil services, said in a statement. "A physical response like this by any coach for any reason cannot and will not be supported."
McCarroll's parents called the incident an assault, and filed a police report citing misdemeanor battery. But according to Rivals.com, other swim parents have defended Capell's actions in light of the swimmers' alleged intentional DQ.
