A junior varsity high school football player in Michigan is facing consequences after a viral video showed him leaving his feat and landing on a supine player half his size.
As reported by WNDU in South Bend, Ind., the game between Kalamazoo Central High School and Lakeshore High School occurred Thursday. Video shows a Kalamazoo Central player knock down a Lakeshore player and then belly flop on top of him as he’s lying on the ground and the play from scrimmage concludes several yards down field.
The Lakeshore player’s mother, Courtney Mims, says her 15-year-old son suffered two broken vertebrae in his lower spine, according to WNDU's Joshua Short.
She told WSBT in South Bend that her son is out of the hospital and is recovering at home. He will miss the rest of the season, and may not play football again, Mims said.
In a statement reported by WTTV in central Indiana, Kalamazoo Public Schools called the act "egregious," adding that the type of behavior was unacceptable and does not reflect the values of "sportsmanship, respect, and integrity" that the district expects from student athletes, coaches and the community.
"An incident that occurred during Kalamazoo Central High School’s Junior Varsity football game on Sept. 19 was the action of an individual student who displayed an egregious act against a player on the opposing team. This type of behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of sportsmanship, respect, and integrity that Kalamazoo Public Schools expects from student-athletes, coaches, and the entire school community. The student’s behavior has been addressed, and the student involved has received consequences consistent with the Kalamazoo Public Schools Student Code of Conduct and in compliance with Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) regulations. The district remains committed to ensuring all athletic competitions are conducted safely and respectfully. We are reinforcing our expectations with all student-athletes and coaches and will continue to provide guidance and education to ensure this type of behavior is never repeated."
The Michigan High School Athletic Association told WTTV that Kalamazoo Central took the matter "very seriously," though they couldn't disclose the specific accountability actions due to student privacy laws.
The MHSAA statement reads as follows:
"Kalamazoo Central has taken this matter very seriously and they have taken strong and decisive action. Due to student privacy laws, we cannot disclose the specific accountability actions, but they have exceeded what MHSAA regulations would otherwise require in cases of dangerous and unsportsmanlike behavior."
Lakeshore Schools superintendent Greg Eding released a letter to the community in response to the incident, saying the incident was "totally unacceptable and has no place in student athletics." That leader reads, in part, "The incident, which was captured on video and shared widely on social media and across media outlets, is totally unacceptable and has no place in student athletics. The superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools has apologized for the incident and applied serious disciplinary consequences to their student athlete consistent with its student policies and code of conduct."
