Former Eisenhower High School head boys’ basketball coach Craig Bernard Foster was charged with misdemeanor hazing in Comanche, Okla., County District Court last week. Foster faces 90 days in jail and/or a fine of $500.
According to The Lawton Constitution, Foster was charged after a video of a hazing incident at Eisenhower High School — posted to social media — showed his culpability in the assault of a 14-year-old student-athlete.
In the video, Foster can be seen pointing to the boy outside the gym. He seemingly directs the other student-athletes on the team to apprehend the boy. Foster then stands by as the students carry the boy into the locker room where he was allegedly restrained, unclothed, and held against the trash can while students struck his bottom. Student-Athletes on the team called this incident “Freshman Friday,” an established hazing practice in which freshman players were targeted.
Lawton Public Schools assistant police chief Matthew Miles said the recorded incident took place on Aug. 21, 2026. Despite the video evidence, Foster denied his own guilt. Foster, who has been the boys’ coach since 2025, did admit to Miles that he pointed out the freshman, but he called the incident “horseplay” and described the team as “play [fighting] like brothers.”
Foster said he “could have stopped it right there, but that he didn’t anticipate the conduct escalating into what it did.” He added that he had witnessed “similar horseplay before” and he “didn’t intervene.”
Prior to being charged with the misdemeanor, Foster resigned from his position as head coach, and the Lawton Public Schools communications director told The Lawton Constitution that the students involved were facing disciplinary action.
“Let me be clear from the outset: the conduct depicted in the video circulating on social media from one of our campuses is disturbing, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the standards we hold for our students and our athletic programs here at Lawton Public Schools,” Lawton Public Schools superintendent Neal Weaver said in the statement.
