The storied Central Bucks West football program in Pennsylvania had its season canceled this week after a hazing investigation found that rookie players were forced into "humiliating" and "offensive" acts.
Central Bucks West becomes the second noted high school program to take the extraordinary step of canceling its season because of
hazing, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Earlier this month, Sayreville High School in New Jersey canceled its football season and seven players were brought up on
sexual assault charges in connection to a hazing scandal.
Central Bucks School District superintendent David Weitzel detailed the allegations in a letter to parents this week, according the Inquirer. In one incident, new players were reportedly made to grab the private parts of other players, the letter said. Another incident involved a practice similar to waterboarding, noted the Inquirer.
WCAU-TV wrote that Weitzel also suspended all the varsity and junior varsity coaches at the school, located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
"Based on all available, verified information gathered from an ongoing internal investigation into allegations of improper conduct by numerous Central Bucks West football team members, and the failure of the coaching staff to properly supervise activities, swift and firm action is absolutely necessary," Weitzel said in a statement released Thursday, according to the television station.
Central Bucks Regional Police Chief James Donnelly told the Inquirer that his department, which learned of the allegations on Wednesday, has launched its own investigation.
"The letter was pretty damning and contains some pretty scary information," Donnelly told the newspaper. "We don't know if it was just kids horsing around or if it was more serious, but we're going to investigate."
Central Bucks West, under coach Mike Pettine, went 326-42-4 with four state titles before retiring in 2000, according to the Inquirer. His son, Mike Pettine, Jr., is the head football coach of the NFL's Cleveland Browns.
According to WCAU-TV, Central Bucks West was in the midst of a losing season this year with a 2-6 record. The team had two more games to play when the rest of its games were canceled, according to the television station.
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