15 hours ago
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John Harrell and Rockwall-Heath High School (Picture credit: NYP)
A Texas mother has filed a lawsuit against former
Rockwall-Heath High School
football coach John Harrell and 12 assistant coaches, alleging they forced players to complete nearly 400 push-ups in an hour without rest or water, leading to multiple cases of rhabdomyolysis, a severe medical condition.
'400 push-ups in one hour'
The lawsuit says that on January 6, 2023, football coach John Harrell and the assistant coaches at Rockwall-Heath High School in Texas required players to perform almost 400 push-ups within an hour, with no access to water or rest breaks, according to a New York Post report. It claims that this intense workout was imposed as punishment for a perceived lack of "hustle" on the field and uniform violations.
Players hospitalised
At least 26 players experienced symptoms or were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition caused by the breakdown of muscle tissue, which releases harmful substances into the bloodstream. The plaintiff’s son was hospitalised for seven days due to the severity of his condition.
'Life-affecting injury'
Attorney Mike Sawicki, representing the plaintiff’s son, described the injury as potentially long-term and life-changing.
“This is not, I stubbed my toe or this is not I’m a little winded after running some sprints. This is a potentially long-term, life-affecting injury, and it’s not something you’re just going to tough out,” Sawicki said, as quoted by the New York Post.
He further said that his client’s son could have faced “kidney failure” if left untreated, which could have caused significant harm.
“Coach Harrell wrote the program that said any little infraction for all sorts of different reasons would result in these push-ups,” Sawicki added.
The lawsuit also claims the school’s athletic director had warned coaches against using physical exercise as punishment. “The intent allegedly behind all of this was to impart discipline onto the students,” Sawicki said.
Previous lawsuits against Harrell
Although no criminal charges were filed against Harrell, Sawicki revealed that the coach had previously settled two lawsuits with other parents whose children were affected by similar workouts. This is the first lawsuit to include 12 assistant coaches: Chadrick A. President, Seth McBride, Lucas Lucero, Joshua Rohmer, Chance Casey, Cody Monson, Jake Rogers, Joseph Haag, Garret Campfield, Alex Contreras, Brody Trahan, and Jordan Wallace.
Sawicki explained that the assistant coaches were included in the lawsuit after evidence emerged of their active involvement in the workout. However, he believes they were unaware of the risks posed to the players.
“I think it’s a function of not asking the right questions or ignoring the data that was already out there,” Sawicki told Fox 4.
What the investigation revealed
A district investigation found that the coaches privately discussed the players' injuries and speculated that supplements might be responsible. The report also alleges the coaches tried to discredit injured players and that some players faced bullying to discourage them from speaking out about their injuries.
Sawicki’s law firm, which also investigated the allegations, concluded that the inappropriate workouts caused the student’s injuries.
Coach's resignation
John Harrell resigned from his position two months after being placed on administrative leave following the incident.
