WRENTHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - An alleged hazing incident has prompted an internal investigation at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham.
The school district sent a letter to parents Tuesday letting them know upperclassmen on the school’s varsity football team had organized boxing matches between 10th grade students while the players were attending Camp Mataponi in Naples, Maine last month.
Senior Class President Ian Knott said he’s disappointed to learn of the allegations.
“It’s unfortunate to hear,” he said. “This was a very one-off event. Pretty much everyone gets along. I’ve barely heard of any sort of bullying across the school. I was very surprised to hear this.”
The letter from the school says no one was hurt and no coaches were present during the boxing matches.
The letter continued,” Although there were individual students who took a greater lead in orchestrating the hazing/boxing, there were many people involved and the behavior was so widespread and longstanding there is a need to address this behavior with all individuals of the football program and all coaches, both paid and volunteer.”
But Gwen Prater said her son was among the students who participated in the boxing matches and called it a long-standing tradition.
“Things were done safely, boxing gloves were used, no one was coerced or forced into this, opportunities were given to back out and done privately where you wouldn’t be humiliated in front of your friends,” she said.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and Wrentham police were both notified of the allegations.
The district is now requesting leadership, hazing, and bystander training for the coaches and players.
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