A high school football coach suspended his entire varsity team. During Homecoming week.
After coach Matt Labrum got word that his players were getting poor grades, disrespecting teachers and that some of them might have been involved in cyber-bullying, he'd had enough. (Via WSYX)
"It just felt like everything was going in a direction we didn't want our young men going, and we felt like we needed to make a stand." (Via KSL)
So Friday night in the locker room, Labrum told his players the team was disbanded until they could earn the right to play football. Students' parents said their kids left that meeting distraught...
"They came out, and there were tears. Those boys were wrecked." (Via Deseret News)
But there were no angry parents here — they supported the coach. Labrum said he wanted his players to build character and grow as a team.
One way that was done — community service instead of scrimmages. (Via KSL)
Labrum said the team still “practiced” — just on different stills. They also attended study hall and a character education class.
"In this world of 'me, me, me,' we're representing the whole school, the whole community." (Via KSTU)
Wednesday night the team found out all but 9 of the 41 varsity players had been reinstated.
On Friday, they’ll play in their big Homecoming game.
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