A Michigan high school took “strong and decisive action” after a disturbing video showed a junior varsity football player pancake an opponent much smaller than him, an official with the state’s high school athletics association said on Monday.
A Kalamazoo Central High School football player jumped on top of his opponent at the tail end of play during a game against Lakeshore High School on Thursday. The mother of the 15-year-old player told a local Michigan TV station that her son suffered two spinal fractures.
“Our staff has been speaking with both schools since Friday. Kalamazoo Central has taken this matter very seriously and they have taken strong and decisive action,” the Michigan High School Athletics Association (MHSAA) told Fox News Digital. “Due to student privacy laws, we cannot disclose the specific accountability actions, but they have exceeded what MHSAA regulations would otherwise require in cases of dangerous and unsportsmanlike behavior.
“Our schools can provide additional details as they decide to do so, since they are handling things internally.”
Kalamazoo Public Schools provided a statement to Fox News later Monday.
“An incident that occurred during Kalamazoo Central High School’s Junior Varsity football game on Sept. 19 was the action of an individual student who displayed an egregious act against a player on the opposing team,” Kalamazoo Public Schools said.
“This type of behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of sportsmanship, respect, and integrity that Kalamazoo Public Schools expects from student-athletes, coaches and the entire school community.
Officials said the student “received consequences consistent with the Kalamazoo Public Schools Student Code of Conduct and in compliance with Michigan High School Athletic Association regulations.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Lakeshore officials for comment.
Lakeshore Public Schools superintendent Greg Eding sent a letter to students, staff and families about the incident.
“Following a play, a Kalamazoo Central student body slammed a Lakeshore student who was laying on the ground. This incident was an intentional, unprovoked and flagrant violation of the rules and appropriate sports conduct and resulted in an injury to one of our Lakeshore student athletes,” the letter read.
“We wish the Lakeshore student a speedy recovery and we are in regular communication with his family regarding this matter. We also have put in place supportive measures to ensure our student athlete can continue his education while he recovers.
“The incident, which was captured on video and shared widely on social media and across media outlets, is totally unacceptable and has no place in student athletics. The superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools has apologized for the incident and applied serious disciplinary consequences to their student athlete consistent with its student policies and code of conduct.
“Following the incident, both varsity teams came together before their game on Sept. 19 to say a prayer for the injured student in a showcase of sportsmanship and compassion.”
The player who was on the receiving end of the tackle was identified as Colton by his mother, Courtney Mims. She told WSBT-TV in Michigan that the play left her 15-year-old son with two fractures in his spine.
“As soon as it clicked that it was, I couldn’t be stopped. I had to go down there. I’ve never felt anything like it. I’ve never been as upset or shaken up as I was over something for my son,” she told the station on Friday.
“These boys are high school boys. They’re 15 years old. The game means a lot to them. It’s their whole life right now. They’re there from before I get up to go to work in the morning till after dinner, putting in the work and for somebody to try to take that from somebody doing so much is awful for me to see.”
She said that her son was finished for the season and was expected to make a full recovery.
Mims, in posts on Facebook, thanked those offering prayers. She wrote that players from Kalamazoo Central reached out to her to apologize.
“This truly brought me to tears, and has helped remind me that one players actions does not in fact, reflect an entire team, & hasnt; in all regards,” she wrote. “We stand with the right side, and are so thankful to everyone in this community and extending that are behind us; and continue to share the story.”
The Kalamazoo Central player wasn’t identified.
Lakeshore school officials told the station that it was “working with the other school about this situation.
Fox News’ Janelle Benham contributed to this report.
