Dad Confronts Player At Center Of Alleged Andover Basketball Hazing
EASTON (CBS) - While police and school administrators investigate, Jim Arnold, whose son was the Andover Basketball captain three years ago, decided to go right to the source to get his questions answered.
The investigation focusing on the Andover High basketball team now has the Attorney General's attention. But Arnold told WBZ-TV he had questions he wanted to ask.
"One of the first things I did, was meet face-to-face with the young man at the center of the controversy," Arnold told WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson. "I asked him point blank, 'when you were a freshman, when you were a sophomore, were you subjected to any of this?' He said point blank, 'No, I was not. Nothing of this nature happened.'"
WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson reports
Arnold says the kids and coaches are all cooperating with police investigating the disturbing hazing incident at the Hoop Mountain Basketball Camp.
"I don't think anybody is denying anything, and it's really come down to what penalties are going to be metered out."
Arnold and several other sources have detailed the disturbing allegations. They say several Andover high school basketball players were together at the Hoop Mountain Basketball Camp at Stonehill College in July, and the incident started with sexual hazing.
Arnold's son was a senior captain of the team three years ago, and he says he wants to make it clear that this was not a ritual or tradition, but a one time terrible mistake. "Apparently things just went wrong in a few minutes. I don't think it's a pattern or there is something wrong with the system or the town. The kid made a mistake and in a sense we're all responsible," he said.
According to sources, 8 players were at the camp in Easton in July, when the sexual hazing began.
They say the seniors made one of the freshman eat a cookie covered in bodily fluid while the others watched.
"The issue is there were freshman, sophomore, juniors and seniors present and that was the problem, there was a power dynamic," Arnold said.
The captain's family had no comment on Tuesday, but Arnold said, "I know for a fact he is upset, he is upset about his future and the future of the program, and the town the team he represents he has let them down, and he hopes to make amends... I don't think anything was set up or established, no one went in with this plan, this master plan, to diabolically beat down younger players, I just think a power play went wrong and it went badly wrong. "
Arnold noted,"It's a good program, it's a good town, the kids aren't evil incarnate. They understand there will be penalties involved."
