Inside a culture of hazing in athletics

CEDAR RAPIDS - Six weeks after reports surfaced of hazing incidents involving members of the wrestling team at Lisbon Community High School, the mother of one of the student-athletes says there's a lesson to be learned.

The woman, who requested that she not be identified, said her son - one of the team members disciplined in connection with the most recent incident - was himself a victim of hazing as a younger wrestler.

“I want to encourage our youth that they need to stand up for themselves and they need to stand up for their teammates,” she said in an interview Friday evening.

She brought medical and law enforcement documentation to the interview to support her claims. The Gazette is not identifying any of the student-athletes alleged to be involved because they're minors and because of the sensitive nature of the allegations.

In the autumn of 2010, the woman said, her son and other team members were involved in rough play in an unsupervised wrestling room at the high school. The activities, which she described as “non-wrestling,” resulted in a broken clavicle bone for her son.

“It required surgical repair and it will require another surgery to remove the screws in his collarbone,” she said. “It took him out of eligibility for an entire season.”

At least two student-athletes at Lisbon are facing simple assault charges in connection with the more recent incident, in late 2011.

At that time, another wrestling parent has told The Gazette, his son was “held down” by one teammate and another put his genitals in the victim's face.

As rumors swirled about the incident, several practices were canceled and the team missed a meet in late December. The mother who spoke Friday said some student-athletes were suspended from the team, including her son, and that not all of them have been reinstated. She said her son has not been charged in the incident.

‘Open secret'

Finding people willing to talk on the record about hazing in high school athletics, even with multiple incidents reported in Iowa for one specific sport, has been extremely difficult.

“It is this open secret and because, historically, we've thought of hazing as ‘boys being boys,' ‘harmless fun' and all of this to jell together as a team,” said Jennifer Waldron, an associate professor at the University of Northern Iowa's School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services. “It's still happening and people don't want to talk about it, and they turn a blind eye.”

Since 2009, Waldron has published three reports on hazing or bullying within athletics.

At least four high schools in Iowa are dealing with hazing issues in their wrestling programs. Cases in Sioux City and Gilbert have resulted in moderate levels of disciplinary action, while another in Greenfield led to sexual abuse charges against two wrestlers.

However, Waldron said, such problems can occur in any sport.

“I think it's a huge coincidence that it is wrestling right now,” she said. “They're all in season.”

Addressing the issue

Last week, The Gazette sent emails to more than 60 Eastern Iowa high schools - large and small, urban and rural - requesting comments about hazing or bullying within the culture of wrestling and not asking about any specific programs or incidents.

Cory Connell, head wrestling coach at Eddyville-Blakesburg High School in Eddyville, is the only one who agreed before deadline to talk on the record.

Connell first addressed the topic with the Des Moines Register two weeks ago. On Thursday, the former Hawkeye and City High standout spoke as he watched over 22 wrestlers during team practice.

“As a coach, I've touched on this with my team and we've talked about it,” he said. “We want to be the best wrestlers we can be, but I think it's about being the best people we can be. It's on and off the mat.”

The mother of the Lisbon wrestler said abusive behavior in athletics “needs to stop.” She called the school investigation into what happened “very short-lived.”

Asked for comment Friday, Lisbon Superintendent Brad Laures offered a written statement.

“Every student disciplined appealed this decision as they felt it was too severe or unjust,” he said in an email. “We do not take this behavior lightly. As we move forward, we want to continue to educate all of our students regardless of their involvement with this situation.”