{"id":185858,"date":"2023-01-13T20:22:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T20:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/high-school-football-players-hospitalized-in-texas-after-grueling-pushup-filled-workout\/"},"modified":"2023-01-13T20:22:15","modified_gmt":"2023-01-13T20:22:15","slug":"high-school-football-players-hospitalized-in-texas-after-grueling-pushup-filled-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/high-school-football-players-hospitalized-in-texas-after-grueling-pushup-filled-workout\/","title":{"rendered":"High school football players hospitalized in Texas after grueling, pushup-filled workout"},"content":{"rendered":"
A high school football coach in Texas was taken off the job this week after multiple student-athletes had to be hospitalized following a strenuous off-season workout, officials said.<\/p>\n
Rockwall-Heath High School coach John Harrell was put on paid administrative leave on Tuesday following the workout a week ago Friday that led to player hospitalizations, Rockwall Independent School District representative Renae Murphy said in a statement to NBC News on Friday.<\/p>\n
She declined to outline the circumstances of those injuries, citing federal privacy laws.<\/p>\n
But in a letter to football parents, school principal Todd Bradford disclosed that “student-athletes were required to perform multiple push-ups” and that “student(s) subsequently needed medical attention, and in some cases, hospitalization.” <\/p>\n
Bradford promised that the district will “thoroughly investigate any connection between the activities in class and student illnesses” and will retain “an independent third-party to investigate the event.” <\/p>\n
“Student safety is a top priority for Rockwall ISD and we will continue to take immediate and appropriate measures in the best interests of our students as we address this situation,” Bradford added.<\/p>\n
Harrell is also athletic coordinator at the school, which is about 25 miles northeast of downtown Dallas. <\/strong>The paid leave covers both his duties as football coach and administrative head of the high school’s athletic program.<\/p>\n Harrell could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday.<\/p>\n He was named head varsity coach in January 2022 and the Hawks went 7-5 in his season at the helm.<\/p>\n The Hawks’ final game of the season was a 52-7 loss to DeSoto High School in the 6A Division II playoffs on Nov. 17. DeSoto went on to win the title in that division.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A high school football coach in Texas was taken off the job this week after multiple student-athletes had to be hospitalized following a strenuous off-season workout, officials said. Rockwall-Heath High School coach John Harrell was put on paid administrative leave on Tuesday following the workout a week ago Friday that led to player hospitalizations, Rockwall …<\/p>\n