Off The Record
After Being Dismissed For Yanking A Player’s Ponytail, The High School Basketball Coach In New York Breaks His Silence
After being dismissed for yanking a player’s ponytail in a startlingly popular video, a Hall of Fame high school basketball coach has responded.
In the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship game over the weekend, the girls’ team from Northville High School lost to La Fargeville 43-37.
However, following the loss against Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, there was a great deal of controversy since it seemed that coach Jim Zullo had pulled one of his best players’ hairs from behind.
The player in question, identified by the Daily Mail as Hailey Monroe, appeared surprised and on the point of tears during an encounter.
Ahmya Tompkins, a teammate and supposedly Zullo’s great-niece, stepped in and seemed to defend Monroe, waving her finger at the furious coach.
After instructing her to shake hands with the opponent, Zullo reportedly claimed he was the target of an expletive from Monroe, which sparked the emotional outburst.
Not long after, Northville declared that they had relieved Zullo, who is inducted into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame, of his responsibilities.
“We assure the public that this matter is being taken extremely seriously, and the District is actively addressing it,” the Northville Central School District stated in a social media statement.
“The District will be following up with the affected players and their families to provide support and outline the actions we are taking in response to this incident.”
Zullo continued by expressing his sincere regret for his actions, which he acknowledged were unacceptable.
“I want to offer my sincerest apologies to Hailey and her family, our team, the good folks at Northville Central Schools and our community,” he said in a statement, as per NBC.
“As a coach, under no circumstance is it acceptable to put my hands on a player, and I am truly sorry.”
Before retiring in 1999, Zullo coached for 34 years, leading Shenendehowa High School to the Class A state championship in 1987.
On the recommendation of his late wife, he reportedly came out of retirement in 2023 to lead the Northville girls, and they advanced to the championship finals two years in a row.
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