A shocking video has gone viral in recent days from a U.S. high school, showing the 81-year-old head coach of Northville Central Schools in New York, Jim Zullo, pulling the hair of his 17-year-old player, Hailie Monroe. Following intense public backlash after the video surfaced, Zullo was fired by Northville Central Schools. The disgraced coach later issued an apology letter regarding the incident.
Zullo, who had been coaching at the high school level in the U.S. for decades before retiring after his wife’s battle with cancer, claimed that Hailie Monroe insulted him when he instructed his players to shake hands with their opponents after losing the state championship final. However, the video clearly shows the young player crying and another teammate intervening to stop Zullo, who then continued speaking aggressively to her.
The case is expected to proceed to court as legal action has been taken against the American coach, according to U.S. media reports. In his apology letter, Zullo expressed deep regret for his behavior after the loss to La Fargeville during the Class D state championship game. He apologized sincerely to Hailie, her family, the team, and the community, acknowledging that it was never acceptable for a coach to physically handle a player. Despite his remorse, the damage has already been done, and this incident has sparked widespread outrage across the sports community.