Mater Dei locker room ritual left bloodied football player with brain injury, broken nose

“Where’s your watch?”

The outcry from a Mater Dei High School shot subordinate alerted his teammates to 2 players astir to quadrate disconnected successful the school’s freshman locker country for Bodies, an initiation oregon hazing ritual wherever players punch each different successful the torso betwixt the hips and shoulders until 1 of them surrenders.

On this afternoon, anterior to a Mater Dei signifier successful February, 1 of the participants, 5-foot-9, 175 pounds and a newcomer to the team, paced uneasily, shirtless, a concatenation with a crucifix dangling astir his neck, portion his opponent, much than 50 pounds heavier, moved from broadside to broadside successful a constrictive country adjacent the room’s reddish lockers.

“Got the timer close here, guy,” a subordinate tin beryllium heard yelling implicit laughter connected a video of the incident. “Ready, three, two, one, go.”

And with that, the 2 players began punching each different successful a combat that yet moved to the varsity locker country wherever they continued to brawl beneath “COURAGE, PRIDE, POISE” painted successful ample letters connected the walls arsenic immoderate Mater Dei players shouted radical epithets portion others sat astatine their lockers not adjacent paying attraction to the altercation.

The combat would permission the smaller subordinate with a traumatic encephalon injury, 2 gashes implicit his close eye, 1 implicit his near and a breached chemoreceptor that would necessitate surgery, the results of a bid of blows to the caput that would punctual a Santa Ana Police Department researcher to urge the Orange County District Attorney’s juvenile bureau record felony artillery charges against the different player, according to a constabulary study reviewed by the Southern California News Group.

Four constabulary reports, surgeon’s reports and different aesculapian records, Mater Dei emails, letters, forms, records and memos, arsenic good tribunal filings, interviews and 2 videos of the altercation obtained oregon reviewed by SCNG besides rise questions astir the civilization wrong 1 of the nation’s preeminent precocious schoolhouse shot programs.

“If I had a 100 dollars for each clip these kids played Bodies oregon Slappies, I’d beryllium a millionaire,” Mater Dei caput shot manager Bruce Rollinson told the injured player’s begetter the time aft the altercation, according to a tribunal filing.

During the aforesaid conversation, Rollinson told the genitor that helium was successful a “bind” successful presumption of disciplining the different subordinate due to the fact that helium said his begetter was 1 of the team’s unpaid coaches. The manager is not listed connected Mater Dei’s website arsenic a subordinate of the school’s coaching unit but is simply a backstage manager who has tutored respective players who person attended Mater Dei. He has besides posted connected societal media a bid of videos from the midst of Mater Dei pregame drills this season.

The injured student, identified successful this study arsenic Player 1, yet withdrew from Mater Dei and continues to person issues related to his encephalon injury, according to records and interviews. The different student, Player 2, continues to play for an undefeated Monarchs team, that is presently ranked No.1 nationally by USA Today and plays Servite for the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title Friday night.

Mater Dei has adopted a slogan for the play – “Red Honor.”

Mater Dei officials initially declined to cooperate with Santa Ana Police Department investigators, according to constabulary reports. Rollinson and Kevin Kiernan, the school’s diversion director, yet agreed to beryllium interviewed by a Santa Ana Police Department researcher with Mater Dei adjunct main for pupil services Miguel Gutierrez contiguous connected April 21, much than 2 months aft the altercation and erstwhile the Santa Ana PD archetypal requested accusation from the school, according to constabulary reports.

Rollinson during the constabulary interrogation denied hazing existed successful the Mater Dei program. He added that the interrogation was the archetypal clip helium had heard of the Bodies game.

However, astir 2 months earlier, connected Feb. 25, a subordinate had provided Mater Dei linebackers manager Pat Dunbar a compartment telephone video of the fight, according to a constabulary report.

“This is simply a hazing ritual that has a name, a sanction known by the players,” said Brian L. Williams, an lawyer for Player 1. “It adjacent has a acceptable of unwritten rules truthful to accidental it doesn’t beryllium is disingenuous.”

The begetter of Player 2 told Santa Ana constabulary connected Feb. 16 “that this incidental had already been handled by the school,” according to a constabulary report. Player 2 declined done his lawyer to beryllium interviewed by police, citing his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights, a constabulary study stated.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office does not mean to record charges successful the lawsuit and views the altercation arsenic communal combat.

Mater Dei trainer Kevin Anderson, aft seeing Player 1’s injuries, “spoke with the administrative unit astatine Mater Dei who told him not to telephone the paramedics and to hold contacting (Player 1’s) parents,” according to a tribunal filing. Anderson, contempt seeing the severity of Player 1’s injuries, did not instantly dainty the subordinate and alternatively continued taping different players’ ankles for practice, according to a tribunal filing.

Player 1’s household filed a suit against Mater Dei High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange successful Orange County Superior Court connected Tuesday, Nov. 23. The suit alleges negligence, negligence per se-hazing successful usurpation of the California penal code, negligent nonaccomplishment to warn, bid oregon educate, intentional infliction of affectional distress.

Mater Dei’ s behaviour related to the altercation, Player 1’s attorneys Williams and Michael Reck allege successful the suit, “including the cognition and dismissiveness of Coach Rollinson successful presumption of the dangers created by Bodies, was outrageous. This is particularly existent successful airy of the information that the medication and coaches astatine Mater Dei valued the school’s presumption arsenic a nationally recognized shot powerhouse implicit the wellness and information of its insignificant athletes.”

“This incident,” Williams said, “(shows) that Mater Dei is much acrophobic astir protecting its marque arsenic the apical ranked shot programme successful the state than protecting its students.”

Mater Dei has been named successful a bid of civilian lawsuits successful caller years filed connected behalf of erstwhile students who allege they were sexually abused by schoolhouse employees.

“Mater Dei has a civilization of lies and secrecy and this lawsuit is close retired of their playbook,” Reck said. “They’ve covered up intersexual abuse, they’ve covered up unit and present they’re covering up hazing to support the glory of the shot team.”

Rollinson did not respond to aggregate telephone messages requesting remark and an email detailing the allegations raised successful this report. Mater Dei main Frances Clare did not respond to requests for comment.

“Obviously I can’t remark connected thing close now,” said Kiernan, the school’s diversion director, who referred the questions astir the incidental to the school’s administration.

Mater Dei successful a connection to SCNG said, “An independent, thorough probe was conducted. We are incapable to remark further owed to the engagement of minors.”­­­­

Mater Dei, founded successful 1950, is the largest co-educational Roman Catholic precocious schoolhouse westbound of the Mississippi River. The Santa Ana school’s motto is “Honor, Glory, Love” and claims that “Mater Dei and its students person influenced Orange County done field ministry, the arts, academics and athletics.”

The schoolhouse has besides gained nationalist prominence done its shot program. Mater Dei is 1 of lone 2 precocious schools successful the state to number 2 Heisman Trophy winners – John Huarte of Notre Dame (1964) and Matt Leinart of USC (2004) – among their alumni. The nation’s apical 2 assemblage teams successful the preseason polls, Georgia and Alabama, each began the twelvemonth with Mater Dei alums arsenic their starting quarterbacks.

Under Rollinson, Mater Dei has produced a decades-long enactment of standout players who person gone connected to spots connected assemblage All-American teams and into the NFL.

Rollinson, whose idiosyncratic motto is “You make the effort, God controls the outcome,” is simply a Mater Dei lifer. He graduated from the schoolhouse successful 1967, going connected to USC wherever helium was a antiaircraft backmost and receiver for legendary manager John McKay and played successful the 1970 Rose Bowl.

He was named Mater Dei’s caput manager successful 1989. The Monarchs are astir to look successful their 15th CIF finals successful Rollinson’s tenure and person won seven. They person won 4 nationalist titles, 1994, 1996, 2017, 2018, and came wrong a fewer plays successful 2019 of winning a 3rd consecutive nationalist crown. He is besides listed arsenic a peculiar adjunct to the school’s president. This is Rollinson’s 46th twelvemonth connected the Mater Dei faculty.

“The lessons derived from the discipline, teamwork and sacrifice instilled by Coach Rollinson person served thousands of his erstwhile players,” Rollinson’s bio connected the Mater Dei shot program’s website said. “…High schoolhouse and shot not lone service arsenic learning experiences and opportunities to improve, they should besides make enjoyable and memorable moments for each athlete.”

In February, Player 1 was a comparative newcomer to the Mater Dei shot program. He did not play the athletics his archetypal 2 years astatine the schoolhouse earlier opening to bid with the shot squad successful the autumn of 2020 erstwhile the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the precocious schoolhouse season.

During his clip with the shot program, helium had often seen Mater Dei players prosecute successful Bodies and had adjacent been progressive successful the ritual erstwhile earlier successful an incidental that did not effect successful superior injury, according to a tribunal filing. The crippled comes with an unwritten regularisation that players lone punch their teammates successful the torso betwixt the hips and shoulders.

Bodies is besides played against the backdrop of Mater Dei’s changeless thrust to beryllium among the nation’s apical prep shot programs.

Monarch “coaching unit programs players to judge that being pugnacious is 1 mode to stay the champion successful the nation,” attorneys for Player 1 said successful a tribunal filing. “As portion of toughening each different up, the shot players play ‘Bodies.’”

Bodies, Player 1’s attorneys allege “is a ‘game’ made up of axenic violence. In world it’s not a crippled astatine all, but alternatively an arranged fistfight betwixt 2 teammates. … The extremity of Bodies is to deed a teammate until helium can’t instrumentality it anymore and gives up. In an effort to acceptable successful and beryllium perceived arsenic pugnacious amongst teammates, the players sacrifice their carnal health, beating each different successful a sickening show that is astatine times videotaped by different players.

“Bodies is simply a hazing ritual among the shot players. This ritual has existed for years, and is good known to the coaching unit of the Mater Dei Monarchs. When engaged successful by testosterone-fueled, young antheral shot players driven towards excellence by their shot coaches, Bodies is simply a look for disaster.”

Around 2:40 p.m. connected the day of Feb. 4, Player 1 was getting acceptable for signifier erstwhile helium was encouraged by different teammate to enactment successful a crippled of Bodies with Player 2. Player 1 agreed, aboriginal saying helium was trying to acceptable successful and summation acceptance by showing helium was pugnacious capable to play for Mater Dei. Player 1 said helium had not antecedently met Player 2 oregon the subordinate who had organized the fight.

SCNG is not naming the players due to the fact that of their ages.

“At that constituent I didn’t adjacent cognize (Player 2’s) name,” Player 1 wrote successful a connection provided to the school. “The adjacent time I recovered it connected societal media.

“I besides didn’t cognize (the teammate’s) name, the kid who asked maine if I wanted to bash Bodies with (Player 2). I recovered him successful the yearbook.”

On a video, arsenic the combat is astir to begin, Player 1 shakes his caput from broadside to broadside arsenic if apprehensive.

The combat starts successful the freshman locker room, the players exchanging punches to the torso area. At slightest 4 times during the archetypal brushwood a Mater Dei subordinate tin beryllium heard connected a video of the combat directing a radical slur astatine Player 1, adjacent though Player 1 is White.

“Get that (racial epithet), (Player 2),” the teammate shouts.

Both players were slipping arsenic they fought, truthful the combat was moved adjacent doorway to the varsity locker room.

Again much radical epithets are directed astatine Player 1. “Get that (racial epithet) (Player 2),” a subordinate is heard shouting astatine slightest 4 much times. There is besides yelling, screaming and roars of laughter audible connected a video of the fight. But the video besides shows different Mater Dei players sitting astatine their lockers getting dressed oregon looking astatine their compartment phones, seemingly oblivious to the brawl.

The video shows that astatine 1 constituent Player 2 deed Player 1 successful the look with a mates glancing blows. Player 1 responds with a wild, above-the-shoulder precocious plaything that misses badly. Player 2 past throws Player 1 to the ground. Player 1 gets backmost up and is knocked down again by a hard haymaker punch to the broadside of his head. Other players are heard successful the inheritance making whooping sounds.

Player 1 gets up again and is struck by a hard punch to the face. “Oh, my God,” shouts 1 teammate successful the inheritance of the video.

Player 1 stops and holds his caput successful his hands, his close manus covering a brace of gashes implicit his close eye. But Player 2 lunges toward Player 1 and punches him successful the look again, a stroke that produces a large smacking dependable connected the video.

“Hey, chill, chill, chill,” a teammate is heard successful the background.

“What the (expletive),” Player 1 shouted astatine Player 2. “I thought this was Bodies.”

Player 2 is past heard directing a radical epithet astatine Player 1 connected the video, a remark besides alleged successful the tribunal filing.

“All right, it’s over,” different subordinate is heard saying connected the video.

Player 1 made his mode to a restroom adjacent the locker room. He looked successful the mirror. There were astir 2-inch gashes supra each eyebrow. There was different chopped betwixt his close eyelid and eyebrow. His chemoreceptor was flattened. These injuries are evident successful much than a twelve photos taken successful the days aft the altercation that were reviewed by SCNG.

As Player 1 tried to halt the bleeding from the cuts different Mater Dei players approached him and warned him not to “snitch” connected them, according to a constabulary study and aggregate different documents.

A compartment telephone signaling of the altercation taken by 1 of the Mater Dei players who acceptable up the combat was shared among Monarchs players, according to a tribunal filing.

The player, the suit alleges, “filmed the incidental connected his compartment phone, and past aboriginal disseminated it with intent to humiliate and embarrass (Player 1).”

A subordinate besides provided a cellphone video to Dunbar, the Mater Dei linebackers coach. Dunbar shared the video with David Nisson, an lawyer representing Player 2. Nisson yet provided the video to the Santa Ana PD.

After reviewing the video of the altercation, Santa Ana PD researcher David Angel concluded that Player 2’s 2nd punch to Player 1’s look was the turning constituent successful the fight.

Player 2, Angel wrote successful a constabulary study “punched (Player 1) connected the close broadside of the look with his near manus earlier (Player 1) could strike.

“After this, it appeared arsenic though (Player 1) was stunned for the archetypal clip successful the game/fight. Up until this point, (Player 1) was moving guardant and striking (Player 2) punch for punch aft each exchange. After being deed this time, (Player 1) and stood successful beforehand of (Player 2) without moving portion holding his close manus implicit his eyes. This was an evident motion that helium was done with the combat and could not proceed the game. It is my sentiment that astatine this infinitesimal (Player 1) was nary longer successful the combat owed to being wounded by the punch. I judge the information that (Player 1) stopped punching and moving toward (Player 2) and alternatively stood inactive and enactment his manus implicit his face, a tenable idiosyncratic would admit that (Player 1) was wounded and defenseless astatine that moment.

“At this clip (Player 2) threw 1 last punch that was beyond the scope of the game. The past onslaught was a punch to a defenseless hostile arsenic helium was wounded and dazed from the erstwhile punch, causing superior bodily harm to (Player 1’s) face.

“Based connected the video evidence, it is wide that some of the boys progressive were consenting participants successful ‘Bodies’ game.

“Based connected the documented injuries, which included a breached chemoreceptor and lacerations supra some eyes, I americium forwarding this study to the Juvenile District Attorney’s Office for filing felony artillery charges connected (Player 2).”

Mater Dei declined to accidental whether Player 2 oregon the Monarch directing radical epithets astatine Player 1 were disciplined.

While Player 1 was inactive struggling to halt the bleeding, helium was approached by a subordinate of the coaching unit who asked what had happened to him, according to a constabulary study and different documents. Player 1 said helium fell and deed his caput connected a sink.

When helium was incapable to halt the bleeding, Player 1 asked 2 Mater Dei trainers, Kevin Anderson and Christine Dahle, to supply treatment, according to a tribunal filing and different documents. Anderson and Dahle, according to a tribunal filing, “largely ignored” Player 1 and “instead prioritized” taping players who getting acceptable for practice, according to the tribunal filing.

“By itself, this reveals a civilization of Mater Dei and its absorption connected diversion success, alternatively than subordinate safety,” the filing said. “Rather than tending to a lad who was virtually bleeding from cuts to his head, and suffering from a traumatic encephalon wounded and breached nose, Anderson and Dahle spent their clip wrapping ankles and wrists truthful players could enactment successful practice.”

After helium waited for astir 30 minutes, Player 1 was yet brought gauze by a pupil trainer to regenerate the blood-soaked gauze helium had applied to the wounds, according to the tribunal filing and different documents. The pupil trainer besides brought Player 1 into the diversion trainers’ bureau wherever helium continued to hold for Anderson and Dahle to supply treatment, according to the tribunal filing and different documents.

Anderson asked Player 1 what had happened to him. Player 1 repeated the communicative that helium had fallen and deed his caput connected a sink.

“Anderson made a facial look that intelligibly revealed helium understood the evident impossibility of (Player 1’s) story,” a tribunal filing said.

Anderson evaluated Player 1 for a imaginable concussion, according to Mater Dei records of 2 concussion exams.

“Based connected (Player 1’s) subjective responses to the concussion test, and his wide injuries determination was nary uncertainty (Player1) had suffered a traumatic encephalon injury,” according to a tribunal filing.

Although the caput wounds continued to bleed, Anderson’s archetypal effect was to supply Player 1 with much gauze. Anderson near Player 1 connected a furniture successful the school’s sports medicine center, according to aggregate documents.

“No doc was consulted, paramedics were not called to the scene, and (Player 1’s) parents were not notified,” according to a tribunal filing.

“At 1 point, (Player 1) asked Anderson if determination was thing Anderson could bash to halt the bleeding. Anderson decided to glue the edges of the lacerations unneurotic earlier placing steri-strips on the lacerations. Unfortunately, Anderson connected the edges of the lacerations truthful poorly that the wounds created disposable scars.

“Shockingly, Anderson did not telephone (Player 1’s) parents until astir 1 hr and 30 minutes aft the incident…Anderson knew however severely (Player 1’s) injuries looked and that helium was intelligibly progressive successful a convulsive altercation. Thus, successful an effort to shield its #1 ranked shot squad from scrutiny, efforts were made to downplay and/or screen up the latest incidental caused by the diversion department’s toxic culture.”

Anderson did not respond to a petition for comment.

Player 1’s begetter took him to an urgent attraction installation aboriginal that nighttime and to a pediatrician the pursuing day. In summation to the 3 cuts astir the eyes, Player 1 suffered a concussion, eyes swollen, slurred code and a fracture near nasal transition – a breached nose, according to the pediatrician’s study connected the exam.

He underwent country astatine Children’s Hospital of Orange County connected Feb. 10. According to the cognition report, “patient is simply a 16-year-old lad antheral with a past of battle by a chap shot teammate six days anterior successful which helium sustained aggregate bodily injuries including a displaced comminuted nasal fracture arsenic good arsenic aggregate brushed insubstantial issue.”

Doctors “confirmed a displaced nasal fracture with grounds of comminuted fracture of the nasal bones connected CT scan performed connected 2/5/2021.”

Player 1’s begetter called Rollinson the nighttime of the altercation and past emailed the manager again the pursuing morning. Rollinson returned the father’s telephone aboriginal that day, Feb. 5.

“During the conversation, Rollinson apologized to (Player 1’s) begetter and said that helium knew astir Bodies, and helium that his players often engaged successful these activities,” a tribunal filing said. “In fact, Rollinson dismissively said helium would beryllium a millionaire if helium got paid $100 for each clip helium heard astir Bodies oregon different carnal rituals successful which his players engaged.”

Rollinson besides said during the conversation, according to a tribunal filing, “he had a occupation due to the fact that (Player 2’s) begetter was 1 of Coach Rollinson’s adjunct coaches, suggesting that (Player 2) was someway protected from subject due to the fact that of these politics.”

Shortly thereafter, Player 1’s begetter received a telephone telephone from Mater Dei dean of students Tim O’Hara, who is besides the moving backs manager connected Rollinson’s staff, according to tribunal filings. O’Hara informed the begetter that the schoolhouse was officially suspending Player 1, according to Mater Dei documents and tribunal filings. At the time, Player 1 was incapable to physically be schoolhouse according to a Mater Dei instrumentality physician’s form.

O’Hara did not respond to requests for comment.

Player 1’s begetter was outraged and attempted to put a gathering with O’Hara and Mater Dei main Clare. Clare refused, according to a tribunal filing “instead opting to beryllium evasive and deflective to this day.”

The begetter contacted the Santa Ana PD connected Feb. 8. Angel, the Santa Ana PD investigator, contacted Clare and Gutierrez, Mater Dei’s adjunct main for pupil services, connected Feb. 11, and informed them of the transgression complaint.

“Principal Clare said they were alert of the incidental and they were conducting their ain interior investigation,” Angel wrote successful his study connected the conversation. “I told them I needed to talk with the parties involved, on with witnesses to the incident. Assistant Principal Gutierrez told maine that helium would not beryllium capable to supply maine with immoderate accusation regarding the incident. He could not supply maine with immoderate names, date, details of the battery, oregon immoderate circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Angel was yet capable to interrogation Rollinson and Kiernan, the school’s athletics director, with Gutierrez contiguous connected April 21, 69 days aft Angel archetypal reached retired to Clare and Gutierrez, 76 days since the altercation.

According to a constabulary study connected the interviews, Rollinson said, “Angel, we person nary hazing connected our program. Never have, ne'er will. I’ve been caput for 32 years. Honestly, I’ve ne'er adjacent heard the connection hazing utilized since 1989.”

The study besides stated Rollinson said that this was “the archetypal clip helium has heard of immoderate of his players participating successful the ‘Bodies’ crippled wherever participants punch each different until idiosyncratic quits.”

By the clip of Rollinson’s interrogation with the police, Player 1 had been gone from Mater Dei for 2 months. He near the schoolhouse connected Feb. 19.

Next to “reason for withdrawal” connected the Mater Dei withdrawal signifier are 2 words – “SAFETY CONCERNS.”