A highly ranked California high school water polo program is facing a hazing investigation after players allegedly harassed and physically mistreated teammates in a hotel room during an away tournament. The incident reportedly left some students injured and prompted an inquiry by the school district.
The allegations were outlined in an email sent by Wilson High School coach Zac Polmanteer to parents, according to the Long Beach Post, which obtained the message. The incident reportedly occurred in the San Jose area last weekend.
“Multiple student athletes were subjected to humiliating and physically harmful acts. Some athletes sustained injuries from being physically struck by their teammates,” Polmanteer wrote.
The coach did not specify how many students were involved or provide details about the severity of the reported injuries.
The Long Beach Unified School District confirmed that it was investigating the allegations and stressed that hazing is prohibited in its schools and athletic programs.
“Hazing is not allowed and has no place in our schools or athletic programs,” a district spokesperson said. “Wilson High School continues to reinforce expectations for student safety and respectful conduct.”
District officials said they could not release additional information while the investigation was underway because of laws protecting confidential student and employee records.
Wilson had won its first two matches of the tournament before most of the team members reportedly gathered in a hotel room Friday night.
Polmanteer said he learned the next day about noise complaints and spoke with players about curfew violations and their conduct. He said he did not become aware of the alleged hazing until the team returned to Long Beach on Sunday evening.
“This level of behaviour is shocking, unacceptable, and completely contrary to everything we stand for as a program,” Polmanteer wrote.
On Monday, the school’s athletic director and several water polo coaches interviewed the players who had traveled to the tournament, speaking with them individually.
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According to the email, school administrators and coaches established disciplinary measures that included suspensions from school and the water polo team. They also developed a plan aimed at preventing future incidents.
“Hazing is a cultural problem, even when only a handful of athletes directly participate,” Polmanteer wrote.
He added that all players and their parents had been required to sign agreements expressly banning hazing before participating in the program.
The team’s lineup appeared notably different Tuesday, when Wilson played Long Beach Poly. Thirteen players listed on the team’s September roster were absent, including most of the seniors who had previously comprised the Bruins’ starting lineup.
It was not immediately clear how many of the absences resulted from disciplinary action related to the alleged hazing, injuries or unrelated circumstances.
When questioned about the missing players, Polmanteer referred to a “situation that occurred at school.” He declined to say whether they would return during the current season.
Wilson was ranked No. 4 in the CIF Southern Section’s opening playoff rankings, which were last updated Sept. 28.
Wilson High School and the Wilson Boys Aquatic Foundation have been contacted for comment.
The allegations come as another high-profile California high school water polo case remains in the public spotlight. Former Harvard-Westlake player Lucca Van der Woude was arrested in connection with allegations involving teammate Aidan Romain.
In a lawsuit filed in March, Romain accused Van der Woude, the son of a Hollywood director and a former Olympic water polo prospect, of months of racist harassment and sexual abuse while they played together on the Los Angeles school’s team. Van der Woude gave a deposition in the case in August.
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