Basketball coach at a veteran high school was fired for yanking a girl’s hair

After a long-time high school basketball coach tugged a female player’s hair after the game, the Northville Central School District fired him.

After the upsetting episode was captured on camera and posted to social media, the basketball coach was the target of a number of replies from online users.

The basketball coach, meantime, told the player what had happened to him before he pulled her hair.

A basketball coach’s hair being pulled by a camera

In a video that went viral, 81-year-old high school basketball coach Jim Zullo was seen brutally yanking one of his players’ ponytails.

The coach came up behind the team’s standout player, Hailey Monroe, and gave her a frightening hair yank as Zullo and his players stood courtside following their 37–43 loss to La Fargeville.

After the loss, he started screaming at Monroe, who seemed to be crying. Zullo continued to complain about her, and Monroe, looking scared, attempted to pull away.

Before the video vanished, Monroe’s teammate then moved between her and Zullo, seemingly in an effort to stop any more assault.

Jim Zullo Describes His Reason for Yanking Hailey Monroe’s Hair

At Hudson Valley Community College, the basketball match was the Class D girls’ final, according to CBS6 Albany.

Senior Monroe had fouled out of the game, making him the program’s all-time top scorer. She was waiting for the medal ceremony with her teammates when Zullo tugged her hair.

The basketball coach informed News10 that after he instructed her to shake hands with the other team, Monroe allegedly swore at him.

Their altercation resulted from her response to his direction.

Internet Users Respond to a Basketball Coach’s Aggressive Behavior

As she watched the game on NHS Network, Alyssa Leroux, a Facebook user, posted a video of Zullo yanking Monroe’s hair.

“This was completely unacceptable…” was the caption she wrote behind the photo.

Internet users who were shocked by the basketball coach’s behavior left numerous comments on the video as it swiftly went viral.

“Oh my god, why is he so angry?” one individual said. How did she act? It’s not like anything deserves that, but… WTH?”

Someone else said, “Totally unacceptable! What did he do without cameras during the season?

Regardless of the result, a third Facebook user continued, “She DID NOT DESERVE THAT! No one does! He went too far, and if I were the parents, I would lose my mind.

Netizens Demand Jim Zullo Be Fired

In the meantime, a number of other online users demanded that the seasoned basketball coach be fired for his unsettling behavior.

Someone added, “I hope this got turned in and he is not allowed to coach ever again.”

“Wow he needs to be fired!!!!” added another commenter.

A third said, “He should be fired by the school first. Second, the local police ought to detain him for harassment or endangerment. No matter what, he is finished.

Additionally, a Facebook user praised Monroe’s colleague for defending her after Zullo pulled her hair.

They stated, “I would be so proud of my daughter for standing up for her teammate like this girl did!”

Coach of the Northville Central School District Fire Basketball

In a swift response to the occurrence, the Northville Central School District posted a statement on its website.

In the press release titled “A Letter to Our Athletes, Families, and Community,” they stated, “The Northville Central School District is aware of, and deeply disturbed by, the conduct of the Coach of the Girls’ Varsity basketball team during the Class D New York State championship game.”

The press release stated, “We hold our coaches to the highest standards of professionalism, sportsmanship, and respect for our student-athletes, and this behavior is completely unacceptable.”

“The District is committed to ensuring that this type of behavior has no place within our programs, and we will continue to uphold the values of respect and integrity that our athletes, families, and community expect and deserve,” the school wrote in its announcement of Zullo’s termination. The Northville Central School District will no longer have this person as a coach.

“We assure the public that this matter is being taken extremely seriously and that the District is actively addressing it,” the statement said at the end. In order to offer support and explain the steps we are taking in reaction to this situation, the District will be getting in touch with the impacted players and their families.

Monroe’s family has not yet responded to the incident, though.