Former Haverhill football player says he was forced off team after reporting hazing

The Haverhill High School Football season abruptly ended after a video surfaced of some players mistreating another kid in the locker room.

It shows three teens dragging another teen across the floor and pulling his clothes off.

On Wednesday, Boston 25 News heard from a former player who says a similar incident happened to him when he played for the school in 2014.

“I had my cleats urinated in. I had somebody’s genitals in my face at some point. Not as bad as the incident that just happened,” says a former player who wishes to remain anonymous.

That’s how a former football player describes his time on Haverhill’s Varsity Team. When he saw the latest video, he knew he needed to speak up.

“Me and this kid can’t be the only ones this has happened to so I hope more people will come forward.”

He says when he played on the team, no one was ever punished for what they did to him. In fact, he says he was forced off the team when he spoke up.

“It makes me angry, but at the same time I have learned from those experiences.”

Fast forward 8 years later and the latest incident of hazing won’t be tolerated. The school superintendent announced the rest of the team’s season is over including the big Thanksgiving Day game against Lowell.

“I know it is a team sport, but the whole team didn’t do it. There’s the kid that it happened to probably a third-string kid, he deserves to play in that game.”

Instead, he says those responsible need to suffer the consequences and says moving forward there needs to be a change in leadership.

“I think the coaching staff definitely needs a revamp. There is accountability that has to be there. There is no way that the locker room is right next to the coaches’ room, and you don’t hear that kind of commotion going on.”

Boston 25 News went to the Haverhill Varsity head coach’s home to get a comment about his season being over, but no one came to the door.

Boston 25 News also reached out to the Lowell School District for its response to the team not playing Haverhill but did not hear back.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group