There was only one item on last night’s Board of Education meeting: the budget.
At the beginning of the session, however, a Staples High School senior addressed the members.
Granted more time than the usual 2 minutes given to the public, by prior arrangement with chair Lee Goldstein, he told the board about a physical altercation with an assistant boys soccer coach, at a pre-season retreat over Labor Day weekend.
He also alleged verbal abuse and initimidation by 2 other coaches in the program.
Assistant coach Harry Ocampo vehemently denies the allegations. He sent this email to “06880”:
I am writing to formally address and categorically deny the allegations of physical abuse and physical assault that have been brought against me by [a player and his family] during the Board of Education meeting on January 16.
The allegations in question stem from events taking place on Saturday, August 30, at the Staples boys soccer retreat. These accusations are entirely untrue, and are being fabricated to exaggerate the incident that took place in front of 30+ witnesses.
I want to state unequivocally that I have never engaged in any form of physical abuse or assault toward [the player making the charges] or any player, ever. Such actions are completely against my values and principles.
I am committed to treating all individuals with respect and dignity, and never resort to violence or harm.
I want to be clear, during the incident on August 30 between myself and [the player], at no point did I ever make physical contact with him.
The incident in question only involved yelling after I was hit in the face during a team kickball game. After being hit in the face, the game concluded at which point [the player] mocked and antagonized me.
This upset me and I responded by yelling back at him. There was no physical assault or abuse as alleged.
After a brief moment, both teams shook hands. I asked [the player] if he felt comfortable speaking with me so that we could clear the air, to which he agreed.
In that conversation, he and I both apologized for disrespecting one another, and verbalized that we weren’t thinking rationally but rather were being emotional.
Later that evening, I spoke to the team at a meeting to offer my apologies for the actions that they witnessed.
I explained to them that [the player] and I had been able to apologize to one another and clear the air about the incident that took place, which he confirmed to the team. He apologized to them as well.
These allegations are deeply distressing, not only because they are baseless but also because they have the potential to significantly harm my reputation and relationships. I am confident that a thorough and impartial investigation will reveal the truth and exonerate me of these false claims.
To ensure full transparency, I am prepared to cooperate fully with any investigation into this matter. I am willing to provide any evidence or testimony necessary to demonstrate my innocence. I encourage anyone involved in this process to approach the matter with fairness and objectivity.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.
Dan Woog laid out the problem well: a broken system where high school coaches can be pressured to make coaching decisions, and even forced out of a job, by a small group of unhappy parents. A broken system where a long-tenured and highly successful coach beloved by most of his or her players can lose his or her job based on a single amorphous allegation of “lapse in judgment,” despite never having been trained or given constructive feedback on the issue at hand, and despite there being no clear policy in place that the coach was supposed to have followed.
Right now, the way we treat long-tenured and dedicated coaches is teaching our kids exactly the wrong lessons: that if a parent can reframe disappointment in coaching decisions as a coach having been “vindictive” (an argument any parent can always try to make), that’s the ticket to getting rid of a coach.
A Comment About “06880” Comments
“All commenters must use full, real names.”
That’s been an “06880” rule for over a decade.
Occasionally, readers question the identity of another commenter.
When that happens, I first see if I can find any online mention of the writer — first in Westport, then anywhere else.
Failing that, I send an email. I ask for verification that the writer is who they say they are. I won’t post the info, I tell them — but I need to know they’re legit.
If it bounces back, the comment is deleted. If it’s a real email address, I wait for a reply verifying their identity. If I don’t get one within a day, I delete the comment.
Reviewing yesterday’s comments on a story about Staples High School coaches, I found 2 email domains — attached to very strong, arguably inflammatory comments — that, my security software said, are highly risky, and often used to obscure true identities.
I gave the commenters until 6 a.m. today to confirm their identities. I have not heard back, so I deleted both comments. Responses to their comments were also deleted.
I will reinstate them, if the commenters email 06880blog@gmail.com, and prove their names are real.
I will not post their personal information, or share it with anyone. But I need to know that every commenter is who they say they are.
I want to ensure that all readers take part in a meaningful community discussion, on this — and every other — important issue.
And that when readers weigh in, everyone else can evaluate where that speaker is coming from.
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Posted in Sports, Staples HS
Tagged "06880" comments, Staples High School athletics