By Andy Dunn
Staff Writer
The shocking and disturbing Jonathan Martin case in the National Football League has caused every level of sports teams, including Westford’s, to focus again on the current bullying and hazing environment in an athletic atmosphere.
It may be hard to imagine a 6’5″ 312-lb professional football player as the victim of bullying, but that is the case of Jonathan Martin of the Miami Dolphins. Martin left the team on October 31 to “seek assistance with emotional issues” according to the Dolphins official team report.
New details have continued to emerge, showing a history of abuse and maltreatment, primarily from fellow teammate Richie Incognito. Compelling evidence included explicit and racially-charged voicemails, text messages, and phone records demonstrating Martin’s abuse.
The case has gained national attention and has led to a discussion on the athletic culture found in locker rooms and how it may be conducive to hazing or bullying.
Current head football coach Adam Gagne shared his belief in the importance of creating an environment that prevents hazing and bullying as best as it can.
Proactively, Gagne eliminated any rite of passages on the team to prevent any possible hazing. He says, “There is no rite of passage on the football team. It doesn’t exist. The only rite of passage on the team is set by me, and that is showing up everyday and working hard.”
When it comes to borderline offenses, such as freshman picking up water bottles, Gagne’s system emphasizes that roles and responsibilities for the players “always come from the coaching staff, never from the players.”
If a bullying or hazing incident was to occur, Gagne says he has a “great relationship” with Athletic Director Dan Twomey and would go to him first. Often times, Gagne and Twomey will talk just to keep each other on the same page and maintain a transparent environment.
“When you have transparency and everyone can see what is going on in the line of communication,” Gagne says, “that is the key.”
Former football head coach and current Dean Michael Parent has been involved with WA for over thirty years and has seen the progression of bullying and hazing from the eighties.
“As time has elapsed, more and more focus has been put on bullying,” says Parent. “What may have been accepted in the past, would definitely not be accepted today…Things are to the point now where everyone is super super aware of that. There isn’t a coach in this building that wants to be known as the coach that was caught hazing or bullying someone.”
Parent suggested that if every student thought about how their actions would affect others before acting, the bulk of bullying and hazing issues would disappear.
“In all my years of doing this, I can honestly say, almost every kid I’ve sat with at the conclusion of the hearing or conclusion of the discipline was generally sorry for the way they treated their peer…Before you press that send button, take some time to reflect upon what you put in print; spend some time on that. Read the message and ask yourself: Would I send that message to my brother, sister, or best friend. If the answer is no, you should probably delete it.”
