It's Not OK: Corona Del Mar High School Coach Gives Students a Lesson in Class

CORONA DEL MAR, CA — There is drama at Corona Del Mar High School, and it isn't playing out on the stage but in the football stadium.

After the announcement by the principal that the school would be denied its homecoming pep rally and dance (but not football game) after the abhorrent actions of intoxicated students at the Battle of the Bay game, many parents were outraged. But are they angry for the right reasons?

Corona Del Mar Football coaches Dan O'Shea and Kevin Hettig had a rare view of the events that took place at the 2016 "Battle of the Bay" football game where students were seen "laying in their own vomit" and many, removed by ambulance after consuming hard alcohol to the point of belligerence. In a letter to the parents, they described the events of the night, as well as the reasons

"As exciting as our victory was at Friday's Battle of the Bay, we feel compelled to address the behavior of members of our student body, and the consequences imposed by our administration," they said in a Facebook post that was sent to parents. After expressing support of the principal and vice principal, the coaches shared their opinion on the events that led to the cancellation of the homecoming festivities.

"I was there and I remain dumbfounded by what I witnessed," O'Shea and Hettig stated in their Facebook missive. "A multitude of students were intoxicated to the point of being unable to control themselves—found by security personnel stumbling around the concourse or laying in their own vomit in the restrooms."

The release of specifics seen by the coaches shines more light on Principal Kathy Scott and Vice Principal Daniel Patterson's decision to cancel homecoming as a wake-up call to students.

"A small fleet of ambulances were called to the scene to handle the more dangerously intoxicated youngsters. In the stands, students were throwing items at the fans below them," they described in their post. "A number of student-led cheers were laced with profanity. All of this taking place at a Corona Del Mar high school football game."

According to the letter, students from high school sports at CDM who were caught intoxicated will be taught a valuable lesson and "collectively assume responsibility for their actions," they said. It is the teachability of the situation that these coaches are concentrating on.

"I am concerned the issue of underage drinking and poor decision making by the CDM student body is much larger than any of us may have predicted," they said.

The coaches and seniors engaged in an hours-long discussion on the events of last Friday, the end of which real decisions were made, according to the coaches.

"We all agreed that the health and welfare of the young men and women in our community is at stake," he said.

"It's not okay to drink alcohol and attend school-sponsored activities. It's not okay to drink vodka or hard alcohol as a young teenager. It's not okay to participate in orchestrated '#### You Harbor' or similar cheers from the stands at a high school football game. It's not okay to involve our younger players in activities or conversations for younger players. It's not okay to publicize inappropriate behavior through social media. It's not okay to allow a teammate to think any of this is okay. It's not okay to not speak up when you know you should say something," they wrote.

To the parents, the coaches admonished what is OK.

"It's okay to express disappointment in your son's poor choices or bad behavior. It's okay to make him stay home for a night, or an entire weekend when you sense enough is enough. It's okay to say 'not tonight.' It's okay to say 'no.'"

Do you think the students will get the message?