Watan–A lawsuit has been filed against a team of high school coaches in Texas, accusing them of forcing student players to perform up to 368 push-ups in less than an hour during a grueling training session that endangered their lives. Former Rockwall-Heath High School coach John Harrell, along with dozens of assistant coaches, is accused of compelling college-level football players to complete nearly 400 push-ups without breaks or water intervals during a 50-minute training session.
According to media reports, the intense training session resulted in some students being hospitalized for several days, as stated in a lawsuit filed by one of the players’ parents. Dozens of college hopefuls were punished with 16 extra push-ups for every mistake they made during the 50-minute session.
A total of 23 mistakes were counted, requiring them to complete 368 push-ups in total. After the grueling training, 26 players were either diagnosed with or exhibited symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, a potentially fatal medical condition that causes muscle tissue breakdown, allowing its contents to enter the bloodstream.
The plaintiff’s lawyer told reporters, “This isn’t, ‘I stubbed my toe,’ or, ‘I’m a bit tired after running some laps.’ This is a long-term injury that could affect life and is not something you just endure.” The lawyer added, “Coach Harrell wrote the program, which stated that even minor infractions for various reasons would result in such physical punishment,” according to the Oddity Central website.
The lawsuit alleges that some of the “mistakes” made by students during the session included wearing the wrong attire, negative interactions with coaches or peers, poor posture, and a lack of urgency. School officials at Rockwall-Heath High School had reportedly warned John Harrell against using physical punishment during his sessions, but he ignored them.
Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis typically appear within 24 to 48 hours after excessive physical exertion, potentially leading to extreme muscle breakdown. If left untreated, it can result in kidney failure, heart problems, and even death. In 2023, D Magazine reported that many players who were contacted had elevated creatine levels, which only began to normalize weeks after the session, and some had to be hospitalized due to severe symptoms.
Harrell was placed on administrative leave following the controversial training session and resigned two weeks later. Although no criminal charges were filed against him, it was reported that he settled two lawsuits with other parents whose children were affected by the training.
A confidential report submitted to the court indicates that some coaches involved in the session attempted to silence the affected players. However, some students were bullied at school by other students and threatened not to speak about their injuries.
People magazine received a statement from John Harrell’s legal team, informing them that the former coach had attempted to settle the matter out of court before the lawsuit was filed. A similar case was reported five years ago when dozens of female soccer players at the University of Houston were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis due to intense physical training.
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