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Fired high school girls basketball coach apologizes for pulling player's ponytail

2 days ago
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Fired high school girls basketball coach apologizes for pulling player's ponytail

High School Sports “I wish I could have those moments back.” The incident happened as the teams were lining up for the postgame ceremony, which included handshakes between the teams and the presentation of awards following the title game at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy. March 24, 2025 | 2:16 PM He took the […]



High School Sports

“I wish I could have those moments back.”

Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.NORTHVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — A coach who was fired within hours of pulling a player’s ponytail after a loss in a New York girls basketball state championship game issued an apology Sunday, saying his actions were unacceptable.
By John Waller

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The Northville school district said Friday night in the statement announcing that Zullo would no longer be coaching at the school that it wants to “assure the public that this matter is being taken extremely seriously, and the District is actively addressing it.”

“As a coach, under no circumstance is it acceptable to put my hands on a player, and I am truly sorry. I wish I could have those moments back.”

“I deeply regret my behavior following the loss to La Fargeville Friday night in the Class D state championship game,” Zullo said in the statement, which was first obtained by Albany-area television station WNYT. “I want to offer my sincerest apologies to Hailey and her family, our team, the good folks at Northville Central Schools and our community.2 minutes to read

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John Waller is a deputy editor overseeing news coverage on Boston.com. He is a Lexington native and Colby College graduate.Jim Zullo, formerly the coach of the girls team at Northville Central, was dismissed by the school in the Adirondacks after video footage showed him pulling the hair of player Hailey Monroe moments after their team lost the Class D state final to La Fargeville, 43-37 on Friday night.

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John Waller

Deputy Editor, News

Zullo, 81, coached at Northville for the past two seasons and took the team to the state final in each of those years. He was a highly successful boys coach in the state for decades, winning a state championship with Shenendehowa High in 1987, before beginning to coach girls in Northville in 2023.
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