Rockwall-Heath football coach resigns
Mar. 2—Rockwall-Health High School head football coach John Harrell, who came under fire for an off-season workout program that sent several students to the hospital in January, has resigned, the school district announced in a notice to parents.
"The district received the summary of the investigation from the third-party independent investigator. Following a thorough investigation, the investigators determined multiple student-athletes were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis resulting from a football workout. The investigators found sufficient evidence existed to support a finding that the offseason workout plan was implemented in a way that negatively affected the physical health of some student football athletes at Rockwall-Heath High School in violation of Rockwall ISD board policy," the notice sent to parents said.
Stemming from the third-party investigation, Rockwall ISD intends to implement the following recommendations for all athletic programs to avoid similar recurrences:
* Consult with, and/or hire, a full time certified strength and conditioning specialist to work with its coaches on designing and reviewing their workouts and athletic plans.
* Review, and to the extent necessary, adopt and implement procedures by which there is appropriate oversight by the athletic director for offseason workouts.
* Review, and to the extent necessary, adopt procedures by which offseason workout plans are reviewed by the athletic trainers for input and comments.
* Provide training for coaches, athletic administrators, athletic trainers, parents, and students, on the dangers of rhabdomyolysis and red flags for workouts that could result in rhabdomyolysis.
RISD will immediately begin the search for a new head football coach and campus athletic coordinator, the notice said. "Filling this position is a top priority for our athletic program and the district," the notice said.
"In that effort, parents, teachers and staff will have an opportunity to provide input about the strengths and qualities of the future head football coach."
Harrell was placed on administrative leave in January after a number of students required medical attention, and in some cases hospitalization, following an eighth-period athletic class on Jan. 6, according to a letter sent to parents by school Principal Todd Bradford.
Rockwall ISD learned of the situation on Jan. 9 after several parents reported that their sons required medical care.
The athletes who were forced to perform an excessive number of pushups were told to report any of the following conditions:
Harrell last year completed his first season as head coach at Rockwall-Heath. Before his promotion to head coach, he was coordinator of Heath's running game.
He replaced Mike Spradlin, who retired. Harrell's coaching resume includes stints as an assistant coach at Stephenville, Midlothian and in the Garland ISD and he's also served as an offensive coordinator and a head powerlifting coach.
