In late March, New York held the girls’ basketball Class D state championship. Both the La Fargeville Red Knights and the Northville Falcons fought hard. But in the end, the Flacons lost 43-48. As you can imagine, this loss was particularly upsetting for the high school seniors on the team. One of these seniors, Hailey Monroe, could be seen crying. Sadly, it was in this same moment that her basketball coach decided to pull the teen’s hair.
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It seems there hasn’t been confirmation as to why her coach, Jim Zullo, chose to attack her in this way. Some sources say it’s because she was getting emotional, while others attribute it to a foul Hailey made earlier in the game. In any case, what Jim did is unacceptable. And one of Hailey’s teammates, Ahmya Tompkins, wasn’t afraid to let him know that. See how she responded in the video below.
@abcnewsaus A high school basketball coach was fired after he was captured on video pulling the ponytail of a player near Albany, New York. Northville coach Jim Zullo was seen pulling the hair of player Hailey Monroe after the side lost, apparently berating Monroe after a foul earlier in the game. Zullo later aplogised, saying in a statement obtained by local news outlet WNYT, '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.' Choose your news on the ABC NEWS app and stay in the know via the link in our bio. #ABCNews ♬ original sound – ABC News Australia
When an Angry Basketball Coach Pulls a Teen Player’s Hair, Her Teammate Bravely Stands Up to Him
As soon as the 81-year-old coach pulls the teen’s hair, Ahmya stands up for her. It was later revealed that this brave young woman is actually related to Jim — she’s his niece. Thankfully, their heated exchange isn’t where this story ends.
Soon after this moment went viral, Jim, who was once a widely revered basketball coach, was officially fired. This comes after he retired in 1999, only to come back in 2023. Since the incident, he has released an apology, noting that “under no circumstances” is it acceptable to “put my hands on a player.” He also added, “I wish I could have those moments back.”
While an apology is appreciated, players and fans alike are grateful that action was taken to ensure the future safety of these young players. They’re also making sure that Ahmya gets the praise she deserves. Standing up for her teammate was a brave choice, and it’s one that others should feel encouraged to make in similar situations.
“Kudos to the teammate chastising him and protecting her,” someone writes in the comments, with another adding, “Her teammate had her back, it takes guts to stand up to an aggressive adult. Good for her!”
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