Confrontation on football field leads to forfeited game, coach’s suspension

Coach, who’s been reinstated, says he understands principal’s decision

HAYWARD >> Hayward High School’s principal isn’t saying exactly what happened during a confrontation on the campus’ football field last week, but the incident was apparently serious enough to cause the school to forfeit its Friday night game against Skyline High School and suspend its football coach.

Principal David Seymour refused Monday to divulge what occurred at the team practice Tuesday, only that it involved students. There were reports on social media that it involved football players and some students who were not on the team, and unconfirmed reports that a team member followed and possibly fought one of the students later.

Some players told this news organization a student who sat in the bleachers during practice started walking across the field and words were exchanged after the coach told him to leave because the team was practicing. They said the student made a vague threat about shooting.

Seymour said he learned of the confrontation Wednesday after being contacted by angry parents.

The principal said there was a lot of miscommunication between him and the coach afterward, and he decided to cancel the football game as a safety precaution while investigating what happened.

“I stand by that decision,” Seymour told a group of about 60 parents and students who attended a late afternoon meeting Monday in the school’s cafeteria. “I will always err on the side of what I think is right,” he added.

“I wrestled with this a long time. I hope in my entire life I never have to do that again,” he said of forfeiting a game.

Seymour announced during the meeting that football coach Justin Redemer was reinstated, news that prompted the students to cheer.

Redemer, who was at Monday’s meeting, said he understood the principal’s decision to cancel the football game. “It was a matter of protecting the integrity of the football program,” he said in an interview afterward.

“Adversity, when you overcome it, just makes you stronger,” he said.

Paul Fukofuka, whose son is on the team, said after Monday’s meeting, “I think it’s something we can build on. … Unfortunately, this happened, but it’s also a learning curve for our kids.

“It’s important we use this as a steppingstone to get our kids on the right track.”

The coach’s suspension prompted an online petition demanding his reinstatement. The petition was signed by more than 1,300 people as of Monday.

But the players said after Monday’s meeting they were ready to put the incident behind them.

“It’s time to move forward,” varsity wide receiver Asi Bailey said.

Fellow wide receiver D.J. Johnson agreed. “It was really weird, him not being there,” he said of the coach’s absence at practice.

Redemer, who teaches English, has been coaching the football team for eight years.

“I appreciate all the support and all the energy you guys put forward,” he told those attending Monday’s meeting. After the meeting ended, the coach was mobbed by students who hugged him.