A New York girls’ basketball coach has been fired after a video surfaced of him yanking one of his player’s ponytails during a recent game.
Jim Zullo, the former coach of Northville High School’s girls’ basketball team, was fired for the actions that took place in the final moments of their New York Class D state championship loss over the weekend.
Zullo had a storied career as the head coach of the Shenendahowa boys basketball team for 26 years and led them to a state title in 1987. In 2006, he was inducted into the state Basketball Hall of Fame.
He has since issued a public apology.
A recent article from the Times Union detailed the coach’s actions and the response from the school administration. Below is an excerpt from the Times Union article.
“I deeply regret my behavior following the loss to La Fargeville Friday night in the Class D state championship game. I want to offer my sincerest apologies to Hailey and her family, our team, the good folks at Northville Central Schools, and our community. 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 am grateful for the opportunity to have coached girls’ basketball at Northville for the past two years, especially last season, which was a difficult time for our family. I am super proud of every one of these young women and what they accomplished. I know each of them will go on to do great things and I wish them well.”
