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The mother of a Yutan High School basketball player who was punished for not scoring enough points said she believes her son's coach should be replaced.
Kristi Peitzmeier said Tuesday that a two-game suspension was too light a consequence for the actions of varsity coach John Arensberg.
Peitzmeier told the Yutan school board that her freshman son was embarrassed when Arensberg gave him a haircut in front of his teammates after a December game against West Point-Beemer.
“I think he should be removed from coaching,” Kristi Peitzmeier said. “He had no right, no permission, to do anything of that kind.”
Yutan Superintendent Kevin Johnson said he could not comment on the matter because it was a personnel issue.
Johnson said school officials investigated the complaint and that policy was followed throughout the process.
He said the administration's handling of the situation was endorsed by school board members during a closed session Monday night.
Attempts to reach Arensberg for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Peitzmeier said she was told by her son, who is still on the team, that Arensberg expected an easy win over West Point-Beemer in a Dec. 29 game. The coach went so far as to tell certain players how many points they must score.
Yutan won the game 49-48.
“This isn't about us being disgruntled over playing time or anything like that,” Peitzmeier said. “This is about a player being humiliated in front of his teammates.”
She said the coach cut a second player's hair a week later.
Peitzmeier said she complained to school officials about Arensberg's actions. She then went to Johnson, the superintendent.
She sent letters to each school board member describing the situation. A special meeting was arranged for Jan. 16 and the suspension was announced Jan. 19.
Peitzmeier said her son's haircut was given in the school gymnasium. He did not speak up at the time the haircut happened, she said, because he didn't know what to do.
“He told me, ‘Mom, what could I do? He's my coach.'”
Contact the writer:
444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com
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