{"id":497677,"date":"2026-10-16T04:22:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T04:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/497677\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T04:22:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T04:22:35","slug":"water-polo-hazing-scandal-rocks-elite-california-high-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/497677\/","title":{"rendered":"Water polo hazing scandal rocks elite California high school"},"content":{"rendered":"

A top-ranked California high school water polo team<\/a> is embroiled in a hazing scandal after players allegedly harassed teammates in a hotel room during an out-of-town tournament, leaving some injured and triggering a school district investigation.<\/p>\n

A leaked email from Long Beach\u2019s Wilson High School coach Zac Polmanteer to parents detailed the alleged incident in the San Jose area last weekend, according to the Long Beach Post<\/a>, which obtained the email.<\/p>\n

\u201cMultiple student athletes were subjected to humiliating and physically harmful acts. Some athletes sustained injuries from being physically struck by their teammates,\u201d Polmanteer wrote.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

A California high school water polo team is embroiled in a hazing scandal after players allegedly harassed teammates. Long Beach Unified School District<\/p>\n

The coach did not disclose the number of students involved or the extent of the injuries from the attack.<\/p>\n

The Long Beach Unified School District<\/a> confirmed it was investigating the incident, saying hazing had no place in its schools or athletic programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cHazing is not allowed and has no place in our schools or athletic programs,\u201d a district spokesperson said. \u201cWilson High School continues to reinforce expectations for student safety and respectful conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n

The district said it was limited in what it could disclose while the investigation continued, citing confidential student and employee information.<\/p>\n

The team had secured two victories on the first day of competition before most of the players reportedly gathered in a hotel room on Friday night.<\/p>\n

The coach said he was informed the following day of noise complaints and warned players about breaking curfew and their general conduct. He did not learn of the alleged hazing until the team returned to Long Beach on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis level of behaviour is shocking, unacceptable, and completely contrary to everything we stand for as a program,\u201d Polmanteer wrote.<\/p>\n

Zac Polmanteer is the Wilson High School water polo coach who alerted parents of hazing taking place in San Jose. WILSON BOYS AQUATICS<\/p>\n

Players who travelled on the trip were interviewed individually on Monday by the school\u2019s athletic director and several water polo coaches.<\/p>\n

The email said school administrators and coaching staff devised consequences, including suspensions from school and water polo, alongside a plan to prevent similar incidents.<\/p>\n

\u201cHazing is a cultural problem, even when only a handful of athletes directly participate,\u201d Polmanteer wrote.<\/p>\n

He said players and parents were required to sign agreements explicitly prohibiting hazing<\/a> as a condition of participating in the program.<\/p>\n

Members of the Wilson High School boys\u2019 water polo team subjected some of their teammates to violent hazing. Long Beach Unified School District<\/p>\n

The fallout was apparent on Tuesday when Wilson faced Long Beach Poly, with 13 players listed on the team\u2019s September roster absent from the lineup, including the majority of the seniors who had previously made up the Bruins\u2019 starting squad.<\/p>\n

It remained unclear how many absences were linked to disciplinary action over the alleged hazing, injuries or other reasons.<\/p>\n

Polmanteer referred to a \u201csituation that occurred at school\u201d when asked about the absences, but declined to say whether the missing players would return this season.<\/p>\n

Wilson ranked fourth in the CIF Southern Section\u2019s first playoff rankings of the season, last updated on September 28.<\/p>\n

Wilson High School and the Wilson Boys Aquatic Foundation have been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n

The incident comes amid a separate high-profile case involving California high school water polo. Former Harvard-Westlake player Lucca Van der Woude<\/a> was arrested over allegations involving teammate Aidan Romain.<\/p>\n

In a lawsuit filed in March, Romain accused Van der Woude, the son of a Hollywood director and a former Olympic water polo prospect, of months of racist harassment and sexual abuse while they played together on the Los Angeles school\u2019s team. Van der Woude gave a deposition in the case in August.<\/p>\n

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n

California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a>
California Post Sports Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, X<\/a>
California Post Opinion<\/a>
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!<\/a>
California Post App: Download here!<\/a>
Home delivery: Sign up here!<\/a>
<\/a>Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t