A high school basketball coach from a small town in upstate New York made headlines this week after being filmed pulling a player’s hair.
Jim Zullo, aged 81, returned to coaching in 2023 after a successful career that earned him a place in the state Hall of Fame, taking the helm of the Northville High School girls’ basketball team.
The incident took place on Friday during the girls’ basketball Class D state championship, where the Northville Falcons were defeated 43-48 by the La Fargeville Red Knights. Senior player Hailey Monroe was visibly upset, seen crying during the livestream of the game provided by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Observing Monroe’s emotional response while the teams awaited medal presentation, Zullo reacted by grabbing her ponytail and yanking it before appearing to reprimand her. Another player, identified by Albany news station WNYT as Zullo’s niece Ahmya Tompkins, intervened by placing herself between Zullo and Monroe, at which point the two were seen exchanging remarks.
Here’s what we know about the now-viral video.
Who is Jim Zullo?
Jim Zullo has been coaching for over 40 years and was inducted into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. He coached for 26 years at Shenendehowa, claiming the state title in 1987.
Zullo has been involved in New York high school basketball for more than four decades, retiring in 1999 before returning to coach the Northville High School girls’ basketball team in 2023.
Throughout his career, he achieved over 500 wins and led the Falcons to the state championship game in consecutive years after his return from retirement.
See video of the incident
Zullo apologizes, expresses regret
On Sunday, Zullo issued a public apology to WNYT, explaining that Monroe had used an expletive in response to his request for her to shake hands with the opposing team after the game.
“I sincerely regret my actions following our loss to La Fargeville in the Class D state championship game. I want to extend my deepest apologies to Hailey and her family, to our team, the wonderful people at Northville Central Schools, and our community. As a coach, there should never be an excuse for putting my hands on a player, and I am truly remorseful,” Zullo’s statement said.
“I wish I could go back and change those moments. I am thankful for the opportunity to have coached girls’ basketball at Northville for the past two years, especially last season, which was a challenging time for our family. I am incredibly proud of all these young women and their achievements. I know each of them will go on to accomplish great things, and I wish them all the best.”
Zullo terminated, cited for harassment
Zullo was dismissed following the widespread attention the video garnered. The Northville school district issued a statement on Sunday expressing their awareness and deep concern regarding Zullo’s conduct.
“We expect our coaches to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, sportsmanship, and respect towards our student-athletes. This behavior is completely unacceptable,” the statement added.
“The district is dedicated to ensuring that such behavior is not tolerated within our programs, and we will continue to promote the values of respect and integrity expected by our athletes, families, and community. This individual will no longer serve as a coach within the Northville Central School District.”
Hudson Valley Community College, where Friday’s game took place, has launched an investigation into the matter alongside local law enforcement. According to a Facebook post from the college’s public safety department on Saturday, a complaint for second-degree harassment was filed on Sunday, and Zullo was issued a court appearance ticket for the misdemeanor charge.
NYSPHSAA releases statement
The New York State Public High School Sports Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) also issued a statement on Monday.
“The NYSPHSAA commends the prompt action taken in response to this incident, including the immediate dismissal of the coach involved,” said executive director Dr. Robert Zayas. “At NYSPHSAA, we uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship, respect, and the well-being of our student-athletes. It is regrettable that this incident has overshadowed what should be the primary focus — the remarkable accomplishments and commitment of the student-athletes throughout the season. Their dedication, hard work, and perseverance deserve recognition as the true embodiment of high school athletics.”
