A state investigation is under way at a high school in Massachusetts into allegations that hockey players were denied food and water as punishment for losing games, school officials said.
The state Department of Children and Families has notified Andover High School principal Philip Conrad of an active investigation regarding “possible neglect” by three boys hockey coaches who were placed on leave Wednesday, according to a statement obtained by The Post.
In one alleged incident, the students were forced to complete a “punitive conditioning session” and weren’t allowed to drink water during that time following a practice after the team lost a game. In a second alleged incident, the students were “denied food as a punishment” after losing an away game, according to the statement.
“Andover Public Schools is fully cooperating with the DCF investigation and will additionally conduct its own investigation following the conclusion of the DCF investigation,” the statement said.
Thursday’s statement follows an announcement Wednesday that three boys hockey coaches at the school, including the varsity head coach, have been placed on administrative leave.
“Principal Conrad took this action after receiving information that certain coaching methodologies may have been used for the hockey program which, if true, are not in the best interests of our student athletes,” school officials said in a statement. “None of the coaches are school district staff members.”
The coaches, who were not identified in the statement, were immediately placed on leave pending the outcome of an investigation. The school’s junior varsity hockey coach, Peter Loring, has been named interim head coach for the varsity squad.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our most important priority, and I am disheartened to hear of the allegations against members of our coaching staff,” Conrad said in a statement.
Conrad did not return a message seeking comment Friday.
that attempts to reach the former boys varsity coach, Chris Kuchar, were unsuccessful. He had been in his fourth season at the school, according to the newspaper.
But a manager for the team denied the allegations against Kuchar, saying he never pushed players “over the limit” or forced them to do things detrimental to their health.
“There’s water at practice, and players can drink water whenever they want,” senior Pete Stylos told the newspaper. “They were never denied food; they were denied water because it’s always there for them.”
A spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families confirmed to The Post on Friday that an investigation was under way regarding coaches at Andover High School.