Victor Valley High School in Victorville, California, sat out its scheduled game against Brea Olinda on Friday night after the school suspended its entire varsity football team, including the coaching staff, for one week.
The suspension stems from conduct following last week’s Bell Game victory over rival Apple Valley, when the team’s mascot made an obscene gesture toward the opposing team and its fans.
The school’s principal and the district’s superintendent addressed the incident in a joint statement.
“There is a clear line between passionate competition and unacceptable conduct. That line was crossed.”
The statement elaborated on what happened after the game.
“Members of the Victor Valley High School football team behaved in an unsportsmanlike manner toward the opposing team and its fans, including offensive gestures and language. As a result, the VVHS varsity football players and coaching staff are suspended for football activities for one week.”
The statement went on to describe the school’s expectations going forward.
“There will be accountability. There will be reflection. And there will be a clear expectation that this cannot happen again.”
Administrators also pointed to a broader responsibility tied to the coaching staff, who were included in the suspension along with every player on the roster.
“Our responsibility as educators is not simply to develop better athletes, it is to develop better human beings.”
The school has not released additional details about what specifically occurred beyond the mascot’s gesture and the accompanying language cited in its statement. The team’s suspension applies to all football activities for one week, sidelining the entire squad and coaching staff from Friday’s game against Brea Olinda.
