Several school football players have been hospitalised after their coach forced them to perform up to 400 push-ups in an hour as a punishment.
According to a letter the school sent to parents, the coach, Rockwall-Heath High School's John Harrell, was now on leave while an investigation was conducted by a third party.
The incident happened on Friday January 6 during an athletic class at the elite public school just outside Dallas, Texas.
Local news outlets reported that at least eight students were hospitalised after the extreme workout.
According to the Dallas Morning News, one mother who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, claimed her son was forced to do 300 to 400 push-ups with no water breaks.
The student had subsequently been hospitalised and diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, which can cause kidney damage or failure.
It was not clear what the other seven students were diagnosed with. None of the players' identities had been released.
In spite of the dramatic outcome, some of the players defended Harrell. The coach had not been trying to harm his players, but to teach them discipline, one player claimed.
Player Barry Luff told Fox 4 News: "He's treated us with nothing but respect and he loves every single one of us like his own."
Luff also told WFAA that Harrell was at the hospital "all night with those boys" to make sure they were okay.
"He would never made us do a workout thinking that it was going to put any of us at risk," he said.
School management explained in the letter to parents that they learned about what happened on Monday and took "immediate" action.
“Please know the district immediately implemented measures to address the situation and provide support for our students," the letter read.
“The district is also taking interim action, including but not limited to, placing Coach Harrell on administrative leave while the investigation is pending and notifying appropriate outside agencies.
"District administrators and campus personnel have been in contact with the affected families and student-athletes."
John Harrell has been the Rockwall-Heath's head football coach for a year and had been part of the school's program since 2019.
He had also coached at other schools in north Texas.
