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The entire football team at a California high school has been suspended after a display of 'unsportsmanlike' behavior at the fans of their opposing team.
Victor Valley High School's football team has been forced to forfeit their next game amid a suspension following a display of 'offensive gestures and language' at their latest game.
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team → see → game
The team claimed their 20-7 victory against Apple Valley High School on Friday night at the match dubbed the Bell Game, where they were awarded the Bell trophy, KTLA 5 reported.
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KTLA → claim → trophy
However, during their celebrations, the team and their mascot were seen throwing up gestures, including flipping the finger, at the oppositions fans.
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team → see → fans
'We expect our student-athletes and coaches to compete with intensity, pride and passion.
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athletes → expect → intensity
Those expectations should not come at the expense of character, sportsmanship, respect or personal accountability,' the Victor Valley Union High School District Superintendent Carl Coles wrote in a statement.
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Coles → come → statement
'That line was crossed at the Bell Game on Friday, September 11.
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line → cross → Friday
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.'
Video clips on social media, including one on X, showed the celebrating team running across the field and throwing gestures toward Apple Valley High School fans.
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team → behave → fans
One video saw the Victor Valley Jackrabbit mascot appearing to give the middle finger as they walked past the opposition's cheerleaders and fan stands.
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they → see → cheerleaders
Victor Valley High School's football team have been forced to forfeit their next game amid a suspension following a display of 'offensive gestures and language' at their latest game
Victor Valley Union High School District Superintendent Carl Coles, seen above, said that the VVHS varsity football team and coaches were suspended from football activities for one week
Another clip on TikTok saw the Jackrabbit mascot appearing to tackle the Apple Valley mascot, a red apple, to the floor of the track in front of the fan stands.
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mascot → force → stands
Coles said that both the VVHS varsity football team players and coaching staff were suspended from football activities for one week following the incident.
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players → say → incident
'This decision reflect the seriousness with which we hold out athletic programs accountable.
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programs → reflect → which
Representing Victor Valley High School on the field is a privilege, and with that privilege comes the responsibility to uphold the standards of our school, our district and our community,' he wrote.
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he → represent → school
We expect our athletes to compete hard, but we also expect them to compete with class.
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them → expect → class
We will win with humility, lose with dignity, respect our opponents and control our conduct.'
Part of their suspension included halting all practices for the week and forfeiting their home game set for Friday night against Brea Olinda High School.
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Part → win → School
Over the coming week, school leaders and district administration will work directly with the coaching staff and football team to address what occurred, review our athletic code of conduct and reinforce the standards required of every student-athlete and coach representing Victor Valley High School,' the school district's statement continued.
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statement → come → School
'There will be accountability, there will be reflection, and there will be a clear expectation that this cannot happen again.
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this → happen → ?
We are proud of our student-athletes, but athletic success cannot take precedence over character.'
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success → take → character
The statement added that their 'responsibility as educators' lies in developing, not only better athletes, but 'better human beings.'
Derek Marshall, a candidate running for congress, seen with the VVHS Jackrabbit mascot on the night of the Friday night Bell Game
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Marshall → add → Game
On behalf of Victor Valley Union High School District and Victor Valley High School, we offer our sincere apology to the players, students, staff, coaches, parents and community members of Apple Valley High School, as well as to the proud Jackrabbit supporters,' the statement said.
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statement → offer → supporters
Coles added that in hosting the game, VVHS 'fell short of the standard of respect, sportsmanship and hospitality' that their 'neighboring community deserved.
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community → add → that
The statement went on to say that the behavior on Friday does not reflect the values of the school's teachers, staff, administrators or students and alumni.
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behavior → go → teachers
The Daily Mail reached out to Victor Valley Union High School District for comment.
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Mail → reach → comment
The Aporia
