Beloved Coach Fired After Grabbing Star Player’s Hair (Video)

A respected high school basketball coach with decades of experience was abruptly fired Friday night after he was caught on live TV grabbing a teenage girl by the hair during a heated postgame moment.

The incident, which has now gone viral across social media, shows 81-year-old Coach Jim Zullo — a longtime figure at Northville High School — yanking the ponytail of senior player Hailey Monroe, moments after the team’s crushing playoff defeat at Hudson Valley Community College.

In the footage, Monroe appears visibly emotional as Zullo confronts her, reaches out, and violently jerks her head backward. He then continues to berate her as stunned players and viewers looked on.

The Northville Central School District has announced the firing of high school girls basketball coach Jim Zullo.

In the below video from the NFHS Network's stream of Northville's loss in the Class D state title game, Zullo is seen pulling the hair of senior Hailey Monroe. pic.twitter.com/nkFxEVmeJW

— Griffin Haas (@Griffin__Haas) March 22, 2025

“My jaw was on the floor. They’re high school girls, for crying out loud,” said Alyssa Leroux, a spectator who recorded the moment off the television broadcast. “That was beyond out of line.”

Monroe, a senior and the team’s all-time leading scorer, had just fouled out in the final minutes. Teammates say she had been holding back tears on the bench as the clock ran out. “She gave everything to that program,” one classmate told local press. “She’s the reason they got that far.”

According to WRGB News, Zullo became irate when Monroe allegedly refused to shake hands with the opposing team. Zullo later told News10 ABC: “She swore at me when I told her to go shake hands. That’s when I reacted.”

But critics say the reaction crossed a line — especially for a man entrusted with the care of minors.

Zullo was more than just a coach. For over 40 years, he’d built a reputation as a no-nonsense leader and fierce competitor. He was well-known across upstate New York as a fixture in high school sports — a man who pushed his players hard and demanded discipline. But that legacy came crashing down in seconds.

In a public statement late Friday, the Northville Central School District condemned the behavior, calling it “deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable.” “This individual will no longer be coaching for Northville,” the district wrote. “We are reaching out to support the affected students and their families.”

District officials confirmed that an internal investigation is underway and that the school is working with local authorities to determine whether further action is warranted.

The dramatic fallout has ignited a fiery debate. Some former players defended Zullo’s old-school coaching style, saying he demanded respect and accountability in an era where those values are fading. “That man was like a second father to us,” said one former athlete who played under Zullo in the early 2000s. “He was tough, but he cared.”

But others say a line was clearly crossed. “You don’t lay hands on a student. Period,” said parent Brian Carson, who watched the footage online. “That’s not discipline — that’s assault.”

With Zullo now out, Northville’s basketball program faces uncertain days ahead. Monroe has not yet spoken publicly but is reportedly receiving support from family and school counselors.

The story has sparked nationwide discussion about the changing standards in youth sports, the role of authority figures, and where discipline ends and abuse begins.

One thing is clear: In just a few seconds, a celebrated coaching career was erased — and a small town is left asking how it all went so wrong.

DEVELOPING STORY: Check back for updates as this situation unfolds.