Eight Texas high school students are hospitalized after being forced to do 400 push-ups

Eight Texas high school students were hospitalized after being forced by a football coach to do 400 push-ups in an hour without a break.

Rockwall-Heath High School football coach John Harrell has been placed on administrative leave after he reportedly forced students to do 300 to 400 push-ups in an eighth hour period on Friday.

A mother, who asked not to be identified, claimed the football players were forced to complete the intense workout without water breaks, according to Fox 4 News.

She said her son has been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis — the breakdown of muscle tissue that can release harmful proteins into the bloodstream, which can lead to kidney damage or failure.

It is unclear what the other seven students were diagnosed with. None of the players’ identities have been released.

Rockwall-Heath High School’s head football coach John Harrell has been placed on administrative leave after Friday’s practice session

Eight soccer players were hospitalized after being forced to do 300 to 400 push-ups in an hour. Parents claim the students were forced to complete the strenuous workout with breaks

Addressing the situation on Monday, Principal Todd Bradford wrote in a letter to parents of student athletes: “On Monday 9th January 2023, several parents reported that their students subsequently required medical attention and in some cases hospitalisation. Please note that the district took immediate action to address the situation and support our students.’

It also advised parents to inform their students to see the coach if they find they “can’t bend or straighten their arms, can’t raise their arms overhead, dark urine (tea or cola color ) and have sharp arm pains”. and abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, confusion or lethargy.

“Student safety is a top priority for Rockwall IDS and we will continue to take prompt and appropriate action in the best interests of our students as we address this situation,” the letter reads.

The Dallas-based school has also launched a third-party investigation into the incident and said students who attended classes Monday completed a light, non-strenuous workout.

Despite the terrifying situation, some players defended Harrell, saying he wasn’t trying to harm the students but was trying to teach them discipline.

The Dallas-based school has launched an investigation into the incident and has warned students to see the school’s coach if they have trouble straightening or raising their arms or if they have had dark-colored urine

Player Barry Luff, who was at practice, told Fox 4 News: “He treated us with nothing but respect and he loves each and every one of us as his own.”

Luff also told the WFAA that Harrell was at the hospital “all night with these guys” to make sure they were okay.

“He would never make us do a workout because he thought it would put either of us at risk,” he told the outlet.

His mother also defended the coach, saying she would have “been the first person in the principal’s office” if she thought anything was wrong.

Harrell was promoted to head coach in January 2022 and has been with the school since 2019.