Published: April 03, 2008 11:31 am            

High school football coach suspended for chewing tobacco

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. — The high school football coach in this Boston suburb has been suspended for the first two games of next season for chewing tobacco in front of his team.



The punishment was meted out by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, the governing body for high school sports in the state, after reviewing a complaint from an unnamed person.



Coach Doug Chernovetz was accused of violating the association's rule covering banned tobacco products. Student athletes are prohibited from buying or using any form of tobacco and coaches are expected to also observe the rule when working with the players.



"I made a mistake; now I got to pay the price," Chernovetz said. "I will take my punishment like I should."



Mike Plansky, Marblehead High School's athletic director, said the incident should serve as a valuable lesson for the players.



"If you make a mistake, you own up to it, serve punishment, and then you move on and get a second chance," Plansky said. "It's part of their education."



Marblehead is best known as an upscale sailing community north of Boston. Native son Ted Hood won the 1974 America's Cup competition on the yacht "Courageous," which was built in Marblehead.



The high school football team, knwon as the "Magicians," won four games and lost seven under Chernovetz last season.





Bruno Matarazzo Jr. is a reporter for the Salem (Mass.) News. Contact him at bMatarazzo@salemnews.com.

        

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