An upstate New York high school basketball coach just went from leading a team to losing his job—all because he couldn’t keep his hands off a ponytail.
81-year-old Northville High School coach Jim Zullo apparently mistook a basketball court for a hair salon because, after his team’s loss on Friday, he was caught on camera yanking player Hailey Monroe’s ponytail like he was trying to start a lawnmower.
The Shocking Hair Grab Heard ‘Round the Gym
Monroe was already crying—probably over the game, or maybe just the sheer tragedy of 2000s fashion making a comeback—but Zullo decided to make things worse by giving her an unsolicited hair pull. The clip shows Monroe trying to break free while another player steps in like, “Umm, Coach, this is not the WWE.”
Witnesses say Monroe had fouled out before this mess even happened, and honestly? She probably thought that was the worst part of her night. Plot twist: It was not.
Coach Zullo’s Excuse? Not Great.
When asked about his behavior, Zullo pulled the classic “blame the teenager” defense. He told reporters Monroe cursed at him when he instructed her to shake hands with the opposing team—so, naturally, he figured the appropriate response was to yank her by her hair like a disappointed grandmother.
The School District Was NOT Having It
The Northville Central School District responded faster than you can say “ponytail snatch,” releasing a statement making it clear that yanking students like a frustrated toddler is not in the coaching handbook.
Not only is Zullo fired, but he’s also banned from coaching anywhere in the district. (Might be a good time to pick up a hobby, Jim. May we suggest knitting?)
The Investigation? TBD.
As of now, authorities haven’t confirmed if they’ll be looking into this—but we’ve reached out for updates. In the meantime, Monroe’s ponytail is safe, and Coach Zullo is presumably somewhere googling “How to Apologize to Teenagers.”
