SHELTON, Wash. — Shelton High School parents and an attorney said in a span of 30 minutes, at least five students were injured during an unplanned football drill at the direction of the head football coach and other coaching staff.
Students who play football for Shelton High School and their parents detailed to KING 5 what happened on Jan. 31.
They said football coaches came into a weightlifting class and took the students to a wrestling room to practice a new tackling drill without pads or helmets.
"I was trusting my coach and as it kept going it got worse and worse and more aggressive and I thought it was unsafe," said Masyn Gard, a player at Shelton High School.
"I saw someone get their head slammed into a wall and then after that my finger got dislocated. The doctor told me the bones were shaved together and it could not work the same for rest of my life," said Marshall Gard, who also plays football at Shelton High School.
Some players suffered serious head injuries like 15-year-old Jackson Leth, who said he's recovering from a concussion.
"Coach told the other players no one was tackling me and they needed to do better. I was running to the other wall and got off a tackle from another kid and another kid grabbed from the back and picked me over his head and slammed me on my head," said Jackson Leth.
The school district said the incident is under investigation and that the involved coaching staff members have been placed on administrative leave.
Parents said they were scared when they got word their child was hurt, and furious when they found out how it happened.
"Each kid is going out there and giving it their all and hitting as hard as they can and he didn't think to stop this at all," said Chris Gard, father of Marshall and Masyn Guard.
"It's like an unsanctioned cage fight. It ridiculous this shouldn’t be allowed to happen," Gard said.
"When kids play football we know there is a chance that something can happen and that's with gear. It's insane that they did this in a classroom they really shouldn't have been in," Desiree Leth, Jackson's mom said.
Now parents are pushing back and called on the district and school board to hold the coaches accountable, even speaking out to the board in a meeting Tuesday night.
"It's negligent, it's purposeful, and should have never happened. I don't want them around kids anymore. Next time it may not be a concussion. It may be a broken neck, it may be a paraplegic or something worse. That's why we're fighting for this," said Aaron Leth, Jackson's father.
Parents say they are also seeking legal counsel.
An attorney said they also recently learned that the unplanned, unprotected football drill isn't the first time it has happened.
"We've learned through our initial investigation this isn't an isolated incident with this program, this school, or coaching staff," said Ben Nivison, an attorney with Rossi Vucinovich. "It's about creating a culture of accountability and ensuring there can be a change in the athletic department here and the leadership and that the district understand that’s their first and most important job."
A lawsuit has not been filed yet, but legal action is expected to follow.
Parents say they are hoping this never happens to another family, while their child's future could have lasting impacts.
"I know right now he may never play football again," Leth said, "and I've been coaching him since second grade with his brother."