In late December, a significant behavioral incident involving members of the Hastings Varsity Wrestling team resulted in the team’s season being terminated in early January. Following the team’s suspension, on January 5, the district’s Athletic Director Andrew Wendol with Principal Mr. Andrew Clayman and other administrators formed and enacted the Wrestling Restorative Support Program. According to the Wrestling Program Update presented to the Board of Education on March 2, 2026, the Support Program was implemented to “address misconduct, repair harm, support student-athletes, and restore the integrity of the program while maintaining accountability.” The Support Program was intended to balance the interests of holding student-athletes accountable for their actions with paving a clear path for the reinstatement of the team.
When the program was shut down in early January, members of the team who were not involved were unaware of the circumstances that caused their season to be cancelled. Sophomore varsity wrestler Joe Drake recounts how “people ask[ed] him ‘why would you do that’ and saying [such actions have] ‘no place in Hastings sports,’” despite the fact that he was not involved and was unaware of the activities that caused the season to be cancelled. Drake explained that the whole team had to register publicly for a state-run hazing program.
Many members of the wrestling team were upset by the blanket approach the administration used when informing the community about the situation and felt that they were unfairly associated with the conduct and stigma surrounding the team, which took a toll on them mentally. Principal Clayman explained that “it is always difficult to inform a community about important things that happen that the community needs to be aware of, while still protecting the privacy of the individuals” and that the administration struggled balancing not singling out the students who committed the action and not having students be “involved by association.”
The Wrestling Program Update explained that administrators felt it was necessary to further address the misconduct when “following the initial disciplinary response and subsequent team meeting, it was apparent that students struggled to take ownership of their behavior and understand the severity of the incident and its possible ramifications.” To provide a pathway to bring the time back, while also holding athletes accountable, the Wrestling Restorative Support Program was introduced.
Athletic Director Wendol explained how the administration felt that cancelling the wrestling team’s season was not the best course of action “after getting to know the student athletes better, learning everyone’s involvement, and lack thereof, and the intent behind the incident.” Principal Clayman explained how the unique “format of wrestling allowed us to be a little bit more creative about how we addressed” reinstating athletes, allowing members who were not involved to rejoin the team faster than those who were involved with the incident.
Although the team was reinstated, the Wrestling Program Update shared the consequences for the behavior. The team was forced to forfeited all league matches, individual athletes were not eligible for postseason and individual awards, and the team saw reduced practice and competition time. At the March 2, 2026 Board of Education meeting, Vice President of the Board of Education Jodie Meyer shared how, after hearing many wrestlers and families of wrestlers speak, she found it “troubling to hear that wrestlers who were not even present that day who were severely penalized” by the initial cancellation of the season and the consequences imposed on all team members.
When Mr. Wendol and Principal Clayman presented to the Board of Education on the status and outcome of the Support Program, Board of Education members questioned how the incident, which was originally categorized as “hazing,” was now being described as an incident involving students fooling around with “no malicious intent.” Board of Education member David Barone emphasized the importance of “being consistent in the use of language when we talk about these incidents, so the students understand the growth of it as well.”
When asked about the change of language surrounding the situation, Principal Clayman said “it has never been the administration’s position that it was not [hazing].” However, Mr. Wendol’s statements at the Board of Education meeting reinforced his opinion the behavior “wasn’t to that extent of hazing,” potentially invalidating the extent of the behavior.
While the Board of Education presentation introduced the idea that all harm had been was restored, many members of the team and their families still felt damaged by the lack of communication and blanket approach to the situation. The Board of Education concluded its March 2, 2026 meeting by deciding to continue discussing in private the matter and the handling of communication surrounding the incident.
