Bergen Catholic coach David Bell coaching at the Doc Buchanan Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The wrestling program at Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey -- ranked No. 2 in the nation by InterMat at the end of the 2017-18 season -- has been hit with a lawsuit alleging sexual and verbal abuse of some student-athletes, and subsequent cover-up and failure to punish staff members reportedly involved in the alleged behavior.
The 29-page, 12-count lawsuit, filed in state Superior Court in Bergen County on behalf of a former Bergen Catholic wrestler, accuses school officials of conspiring to cover up sharing of pornographic images, coaches watching wrestlers strip naked, and sending inappropriate text messages to student-athletes.
In addition, the lawsuit alleges that officials at Bergen Catholic High and the Newark Archdiocese tried to protect the wrestling coaches from "criminal detection" in a "conspiracy to endanger children."
Accusations
The civil suit was filed in late March by the parents of a former Bergen Catholic wrestler who was dismissed by the team this past season. It was only made public Monday as those named in the lawsuit were officially notified, and was first reported by The Record and other outlets that are a part of NorthJersey.com, the website for New Jersey Media Group, a division of the Gannett Corp. which also published a story in its USA Today national newspaper.
The suit alleges the school's head wrestling coach, David Bell, made inappropriate comments to the wrestler, telling him he was "shredded," an apparent reference to his muscular build, and "texted and emailed Plaintiff that he loved him, as well as other highly inappropriate and sexual predatory behavior on a minor child." In addition, coach Bell was accused of "inappropriately undressed with minors and watched wrestlers, including Plaintiff, change in the locker room, which they were completely nude or partially nude."
This past December, an assistant coach, Dominick "Donnie" Spataro, showed "pornographic and nude photographs of himself and others on his mobile phone to Plaintiff and other minor wrestlers," according to the suit.
What's more, some Bergen Catholic wrestlers allegedly told administrators in January that a former assistant Bergen Catholic wrestling coach who had been "let go for bullying and other violations" more than a year ago was allowed back in the wrestling room.
Alleged cover-up
The former wrestler and his parents who filed the suit allege that the school's president, Brother Brian Walsh, threw him off the team after he complained of abuse during this past wrestling season, according to the suit.
The complaint goes on to allege that members of the Bergen Catholic administration, including the school's president, Brother Brian Walsh, principal Timothy McElhinney and athletic director Jack McGovern "knew or should have known about the harassment, abuse, intimidation and bullying of Plaintiff, especially after Plaintiff's parents raised these concerns, which were expressed both verbally and in writing, on numerous occasions."
The complaint alleges that the school did only a cursory investigation and never contacted authorities.
Response
Newark Archdiocese spokesman Jim Goodness told NorthJersey.com on Monday that Bergen Catholic officials notified the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, but did not say when the notification was made.
Brother Brian Walsh, Bergen Catholic High School president, issued a statement through a school spokesman, Steve Mangione, denying any wrongdoing.
"Let's be very clear that the administration has zero tolerance for the actions alleged in this complaint -- and consistent with our zero-tolerance policy and protocols, despite not having been served the complaint until today, the administration reported these allegations to the Archdiocese of Newark and the Bergen County prosecutor's office when it first learned of them," Walsh said.
An attorney for coach Bell had originally threatened legal action against The Record and New Jersey.com until served with papers Monday, but then told the media group that the lawsuit was baseless, that it made allegations that were "demonstrably false" and had been filed on behalf of a student-athlete who fell short of expectations as a wrestler.
"When people fall short far too often rather than taking accountability for their own shortcomings, they look to strike a blow at anyone they perceive is the reason for their failure," attorney Sean Pena wrote to The Record on behalf of his client. "This is not the first time Coach Bell has been baselessly attacked and regrettably it's unlikely to be the last."
An attorney for Spataro, Patrick Jennings, also initially threatened legal action against The Record and NorthJersey.com and said the allegations are "false, defamatory and made for an improper purpose." On Monday, he issued a brief statement denying that his client did anything wrong.
"Mr. Spataro did not engage in any improper behavior whatsoever," Jennings said in the statement. "The allegations against him are denied."
A couple Bergen Catholic mat alums weighed in with their opinions on the program and coach Bell.
People can say what they want to say about Coach Bell, but in the end, everyone knows how great of a man he is," senior captain Carmen Ferrante, a three-time state medalist who will continue his career at the University of Pennsylvania, told NJ.com. "He's a man of great character. I love him to death, and I don't see this ruining him. The whole Bergen Catholic community is going to be able to move past this. We have his back. We love him."
Johnny Sebastian, a 2014 Bergen Catholic grad who is now a redshirt sophomore wrestler at Northwestern, told NorthJersey.com, "I've never heard of any type of story like this. I got the blessing to be on Coach Bell's team."
The program
Bergen Catholic's wrestling program is one of the nation's best prep programs. The Crusaders finished the year ranked No. 2 in the country by InterMat, as well as several other wrestling publications and websites. The program claimed its seventh straight NJSIAA team title, and had three of its wrestlers win titles at the individual state championships in Atlantic City earlier this year.
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