Seventeen football players at Roswell High School branded themselves in a show of solidarity this past season, and an assistant coach who attended the rituals has resigned amid a county investigation, school officials confirmed.

Mario Hansbrough, the defensive coordinator for the north Fulton school, made a weekly routine of taking players off campus, behind the school, on Thursday nights and overseeing as they branded red-hot paper clips that left an inch-long scar on the chest of defensive players who were set to start that Friday, according to athletics department officials, including head coach Tim McFarlin.

McFarlin said the players had seen a branded fraternity Greek letter omega on Hansbrough's shoulder, and decided to do something similar as a show of defensive solidarity.

He said Hansbrough talked the kids into using small paper clips instead of something more drastic.

"I'm disappointed he was there," McFarlin said. "He used poor judgment, but I know his heart and I know he didn't do one thing to hurt kids. He was doing this because the kids were intent on doing something anyway. We all make poor decisions at some point in life. If it was up to me, I'd retain him, but I know the liability issues here."

An anonymous caller told the Fulton County school superintendent's office of the brandings, school officials said. The matter was turned over to the Fulton County athletics office, and Hansbrough resigned during the investigation.

When contacted Wednesday, Hansbrough declined to comment, as did the parents of several players.

McFarlin said the kids who participated saw it as sort of a badge of honor. He said he didn't know about it until the investigation surfaced in mid-December.

Hansbrough is respected by the players on the team and has been a role model for them, several parents said. He's also highly regarded as a history teacher, they said.

Rest or article

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution