A Clovis high school water polo coach allegedly threw pen at player, now faces lawsuit
A former Clovis West water polo player is suing the school district and one of its coaches after she allegedly hit him in the face with a marker pen, cutting his chin.
The 17-year-old male student filed the lawsuit Sept. 9 in Fresno County Superior Court against his former coach Hillaree Bennett. He is suing for battery, emotional distress and negligence on the part of the Clovis Unified School District.
Clovis Unified spokeswoman Kelly Avants said the district had not received a copy of the lawsuit and could not comment.
The former varsity water polo player alleges Bennett routinely used foul language and demeaned players by calling them lazy and saying they lacked character.
“Bennett’s angry emotional abuse of the players came to a head on Aug. 28, 2019 when she lost control of herself and threw a marker at Plaintiff, splitting his chin open,” according to the lawsuit.
Efforts to reach Bennett for comment on Monday were not successful. But her lawyer, Jeff Hammerschmidt said the lawsuit doesn’t reflect reality.
“Based upon my investigation of the case the allegations in the Civil Complaint do not accurately depict what occurred on August 28, 2019 and thereafter,” he said.
The plaintiff’s lawyer Kara Hitchcock said the student was humiliated in front of the other student athletes. He also did nothing to provoke the coach, who was shouting at all of the athletes, the suit says.
“He had his head down while she was yelling and then she threw a marker at him,” Hitchcock said.
After the incident Bennett allegedly tried to convince the plaintiff’s parents not to tell anyone about it, but they filed a police report.
In turn, Bennett retaliated against him by removing him as a starting player and putting him on the bench, effectively ruining his final season of high school water polo, the lawsuit alleges.
Hitchcock said it was a difficult decision for the teenager to file the lawsuit, but he did not want the mistreatment of future players to continue.
“He is a good kid and comes from a good family, and he recognized what happened was wrong,” she said. “And someone had to stand up and say this is enough.”
The teenager is currently attending Iona College in New Rochelle, NY on an academic scholarship. The freshman is also playing water polo for the college’s team.
Bennett was charged with misdemeanor battery in early February but that case was recently dismissed by the Fresno County District Attorney.
Bennett will no longer be the school’s boys water polo coach. She resigned effective Sept. 17. In her email to parents and players, she thanked them for their trust and support.
“This personal decision did not come easy for me, as I believe we have grown exponentially as a team and a community the past 3 years under my helm,” Bennett wrote.
“I am certain that I have left the program better than I found it and I know the athletes I have had the pleasure of coaching, are better people, not just better water polo players. However, I have made the decision to focus on my career in Educational Counseling for myself and my family.”
