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PORTLAND, Ore. — Westview High School’s head football coach has resigned after he faced accusations of waking up players on his team by shaking and slapping them early in the morning during a multi-day overnight football camp.
Coach Jamal Jones led the football team at the school in the Beaverton School District for just one year.
Players from various schools attended an overnight football camp on the Linfield University campus in McMinnville that started Saturday. On Tuesday at 4:30 a.m., McMinnville police officers responded to do a “welfare check” at the campus. Officers said initial information pointed to the head coach of the Westview team allegedly waking up students by slapping and shaking them while they were sleeping.
A parent talked to KGW over the phone on Wednesday who said she was furious, and said Jones hit her son.
The Beaverton School District said Tuesday afternoon Jones had been put on administrative leave, pending an investigation. On Wednesday, a letter from Westview’s principal sent out to families said Jones had resigned effective immediately.
“Our goal is to work to ensure our players and their families feel safe returning to the Westview football program and for our student athletes to be able to look forward to a successful season,” Principal Matt Pederson said in the letter. He added the school is looking for an interim head coach for the time being.
Jones is also a police officer with the Hillsboro Police Department. The Hillsboro Police Department said it is aware of the allegations against one of its officers, who was “not acting in the capacity of (a) Hillsboro employee” at the time. The department said he’s on leave, pending the investigation of the incident.
Jones has not been charged with any crimes. McMinnville police said it is actively investigating to determine if there are any criminal offenses.
Jones previously was the head coach at Franklin High School in Portland and at Arcata High School in California, where he was the head coach for six years, according to the Westview High School website.
McMinnville Police Department asks that anyone with firsthand knowledge of the incident that has not yet been contacted to contact the McMinnville Police Department, either through the front office at 503-434-7307 or through the non-emergency dispatch number of 503-434-6500. The reference case number is 24MP2141.
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