The Kingfisher High School football team was brutalizing children in ways that had nothing to do with football.
the truth behind kingfisher football
A History of Abuses under Head Coach Jeff Myers at Kingfisher High School
2005
Law Enforcement Investigation for Child Abuse.
2007
Coaches Wager on Fights Between Players Inside the Locker Room (continued through 2021)
2008
Sexual Assault in Football Locker Room. Reported to Administration, but No Investigation or Documentation. Not Reported to Law Enforcement.
2010
Myers Abuses Injured Player in Football Locker Room. Doctor considers pursuing child abuse charges. Parents Hire Attorney and Make Official Complaint to School Board. Watch Deposition.
2015
Second Known Sexual Assault in Football Locker Room
2017
Upperclassmen Football Players Whip and Beat Underclassmen with Coaches’ Knowledge (continued through 2023)
Upperclassmen Football Players Urinate in Underclassmen Player’s Helmets and Freeze Them (continued through 2018)
Weapons Present in Football Locker Room, including Tasers, Stun Guns, Paintball Guns, & Pellet Guns (continued through 2018)
2018
Coaches Participate in Fights with Players Inside Football Locker Room
Third Known Sexual Assault in Football Locker Room
2019
Fourth Known Sexual Assault in Football Locker Room since Jeff Myers Came to Kingfisher
2020
Law Enforcement Opens Investigation for Child Abuse
A Former Football Player Commits Suicide
2021
Football Player Sexually Harassed by Jeff Myers
Former Football Player Attempts Suicide
2022
Former Football Player Makes Second Suicide Attempt
2023
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation opens investigation for Child Abuse
Felony Criminal Charges for Child Neglect against Jeff Myers
Felony Criminal Charges for Child Abuse and Perjury against Micah Nall
$5 million settlement against Kingfisher High School — the Largest Settlement in Oklahoma History Against a School by One Plaintiff.
The Truth
Kids trust their authority figures.
87% of parents say their child considers a coach to be a role model. (Source: FlipGive)
& PARENTS WANT TO TRUST THEM, TOO.
We trust our coaches to mentor and help our children become healthy, confident young adults. And we trust the people who run our schools to keep our children safe.
until they stop being trustworthy.
At Kingfisher, Jeff Myers, Micah Nall, and others abused that trust. And oversaw a culture of fear, violence, and abuse. Which the administration implicitly supported and protected.
Let's take a look at what happened through the eyes of a victim.
More than 25 witness statements were given from former players confirming stories of abuse. 4 known sexual assaults. 1 suicide by a former player abused by Myers. Another suicide attempt by a former player who was sexually assaulted. This is one boy’s story →
Something was off...
In 2017, 14-year-old Mason starts his first season with the Kingfisher High School football team.
He’s unaware that this would mark the beginning of four years of physical and emotional abuse from the teammates and coaches who should have supported and protected him.
He’s 5’5” and around 110 pounds–one of the smallest kids on the roster–but he makes up for it with quickness and toughness.
He would quickly learn that something was off.
"I knew something wasn’t right during our very first practice with full pads,” Mason said. “When it was my turn for the Oklahoma drill, Coach Eaton didn’t select another freshman.
Instead, he chose 2 large seniors who were varsity starters. When one of them hit me, it took me to my knees. While I was on my knees, the second player drilled me in the back extremely hard and I was laid out."
This was an ominous beginning for a young freshman just looking to play football. And things were about to get worse.
What happens in the locker room...
Mason faces abuse and assault from upperclassmen almost daily, getting repeatedly beaten and whipped in the showers and locker room on a near daily basis, often until he bled.
If Mason has a problem in the locker room, head coach Jeff Myers doesn't want to know. Rather than stepping in to stop it, the coaches wager on fights between players in “The Ring” and laugh at Mason’s injuries.
In Oklahoma, coaches have a legal obligation to protect the players under their supervision. But that doesn’t matter to Myers or his assistants: Micah Nall, Derek Patterson, and Blake Eaton. Instead, they build a culture that makes it known to other players that Mason is a target.
“It was an understanding on the team that people could abuse Mason and get away with it. The coaches never did anything to stop the abuse.” — Keaton Abercrombie
That culture is so strong, other players are afraid to speak up or stand up for Mason, even when they worry it could make him suicidal.
As a hopeful 15-year-old freshman who loves football, Mason’s hurt, but if he can just make it to his sophomore year, maybe things will be different.
..stays in the locker room.
In 2018, Mason prepares for his sophomore season.
The abuse continues to escalate. Mason is repeatedly shot with a paintball gun and threatened with a pellet gun, in addition to ongoing beatings, whippings and torture. One day, he’s beat so brutally in the shower that one player finally feels he has to act and helps Mason stand while he’s bleeding and bruised.
Mason’s dad discovers audio of a player in a football team group chat on Snapchat threatening to kill Mason's mom if Mason talks about his experience. After being beaten and whipped for over two years inside the football locker room, Mason takes the threat from a senior captain seriously.
He begs his father not to say anything in hopes that things will improve.
Because most of his primary abusers—the ones who harrassed, bullied and sexually assaulted him—are related to Kingfisher’s school administrators and teachers, Mason fears the repercussions and retaliation his family might face.
Until it Affects Your Entire Life
During Mason’s sophomore season, multiple upperclassmen teammates sexually assault him in the locker room.
Four players gang tackle Mason each grab an arm or leg and hold him down. Despite fighting with every ounce of strength he has, Mason can’t escape the four upperclassmen.
While four teammates hold him down against his will, a senior on the team squats over him, naked. Placing his bare butt on Mason’s face, the player begins to grind his butt and scrotum on his face.
The day after the assault, the coaches call a team meeting and tell them to keep quiet — “We don’t want to be another Putnam City West” — and refuse to discipline any of the players involved. When questioned about this incident under oath in his deposition, Jeff Myers rejects that this was sexual assault, and instead refers to it as “butt stamping.” In fact, when asked if the same violent act were to take place in his locker room next week, would he report it to law enforcement (as required by law)? Myers clearly stated that he would not.
Throughout his high school years, Mason’s teammates continually humiliate him and remind him of the assault.
While dealing with abuse, assault and hazing, Mason stays quiet. In the end, he just wants to play football.
Mason’s parents start to ask about the bruises. Mason tells them about some of the locker room incidents — but not the sexual assault — and begs his parents not to report them.
Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress, a larger percentage than for any other violent crime.
79% of survivors who were victimized by a family member, close friend or acquaintance experience emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
"Throughout my freshman and sophomore year of football I was repeatedly beaten, whipped, tazed with a stun gun, shot with paintball gun, threatened with a pellet gun, mocked, ridiculed, humiliated, demeaned, embarrassed and worst of all sexually assaulted all inside the football locker room. Not only were the football coaches aware of these acts, they often encouraged them, wagered on them, laughed at them and condoned the attacks."
More than Just Mason
What Mason doesn’t know at the time is that he isn’t the only player on the Kingfisher Football team to experience sexual assault.
Players had been victimized under Myers’ leadership going all the way back to 2008, with at least three other players experiencing sexual assault — all in the exact same manner as the assault before them, indicating this form of sexual assault is a learned behavior in the culture created by Jeff Myers.
There had also been a prior investigation by law enforcement of child abuse under Myers’ leadership in 2005.
Mason and his family will learn more about the history of abuse and assault under Myers over time, but after the assault, Mason just feels alone and unsafe, in the dark.
“When viewed in total, Kingfisher ISD and the Defendant Coaches’ conduct in not only failing to address the bullying, hazing, harassment and abuse in the football program, but also in actively promoting and participating in that abuse, shocks the conscience. In my 30 plus years of experience in the field of school athletics, I have never seen a program so poisoned – from top to bottom – with such a toxic, abusive and dangerous culture. The indifference to the health and safety of Mason and other boys in the Kingfisher football program is beyond callous. It shows that these Coaches intended – they wanted – Mason to suffer.” – Raymond Salvestrini, Expert Witness with over 30 years’ experience in school administration, coaching, and serving as an athletic director; as well as a former collegiate and professional athlete
Enough is Enough
In 2019, Mason’s junior season begins. He breaks his hand early in the season, but even the day of his surgery, he still commits to attending the game that evening to support his team.
While recovering from his injury, during practice one day, from just 3 yards away, Myers throws the ball at Mason as hard as he could underhanded while Mason isn't looking (Audio Recording: Jeff Myers). This incident was observed by several witnesses who all confirmed that Myers threw the ball hard, hitting Mason in the genitals.
The groin injury has lasting effects, forcing Mason to have surgery on his testicle in May 2020 to fully repair it—about 7 months after Myers hit Mason with the ball.
This incident prompted Justin and Lyndy to take action. Concerned with what’s happening, Mason’s parents meet with Myers at his office on October 25, 2019.
They show him the picture of Mason's back, and tell him about the whippings, beatings, the ring, stun gun, paintball gun, and pellet gun. These incidents violate two of the four zero tolerance policies listed in Kingfisher Public Schools’ handbook: no bullying or hazing, and no weapons of any kind.
Despite this, Myers doesn’t discipline anyone for the violations of the zero tolerance policies that took place in his locker room. Nothing was reported. Nothing was documented.
At this point, Mason’s parents don’t know that Mason’s been sexually assaulted, but Jeff Myers does.
And he says nothing about that as well, covering up another sexual assault.
Watch Jeff Myers' Deposition
To the Bitter End
In 2020, Mason’s senior season begins.
In a scrimmage just before the start of the season, Mason, now the starting running back, breaks his collarbone on a carry. In severe pain, Mason jogs over to the sidelines, but Myers orders him to go back in and finish the series — which Mason does. Myers has a history of forcing players to play when injured.
Before the first away game of the season, Myers orders Mason to ride the bus designated for freshman for all away games, solely to humiliate and embarrass Mason. He is the only upperclassman required to do so. When he asks Myers why, the answer is “Because I said so.”
At the end of the season, Mason’s Kingfisher football career is finally, mercifully over.
A Duty to Change…
After graduating, Mason makes the decision to open up fully to his parents.
After graduating, Mason makes the decision to open up fully to his parents. He tells them about the sexual assault and details the abuse, harrassment and torture he endured.
Mason decides that he’s ready to share his story. Now that he’s graduated, he’s safe.
As a family, they begin their journey to report Mason’s experience to school leaders, in hope that they will remove Coach Myers so other boys and their families can be safe from the culture of abuse.
But that would prove to be easier said than done.
…Even if it means Going Alone
Mason’s family meets with Kingfisher school personnel on multiple occasions. They repeatedly attempt to resolve the problems without lawyers involved: simply asking for Jeff Myers’ removal as both coach and teacher.
In response, the school continues to delay, stall, and ignore the family. They constantly reschedule meetings and mediation, all while leaving Myers in his position without pursuing an investigation or disciplinary action.
Between October 2019 and July 2021, the Mecklenburg family made 11 attempts to resolve the issue directly with school administration, but were repeatedly ignored, turned away or delayed by board members, the Superintendent, and the Athletic Director.
View the full timeline of all attempts at resolving the issue here.
Finally, after years of no productive communication with the school — and with no accountability for Jeff Myers — Mason filed a petition with the courts suing the Kingfisher School District, Jeff Myers, Micah Nall, Derek Patterson and Blake Eaton. The family hopes this will prompt the school into action, and still wants to resolve the issue outside of the legal system, asking only for Jeff Myers' removal.
In January of 2022, with over five months passing with zero communication from the school district still, Mason has no choice but to file an amended petition with the courts that provides the full details of the abuse Mason faced under Myers’ leadership. Their goal is still only to have Myers removed from his coaching and teaching position — to ensure no player ever experiences what Mason did.
Because the school refused to engage in any meaningful discussion, Mason issued a settlement demand of $1.5 million to force the school to address the abuse.
The case proceeds into federal civil court where the investigation intensifies and more abuses are uncovered over the next 2 years. Three weeks before the federal trial is scheduled to begin, Kingfisher Schools settle for $5 million. Nearly 2.5 years and over $1.4 million in legal fees incurred and the school settles before the trial begins as the Superintendent of Kingfisher schools admits that the school agreed to the settlement when their lawyers advised them that they had no chance of winning a jury trial.
The superintendent of Kingfisher schools admits that the school agreed to the settlement when their lawyers advised them that they had no chance of winning a jury trial.
By the Numbers:
Over a case that lasted 2.5 years and cost KISD over $1.4 million in legal fees:
As of May 2024, the Kingfisher School District settlement is one of three known major settlements of a civil case against an Oklahoma school district over the course of just six months.
The Aftermath
And yet, Jeff Myers is still on the payroll at Kingfisher High School. Inexplicably, the board of education recently voted unanimously to re-hire Myers for the 2024-2025 school year. He still has an active teaching certificate in the state of Oklahoma.
Consider this:
- Current Felony Criminal Charges for Child Neglect for Jeff Myers
- Current Felony Criminal Charges for Child Abuse and Perjury for Assistant Coach Micah Nall
- 3 Law Enforcement Investigations for Child Abuse
- 4 Known Sexual Assaults
- Suicide/Suicide Attempts
- Cost KISD and tax payers over $6.4 million ($5mm settlement + $1.4mm legal fees)
- State Superintendent and the Oklahoma State Department of Education have moved to revoke Myers’ teaching certificate (pending)
- Re-hired by KISD
Until Jeff Myers, and the administration who knowingly covered up multiple parent complaints and allegations against Myers, are held accountable — the community can’t heal and move forward and children remain in danger.
It’s time to act!
You can help us hold accountable the people responsible for this culture of abuse.
template to Demand Jeff Myers’ Removal
Jeff Myers oversaw the culture of abuse. We can’t end it while he’s still there–in any role. Or in any role where children are involved. We’ve created a template for you to send to demand his removal.
see the full timeline
Learn more about the timeline of events and the full details of the case.
Learn about hazing
Learn more about ending hazing through fact sheets, statistics, and more resources from StopHazing.org.
Additional Resources for Mental Health
Explore resources about mental health — available for yourself, a teammate, child or student.
988 Mental Health Lifeline
988 is a direct, three-digit lifeline that connects you with trained behavioral health professionals that can get all Oklahomans the help they need.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
