Lawsuit Filed Against Former Mustang Baseball Coach

<p>A recent Mustang High School graduate is suing the district,&nbsp;claiming he was bullied by the baseball coach.&nbsp;</p>

Monday, June 6th 2016, 10:06 pm

By: News 9


A recent Mustang High School graduate is suing the district, claiming he was bullied by the baseball coach.

The teen said things only worsened once his father stepped in and addressed the issue with administration.

The district plans to fight what it calls a lawsuit without merit, but the boy's father says it’s a legal battle the district could have prevented.

At first, problems Riley Thomas appeared to be having on the field with head coach Scott Selby didn't seem out of character for an athlete.

“Riley was coming home with problems and telling me about coaches, situations where they had been hard on him and i said no big deal, that's part of sport,” Riley's father Dack Thomas said. 

Dack Thomas' views on these issues changed when stories about Selby continued. Riley told his father the coach would belittle him in front of the other players during practice.

“The point hit one evening when he broke down in tears and was crying and I looked over to him and I was like, 'man, what am I doing?'” said Dack Thomas.

Dack Thomas addressed this issue with the coach, Mustang High School's principal and even the superintendent in hopes of settling this issue. But Dack Thomas said it only made matters worse.

“They decided to make up a fake tryout that they've never had before ever and they made one up just so they could cut Riley off the team,” said Dack Thomas.

Riley underwent surgery on his foot on the day of tryouts. His father said he played in pain because Selby wouldn't let him tryout at a later date.

When Riley didn't make the team, the lawsuit claims "he fell victim to personal harassment, bullying, isolation, criticism, mocking and discrimination" from Selby.

After tryouts, Riley received a text message from a former teammate, saying, "Selby want me away from you ... Selby doesn't want me around you." 

“It grew fast, and once they on him, they stayed on him,” Dack Thomas said.

As for Selby, he decided to step down on his own from his coaching role, but remains the assistant athletic director.

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