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By WTAP-TV, Parkersburg
High school football season kicked off Friday, and already there's some off-the-field controversy between two rivals.
A video making its way through You Tube and Facebook shows a St. Marys Blue Devils' coach burning a t-shirt of the opposing Ritchie County Rebels.
Some describe the video, which takes place in the locker room, as typical locker room etiquette, but others say it's unacceptable.
Rebels fan and youth football coach, Shawn Cole is no stranger to the game. When watching the video on-line, he says the content wasn't surprising.
"We do things a lot like that here. We have our own bonfires where we've wrote every excuse we can think of, put them in a dummy and threw the dummy in the fire to get rid of the excuses," Cole said.
While several parents who wouldn't go on camera say videos like this set poor examples, Cole's issue is the location it was shot in.
"I would never start a fire with my kids in a locker room, on a floor in a school building, but that's just me," he said.
As he trains the area's youth before hitting high school and taking on their rival, his advice:
"Take care of business on the field. That's all that matters. Take care of business on the field," Cole said.
The Pleasants County board of education is aware of the situation. Superintendent, Dr. Joseph Super says there is an ongoing investigation.
"When we get to the bottom of it, we'll do what's right," Dr. Super said.
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