Jim Zullo, the 81-year-old girls’ varsity basketball coach at Northville High School in New York, has been dismissed after a video surfaced showing him pulling the ponytail of senior player Hailey Monroe. The incident occurred on March 21, 2025, immediately after Northville’s loss to LaFargeville in the New York Class D state championship game. Monroe, the school’s all-time leading scorer, had fouled out and was visibly emotional on the sideline when Zullo approached her, grabbed her by the hair, and appeared to yell at her in front of players, coaches, and fans.
The moment was caught on video and quickly went viral, prompting an outpouring of criticism from parents, former athletes, and school officials. In response, the Northville Central School District announced Zullo’s termination, calling his behavior “completely unacceptable” and emphasizing that player safety and respect are non-negotiable.
In a public statement issued days later, Zullo apologized for his actions, expressing deep regret and acknowledging that he had made a serious error in judgment. He apologized directly to Monroe, her family, and the Northville community, saying that while emotions ran high, he should never have touched a player in anger. Zullo said he hopes the incident does not overshadow Monroe’s stellar high school career and the team’s accomplishments.
Law enforcement has since become involved in the case. Zullo was issued an appearance ticket for second-degree harassment, a violation-level offense under New York law. He is scheduled to appear in Troy City Court later this month. Authorities said that although the player was not physically injured, the act was “intentional and inappropriate,” warranting legal attention.
Zullo, a Hall of Fame coach inducted in 2006, is known throughout the state for his decorated coaching career, including a boys’ basketball state championship with Shenendehowa High School in 1987. He was hired by Northville in 2021 to revive the girls’ program and quickly led the team to multiple sectional championships. His sudden fall from grace has shocked many in the local sports community.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association has not yet announced whether it will review its policies or take further action in light of the incident. Meanwhile, Hailey Monroe has received public support from fellow athletes and parents, many of whom are urging schools to implement stricter safeguards to prevent incidents involving inappropriate coach-player interactions.
Sources:
- https://nypost.com/2025/03/24/sports/coach-breaks-silence-after-hair-pulling-incident-goes-viral
- https://www.the-sun.com/sport/13855654/high-school-basketball-coach-new-york
- https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/former-coach-jim-zullo-issues-apology-pulling-20236765.php
- https://www.timesunion.com/hssports/article/jim-zullo-issued-ticket-harassment-pulling-20237680.php
- https://www.timesunion.com/hssports/article/unacceptable-northville-coach-fired-yanking-20235334.php
- https://people.com/high-school-basketball-coach-fired-after-getting-caught-on-video-pulling-girls-hair-11701727
- https://nypost.com/2025/03/22/us-news/high-school-basketball-coach-fired-after-yanking-girls-hair-my-jaw-was-on-the-floor
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8f7eqMJZZc
- https://abc7chicago.com/post/new-york-high-school-basketball-coach-fired-pulling-players-hair-following-state-championship-game/16076473
- https://apnews.com/article/northville-coach-state-final-fired-d5ff0042944f9537a0e894232b6c03f5
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyENkZBKTG0
