Corps Members Injured by NIU Football Players

from Catherine Burr , other sources

 

Dekalb, IL: As Don McClean's song 'American Pie' said, "the players tried to take the field, but the marching band refused to yield." It was a little different on Thursday July 12, when members of the Capital Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps were hurt when several members of the Northern Illinois University Football team hit them on the NIU football field. There are several reports below from NIU, The Chicago Times, The DeKalb Press, and MSNBC.

NIU football fracas puts band on the run
Chicago Times

Two hurt in melee between drum corps, football players
DeKalb Daily Chronicle

Football team, Drum Corps do battle
MSNBC

From the NIU Public Affairs Office:
OFFICIAL STATEMENT RE: JULY 12 INCIDENT AT HUSKIE STADIUM
The administration of Northern Illinois University and its athletic department today express "deep regret" over an incident Thursday in which members of a Drum Corps Midwest unit from Columbus, Ohio were injured. A disagreement between drum-and-bugle-corps directors
and athletic staff working with about 20 NIU football players escalated into an incident in which some
players ran through a crowd of practicing musicians. At least three musicians were injured; one athletic staff member and one football player were subsequently arrested.

"I am deeply disturbed by this incident and want to personally apologize to members of the Corps and their families," said NIU President John Peters. "This is totally unacceptable. There is no excuse for what happened, and I want to assure all involved that extremely serious measures have been and will be taken to ensure that those responsible are appropriately restrained and disciplined."

"We are very concerned about the health and well-being of the young musicians involved, and I want to assure them and their families that the university's first and foremost concern is their welfare," he added. Administrative staff have been assigned to personally attend to the needs of all those involved, while university police continue their investigation into the incident.

According to NIU officials, the staff member involved has been suspended, and all the student athletes involved will be disciplined appropriately based on the results of the investigation.

NIU football coach Joe Novak echoed Peters' sentiments.

"I am extremely disappointed in the individuals involved," Novak said. "We strive to be responsible
members of the university community and good ambassadors for NIU - this incident runs contrary to
what I know are the values of our team. We will fully cooperate with this investigation and take whatever disciplinary actions are called for. Again, we deeply regret this incident," he said.



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