Burroughs High School in Burbank has canceled the varsity baseball season after a drinking incident on spring break in Arizona resulted in discipline for players and coaches, according to multiple media reports on Tuesday.
"An adult coach purchased beer and made it available to students while in their hotel rooms," the school said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. "Eleven team members admitted to drinking beer during this incident. Seven team members admitted to being aware of the beer but not participating in the drinking."
Eighteen players were disciplined and four coaches, including head coach J.R. Schwer, were fired as a result of the incident during a trip to a tournament in Arizona. An assistant was responsible for buying and distributing the beer, the Burbank Leader reported.
"I first found out about it Friday when I was approached by Burroughs administrators at our practice," Schwer said, according to the Leader. "We had other coaches and an administrator who were on the trip with us, and they didn't even know about it.
"I do my best to hire the best coaches that I can, and we do everything to take care of the kids. For a coach to do what he did ... I don't think the kids have to suffer by having their season taken away from them ... I just feel terrible for the kids."
Burroughs principal Emilio Urioste Jr. told the Leader: "It's very hard then to say that this person ... was more culpable than another. Really, the best decision was to say that this is a serious matter ... and the right thing to do was to suspend the players, forfeit the season and say that we absolutely need a new coaching staff."
A police report has been filed with the Burbank Police Department, according to the Times.
Eleven students have been suspended five days from school and four weeks from the baseball team. Seven other players were suspended two days from school and four weeks from the team.
The varsity team will forfeit its remaining games, while the junior varsity will continue to play.
Former Burroughs coach Jose Valle will serve as interim coach.