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New Hamilton coach had hazing scandal on his last team

He denied being present for the incident.

CHANDLER, Ariz. - The new coach of Hamilton High School's football team is coming from a team with a hazing scndal in its past.

Mike Zdebski is coming to Hamilton from Walled Lake Western High School near Detroit.

In 2001, a player on Zdebski's team was reportedly tied to a pole, duct taped and beaten with sticks and pillows. The player's mother filed a police report, but charges were never pursued.

Two assistant coaches were fired from the team and five players suspended. Zdebski was not found responsible or at fault.

"At no time was I ever present for any of it," Zdebski said from Michigan on Tuesday. "The chief of police classified it as horseplay."

Former Hamilton head coach Steve Belles was removed from his job after six players were arrested as part of what police called a hazing "ritual" in the locker room. The players were accused of holding down other players and sexually assaulting them, according to police records.

RELATED: Police: Hamilton officials tried to suppress sexual hazing evidence

Police recommended charges against Belles and two other administrators for allegedly failing to report the incidents to police.

The Chandler Unified School School District sent a written statement saying officials were aware of the 2011 incident in Michigan, but that they were satisfied with how it was resolved.

Zdebski formally begins his new job in February.

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