Fall River football coach fired after hosting drinking party

Friday, November 5th 2004, 7:14 am

By: News On 6

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) _ A Fall River volunteer football coach was dismissed for hosting a drinking party after his team suffered a big loss to an archrival school, the school superintendent said.

Eric Kelly is accused of hosting 18 underage students at the Oct. 22 party in his home after Brockton High School beat B.M.C. Durfee High 42-to-7. Kelly also faces criminal charges of providing alcohol to minors.

Fall River Superintendent Richard Pavao said nine football players and five from the girls' soccer team that attended the party have been suspended from play for two weeks, but not suspended from school.

The other four students were not disciplined because they did not drink any alcohol at the party, he said.

``These are great kids in the wrong place, and made a bad decision,'' Pavao said.

Pavao said the suspensions were in accordance with Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association regulations prohibiting student-athletes from consuming, buying, selling or possessing alcohol.

The superintendent also said he took Kelly's name off the list of available school substitutes.