Five Alvin High School seniors on the girls’ varsity basketball team say their coach left them behind after the final game at Dawson High School, turning a potentially meaningful senior night into a sour moment. Parents describe the action as petty and feel it overshadowed what should have been a bittersweet milestone for the players.
The five players captured the moment on their phones. One teammate recalled, “We were a little upset, so in the video at the end, we sounded a bit petty.” She also noted, “No one told us anything about, ‘Oh, we’re leaving — get on the bus.’”
According to the players, they discovered the team bus had already departed while they were taking photos after the game.
“We were all in shock. All we could do was laugh, though it wasn’t funny at all,” said senior Hayden Holloway.
A student on the bus reportedly tried to contact the coaching staff, but the girls say the head coach instructed them to stay behind. “The head coach simply said, leave them there,” Hayden recalled. Even when parents attempted to call, no one answered, the student added.
Parents expressed frustration, though not entirely surprise. “Before the basketball season, I warned her that she was immature and petty, and that such behavior would come back to bite her because you can’t treat kids that way,” said Amanda Holloway, Hayden’s mother.
KPRC 2 News reports the district has said the incident is under investigation.
“Everything is being investigated—that’s as much as we know,” a parent said.
The players say their plans to savor their final moments together as a team were spoiled. “Usually we sing songs on the bus and bring a speaker; we just have a lot of fun,” Hayden noted. Another player reflected that the coaching staff’s pettiness runs deeper: “It’s sad to say the pettiness and stuff goes way back.”
Both parents and players are urging disciplinary action against the head coach and others involved, and requesting the district to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Alvin ISD officials did not respond to KPRC 2 for comment.