West Iredell Football Coach Excludes Senior Ezra Teague from Gifts for Choosing Wrestling Over Playoffs
Seems unfair!
December 21, 2026
This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on December 17, 2026
Recently, parents from Statesville, Monica N Eddie Teague, shared a post on Facebook about their son being excluded from senior gifts by his football coach.
Monica’s son, Ezra, is a senior at West Iredell High School who opted out of the football team’s final playoff games to focus on his wrestling season.
In response, the coach excluded him from senior gifts and made comments that the family considered unprofessional and unfair.
Mother Raises Her Voice for Her Son as Football Coach Excludes Him from Seniors’ Gift in an Unfair Way!
According to Monica’s post, the school officials cited a policy that requires students to complete a sport in its entirety.
They also warned the family that discussing the issue publicly could be considered defaming the coach and the program, implying serious consequences.
Monica Teague wrote that this policy prevented her from speaking freely about the challenges and injustices her son faced while on the football team.
The family shared that Ezra had a difficult football season. He reportedly endured bullying from some teammates, but he attended all practices, including optional summer sessions.
Despite his dedication, he was excluded from receiving gifts at the annual football banquet because he did not participate in the playoffs.
Monica and Eddie emphasized that their family has supported the team for years, contributing money, labor, and other resources, and have been active members of the Huddle Club.
In the post, the mother also shared a screenshot of the email she received from the department, which welcomed her to the dinner but stated that her son would not receive gifts.
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Monica replied to the email, saying it was unfair for her son to face such punishment for simply missing the playoffs.
Monica also explained that a local church traditionally gives each senior a Bible at the banquet, which Ezra would have received regardless of the team’s playoff performance.
She noted that the coach’s email seemed surprised that the family RSVP’d to attend the banquet, further highlighting the unprofessional treatment of Ezra.
Following the post, many commenters responded positively, saying it was quite unfair for the school department to act this way.
They offered support and sympathy to Monica and her son. One user in the comments wrote a message of encouragement saying;
That’s just dirty and wrong on so many levels!! The coach and whoever else is fine with this should be so ashamed of themselves. So sorry that it happened and the backlash he gets from those bullies.
In the same post, another user expressed frustration about the incident, saying;
Oh hell no!!!! I would go straight to the school board and make this coach AND the principal be held accountable for ALL the bullying, themselves included!!
A few others pointed out that the problem was not about the gift itself, but about recognizing the effort and dedication of all seniors, regardless of their participation in the playoffs.
While standing for their son, the Teague family continues to seek fairness and recognition for their son’s hard work and dedication to West Iredell High School sports.
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Nishan Dahal writes sports with a human touch, covering breaking news, athlete lives, and the stories that stats can't tell. Nishan believes every athlete has a story worth telling. With the goal of bringing those stories to life with honesty, heart, and a touch of curiosity, he shares his insights through PlayerBio.
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