Palo Alto assistant football coach placed on administrative leave after trying to ‘tackle’ opposing player

Palo Alto High assistant football coach Jason Fung has been placed on administrative leave after an on-field incident in a game last weekend in Atherton, the Palo Alto Unified School District told the Bay Area News Group on Wednesday.

Fung, who is also a physical education teacher at the high school, is being investigated by the school district for his actions during Palo Alto’s game on Saturday, when Fung grabbed the lower legs of a Sacred Heart Prep player after a tackle on the Palo Alto sideline.

“Palo Alto High School teacher and coach Jason Fung has been placed on paid administrative leave pending investigation,” district spokesperson Lynette White wrote in a statement to this news organization. “The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members is our highest priority. We are taking this matter seriously and are committed to ensuring all athletic events provide a safe, respectful environment for everyone in attendance.”

Palo Alto, in the midst of one of its worst seasons in program history, concludes its schedule Thursday with a road game against league-leading Los Gatos. If Palo Alto loses, as expected, the Vikings will finish 0-10.

The Bay Area News Group reported Tuesday that Fung is facing discipline for his actions, which included attempting to swat the ball away from an SHP player and seemingly trying to tackle him after failing to knock the ball loose.

This news organization saw video of the incident Tuesday and reviewed a new angle of the altercation on Wednesday. The second video shows Fung pushing a different SHP player after getting up off the ground following the contact he initially made with the SHP player who was holding up the ball.

Central Coast Section commissioner Dave Grissom said this week that suspensions following an ejection can last from one to six games. Fung and multiple players were ejected Saturday.

If the CCS determines Fung was ejected for fighting/assaultive behavior/gross unsportsmanlike conduct under California Interscholastic Federation bylaw 503.M, he faces suspension for the remainder of the season as well as up to six games next season.

If he is to return next year, he must also meet with the Palo Alto principal to “discuss future behavioral expectations,” and the principal must notify Grissom.

Atherton Police Department Commander Dan Larsen told the Bay Area News Group on Wednesday that the parents of both players that Fung made contact with have declined to press charges.

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Larsen said Atherton police sent three units to the scene and officers interviewed “all the parties that were there” and took a report.

Police remained on site for about an hour, and Larsen said his department considers the matter closed pending additional information.

“If some of the parents reach out and say they decided to file criminal charges, something like that, then we would do that,” he said. “But without that, yeah, the matter is closed for us.”

Larsen noted that to his knowledge this was the first time Atherton PD has been called for a disturbance at a football game.