A mysterious sideline incident during a Connecticut high school football game led one head coach to quit before the final gun on October 23, it has been revealed.
Stamford High School coach Donny Panapada ‘engaged in exchanges with our student athletes and demonstrated poor judgement while coaching the first half of the game against [Fairfield] Warde,’ according to principal Matthew Forker’s email to parents.
The exact nature of the exchange remains unclear. The Daily Mail has sought comment from Panapada and school district officials. Panapada declined comment to CT Insider.
That email, obtained by CT Insider, was sent Tuesday to ‘provide closure’ following Panapada’s abrupt resignation, according to Forker. The principal went on to explain that athletic director Chris Passamano spoke with Panapada, coaches, and players ‘to better understand the circumstances surrounding coach Panapada’s decision to resign mid-game.’
Panapada reportedly remained on site but did not coach in the second half as Stamford fell, 42-14.
‘Confrontational exchanges with student athletes during a game, in front of a large crowd of families from both schools, followed by an in-game announcement of his resignation and a decision not to resume coaching responsibilities, are inconsistent with the standards we expect from those entrusted to lead our student athletes,’ the email read.
Stamford coach Donny Panapada ‘engaged in exchanges with our student athletes and demonstrated poor judgement’ by quitting, the principal said in an email to parents
Panapada quit during a recent game at Stamford’s Boyle Stadium (pictured in 2023)
Forker went on to write that Panapada expressed remorse for his actions. But as far as any reversal for the school or Panapada, Forker explained that was not a possibility.
‘[There was not] a viable path forward for coach Panapada to rescind his resignation and resume his role as head coach,’ Forker told parents.
Forker did describe Panapada as ‘a positive influence in their children’s lives,’ adding that ‘those contributions are not diminished by the circumstances surrounding his resignation.’
‘However, a head coach has a responsibility to lead by example and conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the student athletes, coaching staff, and the entire school community, no matter the circumstances,’ Forker wrote.
Currently 3-3 and mired in seventh place in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference [CIAC] Class LL standings, Stamford will now move on to play undefeated St. Joseph’s on Saturday. Led by future Wisconsin Badger Will Zaccagnino, St. Joseph’s is the second-ranked team in Connecticut.
Stamford, the school that produced Hogan’s Heroes star Bob Crane and conservative commentator Candace Owens, has actually been playing football since the late 19th century. Former NFL linebackers Craig Bingham and Garry Cobb both played for the Black Knights, as did retired journeyman guard Vladimir Ducasse.
