PHOENIX — Liberty High School wrestler Ryder Fortenberry said he came forward with hazing allegations against the wrestling program in order to change the culture and protect his little brother.
During an interview on KTAR News’ The Chris & Joe Show, Fortenberry said a lot of things factored into his decision to come forward, but ultimately it was knowing his younger brother was going to face what he faced that led him to become a whistleblower.
“The thought of me graduating without any of the culture being changed that is directed by the coaches, they have an impact on the culture of the team, it wasn’t going to be changed by the time my little brother was going to be in the program, and I can’t protect my little brother, you know, that’s my job,” Fortenberry said Wednesday.
The hazing reportedly was sexual in nature, according to an Arizona Republic article published last week (WARNING: Story contains graphic descriptions).
Fortenberry, now 19, said he had personally seen the hazing going on since he was a freshman at Liberty, and said his older brother told him it was going on before that.
“And so, it took a while for me to come forward because who would believe me?” Fortenberry said.
Fortenberry first told his parents about the incident. They then went to the head coach, Eric Brenton, who failed to act.
Fortenberry collected hard evidence by way of two videos he captured. One was at an away wrestling tournament in Tucson.
“Some of the guys on the team were messing around in a hotel room and one of them held a wrestler down and pantsed him, including his underwear shorts, and so everything was revealed, and he didn’t cover himself up and thought it was a joke,” Fortenberry said. “The other video was actually before that, I think the day before, just before a wrestling duel and the same wrestler who was pantsed the day after this, he was humping another wrestler’s face.”
Fortenberry said normally his phone was in his wrestling bag outside the wrestling room and by the time he’d be able to go get it, the incident would have stopped happening.
Brenton, who also teaches history, was placed on paid administrative leave last week.
In a text message, the coach acknowledged hazing as “a rite of passage” to a student who had raised concerns. Later, when an investigation took place, the coach said, “Boys will be boys” when asked about the incident.
Fortenberry said there were multiple cases of wrestlers who were abusing him and other wrestlers. He said they would threaten him by saying, “If you tell anybody, we’re going to beat you up.”
“That’s why it took me a while to come forward to my parents because it had been happening to me since freshman year,” Fortenberry said. “And it wasn’t until the start of junior year when I told my parents what was going on.”
Fortenberry said he did not talk to any of his teammates about what was happening because it was part of the Liberty culture. Fortenberry estimated it might have affected between 70 to 80% of the approximately 100 kids on the team.
Fortenberry encourages other victims to step forward and said his “loving brother” helped him and was with him “literally every step of the way.”
“What my brother and I experienced kind of bonded us together outside of what we were victimized to,” Fortenberry said. “We already had a great relationship. So, I would say your voices are heard, especially by people who can relate to you.”
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