ROSWELL - An assistant football coach at Roswell High School in Fulton County has resigned during an investigation in the branding of 17 football players.
Mario Hansbrough routinely took players off campus on Thursday nights and oversaw them as they branded with red-hot paper clips the chest of the defensive players who were scheduled to start Fridays, school officials, including head coach Tim McFarlin, said.
The players had seen a fraternity letter brand on Hansbrough's shoulder and wanted to do something similar in solidarity, McFarlin said.
``He used poor judgment, but I know his heart, and I know he didn't do one thing to hurt kids,'' McFarlin said. ``He was doing this because the kids were intent on doing something anyway.''
He added the assistant coach made the players use paper clips instead of something more painful.
McFarlin said many parents he spoke with continued to support Hansbrough, who had been a coach at Roswell High School for eight years.
Thursday
June 12th, 2025
7:23AM
