CHAMPION TWP., Ohio - The head coach of the Champion Flashes High School football team has resigned after being placed on administrative leave while school officials investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

Through a public records request, 21 News has obtained documents relating to an investigation sparked by complaints about Coach Timothy McGlynn from student-athletes, coaches, and members of the booster club.

One of those documents is a letter dated October 21, 2020, in which Superintendent John Grabowski informs McGlynn of the decision to place him on leave for the remainder of the football season and ordering him to have no contact with the team. The district will appoint a coach to finish the season.

According to the letter, athletes accuse McGlynn of misconduct and possible emotional abuse to the high school administration.

A summary of the allegations does not offer names of those making the claims due to privacy concerns.

Included are allegations from players that McGlynn has threatened to kill another coach and firebomb someone’s home.

Players also complain about how he treats them, alleging both verbal and physical abuse.

“When coach [McGlynn] hits you, it puts you into a place where you're like, wow, my head coach just hit me. And then he goes on to cuss at you as he's hitting you. And it's not a fun thing, it's not. It's degrading,” said one of the players.

"All of us talk about hushed tones about it. We all talk quietly because if he overhears us talking about how he screamed at us yesterday or he made fun of our families or he said he was going to burn our houses down, then we would face 30 times the amount of anger than we faced the day before,” according to a player.

The summary of allegations includes 27 comments. There is no indication of how many athletes were questioned.

“The nature of these allegations has required an extensive and thorough investigation to protect the students and staff that are involved,” Grabowski says in the letter to McGlynn.

Grabowski states that several of the allegations have been corroborated by other students and school employees.

“The amount of physicality in your coaching practices, and emotionally charged language are not acceptable in this District and counterproductive to the athletic experience Champion seeks to provide its student-athletes,” writes Grabowski.

The letter also says Football Boosters presented separate allegations of possible misuse of booster funds.

21 News spoke to Rocco Adduci, Superintendent of Newton Falls Schools where McGlynn is a teacher. Adduci expressed surprise to learn of the allegations in Champion describing McGlynn as an outstanding employee.

McGlynn was named Champion head coach in 2017 after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Warren Harding, after he was an assistant coach in Lowellville.

He coached Jackson Milton for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. Prior to taking the Jackson Milton position, McGlynn was an assistant at Hubbard and Austintown Fitch.

McGlynn has not responded to 21 News’ request for comment, but 21 News has obtained a copy of his resignation letter, in which he points to praise he's received from members of the community.

"I am not normally a person who listens to the 'hearsay' or gossip that goes around on social media, but I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that a postive comment from one of the pillars of the community, a student who has seen significant development athletically, or a parent who really needed their child to be a part of something positive, didn't mean something to me," McGlynn wrote in the letter.

McGlynn wrote that it was his intention to make the program successful during his three years with the district.