Parent files Superior Court complaint against Marblehead football coach

Michael Morris, the father of a former Marblehead High School football player, filed a complaint against the high school football coach, Doug Chernovetz, in Essex Superior Court on Thursday.Morris, a Marblehead resident, released the nine-page document through his attorneys, Gerard F. Malone and Michael F. Neuner, both of Boston. In the complaint, Morris requested that the court order Chernovetz to avoid contact with Morris’ son, Timothy, who is currently a junior at the high school. Morris also asked the court to order the coach to refrain from any harassment of Morris’ son.”This is the first I heard about it,” said Marblehead school superintendent G. Paul Dulac when reached by phone on Thursday evening. “I’ll check it tomorrow. I’ll have a response when I see the complaint and figure out what’s going on.”Michael Morris, Chernovetz, and Marblehead High athletic director Michael Plansky all did not return phone messages on Thursday.The lawsuit apparently stems from Morris’ son’s decision to stop playing football for Marblehead after eight games last year, as well as the after effects of that decision. Morris wrote that “Upon information and belief,” his son was one of 13 student-athletes to leave the team that season “due to the aberrant behavior of Chernovetz.”In the suit, Morris detailed this behavior, which included use of profanity and ethnic slurs against players. (He did not mention the coach’s illegal use of chewing tobacco during that season, which earned Chernovetz a two-game suspension for 2008.) What affected Morris more directly was a subsequent meeting he and his son had with Plansky on Nov. 13, 2007, in the school athletic office.”The Morris family requested a meeting with (Plansky) to discuss Morris’ transition to playing basketball at MHS and to assure him of Morris’ strong commitment to the basketball team,” the complaint reads. “The Morrises (sic) were concerned that the head basketball coach may question (Timothy Morris’) commitment because of fears that Chernovetz may disparage Morris’ reputation.”While father and son waited outside Plansky’s office to meet with the athletic director, the complaint continued, “Chernovetz repeatedly passed back and forth by the office, looking at them in a menacing manner.”The next day, according to the complaint, Chernovetz confronted Timothy Morris in the school and yelled at him regarding the meeting, accusing him of vindictiveness and drug and alcohol abuse.”Throughout this encounter with Chernovetz, Morris feared for his physical safety,” the complaint reads.