Virginia High School Athlete Defends Herself After Baton Strike During Relay Race
A high school track and field athlete from Virginia is facing intense scrutiny and defending her actions after a video surfaced showing her hitting a competitor with a baton during a relay race. Alaila Everett, a senior at I.C. Norcom High School, maintains that the contact with Kaelen Tucker, a junior at Brookville High School, was unintentional and occurred during the heat of competition at the Virginia State High School League Indoor State Championships in Lynchburg on March 4.
The incident took place during the second leg of the 4×200 relay race. The video, which rapidly spread across social media platforms, depicts Tucker veering off the track and falling to the ground, still clutching her own baton, after being struck. The impact of the baton left Tucker with a concussion and a possible fractured skull, according to medical reports.
Everett vehemently denies any malicious intent. "I would never do that on purpose," she asserted in an interview with Good Morning America. "That’s not in my character." She explained that the close proximity of the runners during the curve of the track led to the accidental collision.
Tucker, however, recalls the incident differently. "That’s when she hit me with the baton," she told Good Morning America, nearly a week after the race. "I just felt a bang on my head and immediately fell off the track."
The aftermath of the incident has been fraught with controversy. Leslie Young, the Athletic Director at I.C. Norcom High School, has reportedly apologized to the Tuckers on behalf of the Everetts, but the Tucker family is still awaiting a direct apology from Everett and her coach. They expressed their disappointment to WSLS10, stating that despite the Everetts being present and observing the video replay at the event, no one offered an apology or checked on Tucker’s well-being. "Even if it was a fluke or freak accident, you still would check on her," the Tuckers emphasized.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Everett claims she attempted to reach out to Tucker via social media to offer an apology, but discovered she had been blocked, preventing her from sending messages.
Everett’s account of the events leading up to the baton strike differs from Tucker’s recollection. Speaking with ABC13, Everett explained that she lost her balance because Tucker allegedly crossed over into her lane prematurely. "We get to the curve, and I feel someone coming up on me," she said. "I’m running, and she’s just getting closer and closer to the point where she’s up on me. My baton is – her elbow, like her arm is literally hitting my baton so I lost balance."
According to Everett, the contact occurred as both runners were navigating the curve of the track. "My arm goes up her back, and my body twisted," she explained. "The curve is this way, and I have to run that way, so I’m like this in the air. I catch my balance and pump my arms. She’s cutting in, and so when I pumped my arms, she got hit. I’m sorry she got hit, but I didn’t do it intentionally."
The Virginia State High School League is currently conducting an investigation into the incident to determine the facts and whether any rules were violated. In the meantime, Everett and her family are grappling with the fallout from the viral video.
Everett’s track team was disqualified from the race, and she has become the target of online harassment, including threats and racist remarks. "Many threats, death threats, racist people," Everett said. "People making fake accounts to talk and harass me on my page."
Everett’s father, Genoa, strongly defends his daughter’s character, asserting that she would never intentionally harm another athlete. "It hurts because, man, y’all really picked the wrong child to criminalize like that," he said. "That’s nowhere near her nature. How would you feel waking up and seeing Gayle King or Good Morning America talk about you or your daughter and not having the full story?"
The legal ramifications of the incident are also unfolding. The Liberty University Police Department confirmed that a protective order had been filed in Lynchburg. Good Morning America reported that the Everett family had been served with the order and ordered to appear before a judge. The Liberty University Police Department has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The controversy surrounding the baton strike highlights the intense pressure and competitiveness inherent in high school athletics. While Everett maintains the incident was accidental and resulted from the close quarters of the race, Tucker and her family are understandably seeking accountability and an apology. The ongoing investigation and the legal proceedings will likely shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the event and its aftermath. The impact of this event on both athletes and their respective communities serves as a reminder of the importance of sportsmanship, fair play, and the need for a thorough investigation when incidents like this occur.
