Siena college basketball coach Carmen Maciariello says that there was no malice behind his decision to make physical contact with one of his own players in the face. He also apologized for the incident.
That seems a bit contradictory in nature, no? When will coaches learn?!
In a moment caught on the livestream broadcast, coach Maciariello was fired up in a team huddle during the Saints’ home game on Friday and proceeded to hit sophomore point guard Zek Tekin on his right cheek. It was somewhere between a poke and a slap.
Tekin taking one to the face. Have coaches not learned anyting? @SienaAD @MarkSingelais @ByMichaelKelly @RodgerWyland pic.twitter.com/7P7q0rzNmD
— SienaSoup (@sienasouped) December 2, 2023
Siena’s athletic department reviewed the interaction between Maciariello and Tekin. A lesson was learned and everybody involved has since moved on.
While that is the right decision long-term, the occurrence was not cool.
We’ve spoken with both parties separately, and Coach Maciariello has taken accountability for his mistake. Touching a student-athlete is not an appropriate way to deliver a message, and under no circumstances is it an acceptable coaching technique. Coach Maciariello has apologized.
— Siena College
Fair enough. Just don’t let it happen again!
According to a statement from the coach himself, through the athletic department, it won’t.
I apologized to Zek after the game for touching him like that, and he understands that there was no malice behind it. The tone of the huddle was to win the next four minutes, and the message was to think while we were tired. I should have delivered that message without touching him on the head, and I apologize that it happened.
— Carmen Maciariello
Tekin also said that there is no ill will toward the inappropriate behavior or his coach. It’s all love.
I love Coach Carm, and we have a great relationship. During the timeout, he was just explaining to me to use my head. I didn’t think anything of it, and accepted his apology. I am grateful for the relationship that we have, and look forward to putting this behind us.
— Zek Tekin
The Istanbul-native also “liked” a post on X that downplayed the incident.
Things have been smoothed over. It was never that big of a deal within the locker room in the first place. The Saints won the game!
All of that is fine and well. However, the coach poked/slapped Tekin. That cannot be erased!
Whatever you want to call it, for a grown man to hit his player in the face — no matter how hard or soft and no matter the sport — is not cool. You can’t be doing that. Not in 2023.
There are so many acceptable ways to communicate your message as a coach. Jabbing your fingers into the face of your point guard while red-faced during a timeout is not one of them. Just don’t do it.
The incident on Friday was a small blemish on an overwhelmingly positive night for Sienna. Maciariello’s team knocked off the MAAC preseason favorite to snap a five-game losing streak.