An email purportedly sent to school parents claims that a baseball coach who also worked in the admissions office of the upscale Brooklyn Heights private school Packer Collegiate Institute, which charges $60,000 a year for K–12 tuition, was fired for acting inappropriately.
A Packer Collegiate alumnus from 2012, Nicolas Morton has been employed with the institution since 2019 and most recently served as both the varsity baseball coach and associate director of admissions.
The 30-year-old Morton also managed NYC Freedom Baseball, his own traveling private baseball team.
School administrators wrote to parents, “We received reports that Mr. Morton engaged in a pattern of inappropriate conversations and interactions with both Packer athletes and non-Packer athletes affiliated with Morton’s private travel baseball team.”
“The sudden removal of a faculty or staff member is never easy — especially under disquieting circumstances,” the letter also stated. “Out of respect for affected students and families, and because our review is ongoing, we are limited in what details we can share.”
Although they would not comment on specifics, two parents of Packer students acknowledged receiving the letter.
During his time at Packer, Morton was a well-liked player on the baseball team. The Post described the 17-year-old as one of the Packer’s “best players” in 2011.
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At the time, junior Morton was described by coach Chris Ruck as “the centerpiece of our turnaround.” In our program, he is viewed as the big boy by all. Our poster child is the one. We could be winning the league if I could find one or two more people who were just like him.
Morton is a co-founder of the 12-and-under touring team NYC Freedom. The team’s website appeared to be taken down on August 9 despite being operational on August 8.
Before the website went down, Morton was listed as an Under Armour Pre-Season All-American and among the top 10 baseball players in New York by MSG Varsity. He played baseball for Washington & Jefferson College in Pittsburgh and Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.
