Football parent attacks thirteen-year-old

by Roger Sinasohn (Subscribe to Roger Sinasohn's posts) Sep 7th 2006 9:28AM

Categories: Teens & tweens, Just For Dads, That's Entertainment

It's no secret that I'm not a fan of organized sports; call me a sissy if you like, but I just don't think it healthy to get so wrapped up in what is supposed to be "just a game." Here's an example of why my kids will be swimming or climbing or tumbling instead of playing football.

It seems that an assistant coach and father decided he didn't like the fact that a player on the opposing team got in a late hit on his son. So "he came charging out onto the field," according to the referee who had just called the penalty, and started hitting the boy. Thirteen-year-old Brian Wood suffered bruises on his stomach and jaw; it likely would have been worse except that the referee threw himself on top of the boy to fend off the blows.

Jim Fine, a medic working at the game, saw the whole incident unfold before him. "The ref over there (Winek) he got stomped, twisted in the neck," Fine said. "They were right in front of me. And then it was just a free-for-all -- adults stomping kids, kids fighting kids, and moms and dads fighting moms and dads." It continued for about 20 minutes. The Stockton Bears' head coach, Rudy Garrido Sr. said "This is a program for the kids to stay out of trouble. There are going to be calls for late hits. This guy (Wood) was walking back to the huddle; assistant coach comes running out, tackles him, starts hitting him. ... I'm worried about all the kids."

I have to say, I'm worried about the kids too. I know I'm not a perfect parent; I do things in front of my kids that I ought not to and violence is an old habit that's hard to break. But I have to wonder about what these kids are learning when a referee arrives at a playing field and immediately sees trouble: "The first thing we said to each other was, 'The parents are too close to the field.'"

Source

Comments (8)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ginny 9-07-2006 @ 11:55AM

I saw that video. What an idiot.

Kat 9-07-2006 @ 12:42PM

I know a softball mom like that. she's never attacked the kids but she's hit other parents over their kids. she screams profanities and calls the kids stupid if they are not playing the way she likes(not just her kids) it's horrible. My cousin plays on a team with her daughter and nobody on the team likes her daughter because they can't stand her mom, needless to say none of the parents like her mom either. they are teenagers now but this has been going on since they where young. it's not a very good message to be sending.

Sky Cosby 9-07-2006 @ 2:43PM

Check out a book called Little League, Big Dreams: Inside the Hope, the Hype and the Glory of the Greatest World Series Ever Played by Charles Euchner.

This book digs into the dark side of kids sports quite well and raises some alarming issues!

Cheers!
-Sky a.k.a. Pirate Papa

Christine 9-07-2006 @ 1:43PM

I used to live in Stockton -- it is bore town usa.. maybe they need something more constructive for parents to do there. Poor kids.

Tony 9-07-2006 @ 4:00PM

Way too much emphasis is put into baseball, basketball, and football.
Most of these parents are just so crazed to have their kid fulfill some bizarre dream of "going pro" one day.

Idiots.

And yes, call me a sissy too because I despise organized sports. Parents should get their kids focused on real talents and interests that could lead to a true attainable lifetime career. And not some pipedream chasing some overrated short-lived sport. I find it funny how sports fans can name every player statistics and home life but can’t even name their local congressman.

ann adams 9-07-2006 @ 11:09PM

I live in the Central Valley, about 60 miles south of Stockton. At least one of the local t.v. stations devotes a 15 minute segment every week to high school football hghlights.

They take it as seriously as Green Bay does the Packers so the actions of this idiot don't surprise me a bit. It stopped being just a game a long time ago.

Christine 9-08-2006 @ 1:40PM

It is true.. I played soccer at Tokay and we went to games on chartered busses.. lol.

The football games werent even played on campus (except for freshmen...) they were played at an off site stadium (The Grape Bowl?? I think...)

Joseph Brochin 9-27-2006 @ 8:06PM

Organized sports is not the problem.
The problem is parental priorities.
I am in my mid 30's and come from a generation where the parents where a little more removed from extra activites than we as parents are today.
The problem is
1.) Weak enforcement systems in place to stop these rogue parents.
2.) Weak parents who refuse to unite and take a stand against these bullies.
Dont blame organized sports, sports should be encouraged as it can be used to teach some good life lessons such as team work, sacrifice, etc...
In a society where obiesity is an epidemic sports or physical activity should become even more of a priority.
That being said, the well being of the child is the primary goal of every good parent, coach, and sports fan.
The parents that pull the type of crap this guy did should never be allowed within 100 yards of a sporting event again.

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