League bans two youth football teams because parents brawled in stands

Oct 2, 2015

In Southern California, two youth football teams have been banned from the league after parents watching the game were involved in a brutal brawl.

The brawl began after the adults were asked to sit on separate sides of the field, according to the team they were supporting. Apparently, one of the parents refused to sit on the side of the field with the fans of his team and instead began to heckle the players. This behavior eventually escalated, with the parent shouting not only at the players but also at the other adults in the stands. He finally turned from shouting to throwing punches, at which point the debacle devolved into a full-fledged fight.

Coach Keefe Pierson of the Inland Empire Ducks said that he and the coach of the Otay Ranch Broncos received emails telling them that their teams had been expelled for the rest of the season. The coaches felt that this was unfair punishment, since they and the players, they said, had nothing to do with the fight.

“It has nothing to do with the kids,” said Pierson. “The kids should still be able to play football. That’s what it comes down to. We can’t control parents. They’re adults.”