Youth football coach banned for life after assaulting player on camera

[MikefromOH]

I coached this year for 6-8 year old kids in flag. It gets intense. Not the game itself, but trying to get 10 kids to listen to you and do what you say. You coach and coach and try your hardest to get them to listen, but all they want to do is screw around. They scream, do the wrong things, pretty much everything but what they are supposed to do.

but, you NEVER EVER even yell at them angrily. I get up on them, down on their level, my voice is elevated. But, we are speaking. I am here to help them learn.

This is disgusting. I am not sure why that other coach didn't just haul off and deck that coach himself! No way I could sit on the sidelines and just allow that to happen.

The video is pretty disturbing....

Youth football coach banned for life after assaulting player on camera

The viral video shows a coach of a 9-and-under team from Savannah, Georgia, twice striking one of his players in the helmet. Both an incident report obtained by Yahoo Sports and the coach’s now-former employer identified him as Gerrel Williams.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[MikefromOH]

Bruce Smith pretty much says what I think...except the "not taking it in to your own hands" part. If that was my kid I would. Not being a "tough guy" but no way I hear about it or see it and not do something.

NFL legend Bruce Smith speaks out against youth coach who hit player, recalls his own abuse

The NFL's all-time sacks leader said he didn't think he could have shown restraint if it was his kid.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Win4us]

Dude needs jail time as well.

When I was a kid playing at about that same age in a scrimmage game we had an incident. Basically one of the kids fathers was unhappy about his son’s playing time in the game. Started off with passive aggressive remarks & quickly shot up to the kids dad and the coach shouting at each other. It’s WVa so of course alcohol was a factor, but the coach & dad were gonna have a go. The kids dad grabbed a tomato stake from his truck and broke it over his truck bed and started walking toward the coach. Assistant coaches and other fathers there jumped into action and restrained the 2 before blows happened.

The next day both the dad and coach involved halted practice and we took a knee and listened to both of them apologize. That always stuck out to me growing up, the apology showing how emotions need to be kept in check & that it sets a huge precedent when people, especially kids are watching.

Hopefully this dude understands his wrong and publicly apologizes.

 

[Boone]

Not directed at any of you guys - and if you are coaching kids, you are a hero btw.

Until kids are in their teens, my opinion - they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do. Socialization is their strongest impulse. Talking to, playing with, interacting with each other. That's really all kids have any interest in. That's not to say organized sports are bad in any way. I just think coaches have to remember that these are little kids. Imposing *some* discipline and structure for them is great, but don't forget they are little kids, it's supposed to be mostly about having fun, and coaches shouldn't expect kids not to be kids, or get angry when they do.

My childhood, although I lived in a nice NOVA neighborhood in a middle class house and had two loving stable parents, was traumatic as hell. My Dad was 6'4" 240 lbs of sheer terror inducing intimidation. I doubt he had any idea us kids spent most of our childhoods tiptoeing around in mortal fear. But we did. When he was dying, he told me 'You are a good Dad'. I knew the 2nd half of that statement that he never actually said. I told him he was a good Dad too, and in many ways he was. I just wished he'd remembered that we were just little kids, and to let us be little kids. Too many parents and coaches forget that.

My brother and I have a stock line whenever someone asks one of us 'How long were you in the Marine Corps?'

'My whole life.' #truth

 

[MikefromOH]

I hear ya and agree.

I think my job as a coach is just teaching fundamentals. Tuck the ball, don't fall for the fake...things like that. But, they never do it. I just think that it's good to start teaching them at this age, but it's just so that it becomes something they learn and do later on.

That guy looks like he's trying to win a super bowl with those kids. I always say I don't care if I win or lose because these kids couldn't lift my fat ass up to carry me off the field anyways. He should never coach again.

I'm on video slapping one of the kids on the back and pushing him....but, it was after a great play and he's laughing the entire time. That's what they need. Some fun and reinforcement.

My mom was your dad, bro. I relate and get it in more ways than one. He's right though, you're a good dad. I can see it in how you brag on your family and how they smile.

 

[Boone]

Thanks - I know the same about you!

 

[SilentThreat]

1. There is nothing ok with that
2. There is nothing ok with that
3. If anyone tries to justify that, they're wrong
4. there is nothing ok with that.

How a parent or anyone did not intervene is beyond me. I've seen parents rushing the umpire for called 3rd strikes or out at 2nd base. If there was any time I would support a parent losing their cool and engaging it's this situation. I pray that child does not have a concussion....

 

[SkinsOrlando]

Unfortunately this type of thing still happens, I saw my share of crazy unacceptable **** when I played youth sports but hell that was 30 years ago, I'd have hoped things had gotten better, only good thing is now there's going to be video and we can toss these garbage piles out of sports.

 

[MikefromOH]

The biggest issue we had in our flag football league was a coach cursing on the field and towards us but we handled that quietly and with no big issue.