Police Review Tapes of Youth Football Game Brawl
Sept. 25, 2000 -- Police in Port Orange, Fla., are going over videotapes to sort out who was behind a big brawl involving parents, players, coaches and fans after a youth football game Saturday.
More than 100 people clashed in the melee shortly after the home team, the Port Orange Hawks, scored a touchdown in overtime, beating the West Orange Wildcats 12-6, police said. As the winners left the field, members of the Wildcats followed, said police Cmdr. Michael Sheridan.
“There were some words exchanged and a fight broke out between the coaches and players of both teams,” Sheridan said. “When thefight started, spectators from both sides started towards the fight, adding to the confusion and chaos.”
It was only moments after the end of the game when the 911 calls, made from cellular phones, started coming in about the brawl at the field.
“When the officers responded they saw between 100 and 130 people on the field. They immediately went to the center and found a young boy on the ground, one of the football players, and he alleged had been pushed and kicked and shoved by an opposing player,” Sheridan said.
One player was punched and kicked and another was bitten, though most of the injuries were minor and treated at the scene.
Caught on Videotape
The scene was caught on videotape, and police were reviewing the tapes today to determine who started Saturday’s melee between the teams of 14- and 15-year-olds from Port Orange, south of Daytona Beach, and Winter Springs, near Orlando.
A 31-year-old mother from Orlando was charged with resisting arrest and a 15-year-old player was accused of battery on a law enforcement officer for allegedly throwing a traffic cone at an officer and punching him in the side of the face. The officer suffered minor injuries.
Authorities in Port Orange say more charges may result after they view the home videotapes.
“We were totally jumped by surprise,” said Port Orange coach Kenneth Klindt. “They were the instigators, and it’s on film.”
West Orange coach Eddie Thomas could not be reached for comment.
A National Trend?
Miami-Dade County police were also looking at videotape today of a Saturday brawl involving two adults at a football game at a Boys and Girls Club.
There have been several brawls involving youth sports across thecountry this year. In July, a hockey player’s father inMassachusetts was charged with manslaughter after he fought with areferee who later died. About a week later in Hollywood, Fla., aPolice Athletic League baseball coach was accused of breaking anumpire’s jaw during an argument. Earlier this month, nearly twodozen parents got in a scrap at a T-ball game for 4- and5-year-olds in Miami.
Sheridan says it’s the first time anything like that has happened in his community, but it seems to be a national trend.
“I think of that unfortunate incident in Massachusetts, and I’ve heard several others in hockey games, football games and baseball games. It’s just a problem with overzealous parents and.coaches, and I don’t think we’re teaching our kids properly when we do that,” Sheridan said.
ABCNEWS Radio and The Associated Press contributed to this report.