And now a poor (really poor) sportsmanship story

[Mark Padgett]

We had a Board meeting last night for our local kids rec league. It was decided to ban two coaches from coaching next year and two others were banned "forever". The first two had repeated bad behavior towards officials, parents and opposing players (both were in our HS league) and each had been suspended for a game during the season.

The second two were both 5th grade boys coaches and actually got into a fist fight with each other during - not after, during - a game last Saturday. Obviously, I was not at the game (or I would have decked both of them) and this was the first I had heard of it. Apparently, one coach thought the other was running up the score and really rubbing it in. The score was 38-8 about a minute into the fourth quarter (at that level, quarters are six minutes so 38 points by a 5th grade rec team at that point was a lot) when, after yelling at each other, both ran at each other and each took a punch at the other right in front of the table. The officials broke it up quickly and, of course, called off the game. The officials reported that most of the kids were stunned and a few even started to cry.

It was an easy decision by the Board. What the hell is wrong with these guys?

[TimTaylor]

Mark,

Wish I could say I'm shocked, but unfortunately this kind of conduct is becoming all too frequent. If actual punches were exchanged, I'm surprised the cops were not called - I would have.

[grunewar]

Yeperdoodle, everytime I think I've heard it all, seen it all, or had just one of those awful games where life sux and it just can't get any worse on the court, I can always come here and forget about my little issues.......

Thanks as always Mark.

[DLH17]

I can see why the lifetime ban was mandated. Fist fighting in front of their own kids. Shameful.

Hopefully, this isn't the end of the story. Perhaps the parents involved have been able to sit down and talk this thing out between themselves and the kids so that a positive can come out of a nasty negative.