A high school football coach in Atlanta was arrested after punching a player in the stomach during a game on Saturday. Video from the live broadcast of the game shows the lay coach striking the player on the sideline during the first quarter.
A Coach Should Never Put His Hands On A Kid
During the first quarter of a game between Mays High School and Douglas County, a Mays lay coach was seen screaming at a player on his own team and then struck him. The player bent over in obvious pain after the blow.
The coach was removed from the sidelines by an Atlanta Public Schools police officer and placed in custody.
According to local media, a lay coach is a coach who does not teach at the school or hold a teaching certificate. Lay coaches are required to complete a Georgia High School Association training program.
“Video from the live broadcast of the game appears to show the lay coach physically assaulting a player,” APS said in a statement. “The adult will be charged with simple battery and faces administrative charges from the district as well. The safety and well-being of all APS students remains a high priority for the district and all APS employees are held to the highest standard of conduct and professionalism.”
Peachtree TV which had the broadcast of the game captured the assistant coach in his player’s face, No. 24, before decking the boy with a right to his gut. The player is a junior defensive back according to Max Preps.
Consequences
It goes without saying that adults have no business putting their hands on children. Especially coaches, whose jobs are the safety and welfare of the young athletes they coach.
You’re so emotional over a high school football game that you cannot control yourself as an adult and you strike a child? How ridiculous.
A coach is a trusted position in American society. The people who hold these positions, particularly those who coach children, need to be held to a high standard. Their power and influence over these young athletes are strong and play a pivotal role in shaping what kind of adults they become.
Given the video evidence, it is highly unlikely that this coach will ever coach high school football in Georgia again. This incident will be marked on his file.