LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Kentucky sports officials say they've seen several instances of aggression this year. They say parents are often a driving force in those situations.

"If it's just the kids and coaches, it can generally be controlled. It's when the outsiders get involved that it starts getting problematic," said Kentucky High School Athletics Association Commissioner Julian Tackett.

Last October, a father was accused of harassing a 13-year-old referee during a non-competitive soccer game. Just last week, a man was charged with assault and disorderly conduct after the Whitley County Sheriff says he went into a baseball dugout, upset over a coaching decision, and shoved the coach before putting him into a headlock.

Other parents suggested there needs to be more security at the fields.

"The access into the dugouts, I feel like they need to be gated. That stops some of them at that gate and maybe in that instant they'll think before they just charge on in," said Larry Crusenberry.

Tackett said that's an issue that they may need to look at, but they say they don't want to overdo it.

"Do you want this to seem like a prison? In theory, the fan has no right to a playing facility. Their rights stop at that gate," he said.

Tackett said incidents like that have even pushed some coaches to quit.

"They get paid pennies on the hour to coach so there comes a point in time just make the decision it's not what I want to do," he said

 

 

 

KHSAA concerned about aggressive behavior

Years ago I was playing in a youth hockey tournament in Brantford, Ontario. One of my teammates roughed up a kid on the other team and went to the penalty box. The father of the kid that got roughed up climbed over the glass and into the penalty box and started throwing punches at our player who was all of 13 or 14. This kind of behavior has been going on a long time .

At a middle-school basketball game (Boyd at Mason, I think) a few years ago, kid gets fouled hard late in a tight 7th-grade game. Kid's grandpa makes an offhand comment about going to his truck and getting a gun. Game called by MC athletic director, 8th grade game called as well, everyone goes home.

Did we read not to long ago in another thread of a parent being tossed during a game and then slapping the umpire on the back?

 

Sad....

It has gotten very embarrassing. I will say though that the schools and coaches should be held accountable for some of these actions too. When a parent gets to the point where it is not only embarrassing but making the team look bad etc. and gets tossed etc. the coach of the team or the school should ban said parent from attending any games the rest of the year. When coaches don't do what is right and allow parents like that back in games they are doing nothing but condoning such actions. I'm not talking about when a parent says 1 thing and gets tossed by the ump. I'm talking about when they go on and on and on screaming and saying things they should be embarrassed about and cursing etc. and when it takes an ump 3 times to finally get him to leave. Things like that should be bannable offenses. Not only does it show poor sportsmanship but also embarrasses the son of the parent etc.

 

Anyone that touches an ump, especially a fan, should be banned for at least the season from attending any games period.

 

 

I heard just the other week that a 10U baseball game had a grandfather pull a gun. Things like that should be criminally charged.

Come to a youth wrestling meet.

It has gotten very embarrassing. I will say though that the schools and coaches should be held accountable for some of these actions too. When a parent gets to the point where it is not only embarrassing but making the team look bad etc. and gets tossed etc. the coach of the team or the school should ban said parent from attending any games the rest of the year. When coaches don't do what is right and allow parents like that back in games they are doing nothing but condoning such actions. I'm not talking about when a parent says 1 thing and gets tossed by the ump. I'm talking about when they go on and on and on screaming and saying things they should be embarrassed about and cursing etc. and when it takes an ump 3 times to finally get him to leave. Things like that should be bannable offenses. Not only does it show poor sportsmanship but also embarrasses the son of the parent etc.

 

Anyone that touches an ump, especially a fan, should be banned for at least the season from attending any games period.

 

 

I heard just the other week that a 10U baseball game had a grandfather pull a gun. Things like that should be criminally charged.

 

Id like to know where you think coaches have that kinda control.

Id like to know where you think coaches have that kinda control.

 

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Parents take things way out of proportion these days. It's a high school game with high school kids, people. If your upset about your kid not getting much playing time, go talk to the coach after a game and just ask what your kid can do to get more playing time.

 

That's what parents need to do.

Id like to know where you think coaches have that kinda control.

 

 

Hellbird I usually agree with much of what you say, but this one is too far. Why do coaches have this responsibility? What more do you want to put on the coaches? Control the game, control the players, now control the stands? Ban parents/fans? Okay, but let the school administration do that. And exactly where do you draw the line? The extreme case is easy, but what about that guy that goes crazy then backs off for awhile? Pretty tough call to make, especially for somebody who is likely focused on the game rather than the fans in the stands. Blaming coaches and/or schools for the poor behavior of fans is pretty thin. I'll agree about issuing some consequences for boorish behavior, but not in any way would I put it on the coaches.

This also goes to the point that at all football and basketball games the home school has an administrator present. This cannot possibly be done with baseball and softball with a game everyday. They already work 75-80 hour work weeks and adding being at every softball and baseball home game.....no way.

Id like to know where you think coaches have that kinda control.

Hellbird I usually agree with much of what you say, but this one is too far. Why do coaches have this responsibility? What more do you want to put on the coaches?

I'm talking about after a parent or fan has been thrown out of a game that the coach can then ban that parent or fan from attending any of their games the rest of the season. I'm talking about acting after the subject has been thrown out, not before hand.

 

I never intended thAt the coach should be responsible for what goes on in the stand during games, I'm soley talking about after an incident then a coach should take it upon themselves to ban the person from attending anymore of their games that season.

Where are the administrators/AD's during these events?

Where are the administrators/AD's during these events?

 

Sometimes they are there and other times they are not. Too many baseball/softball games for them to attend everyone as uselessinfo pointed out.

Sometimes they are there and other times they are not. Too many baseball/softball games for them to attend everyone as uselessinfo pointed out.

 

Not the case where I am. We have an AD, assistant AD or principal/assistant principal at every home event.

I guess we are lucky.