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Oct202009

Dad punched out by Pop Warner football coach

Filed under Coaching, Family, Fans, Football, General, Parents, Rules & Officials, Sportsmanship by bob hammerstrom at 10:23 am

Why can’t parents just keep their mouths shut and let the coaches coach? On a football field in Wilmington, Mass.,  Pop Warner football coach William Reynolds got into a fight with the father of a player, Michael VonKahle, and is now facing charges for his actions according to an Associated Press article in The Telegraph today. It was all over the laps the coach made the man’s son run for being late for football practice.

On the Manchester Memorial High School football field, a similar scenario played out recently, but with no fighting involved - only a few mutterings from disappointed parents. A player didn’t show up for practice. Now, occasionally players are late, and have to run extra laps. But in this case, the player who didn’t show for a Saturday morning practice stood in the middle of the field, while his teammate ran for more than an hour. Although I disagree with this reverse psychology way of punishment, it’s still the coach’s decision on how to handle the situation.

Only coach Reynolds has been charged so far for aggravated assault and battery, allegedly breaking the dad’s nose and eye socket. He’s been suspended from coaching.

Decisions and discipline on the field should be left up to the coaches, with no parent involvement. If you disagree strongly about how a coach handles a situation, then ask to meet with them at another time - not on the field. Give yourself time to calm down and think about what it really is that you’d like to speak to the coach about. Keep your emotions under control when approaching coaches.

These coaches are on the field with your children to teach them a sport, and help them to grow as a person with sportsmanship and leadership. Many are volunteers, using their time for the benefit of your kids.

On the flip side, coaches need to remember that these Pop Warner players are out there to have fun. They too need to respect the parents’ questions, and keep their emotions intact. Punching out a mouthy parent is no way to teach respect to players.

-Bob Hammerstrom

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Viewing 2 Comments

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    Despite the parent being insulting and calling the coach a Fat Bas**** the coach needs a little self control.

    WILMINGTON - A Pop Warner football coach accused of punching a parent hard enough to cause severe facial injuries after a verbal spat during a practice last week will face aggravated assault and battery charges next month, authorities said yesterday.


    Police filed charges yesterday in Woburn District Court against William D. Reynolds, the same day Michael D. VonKahle spent several hours at Massachusetts General Hospital undergoing evaluation and treatment for his injuries, including a fractured eye socket, broken nose, and torn rotator cuff on his shoulder.

    Reynolds has been suspended from the league in connection with the Friday incident, and further action against him, including the possibility of being banned from coaching in the league, will be taken up in a Pop Warner board meeting in the off-season, officials said. His former team, in the C category, was led by assistant coaches in a game on Sunday. Reynolds had coached in the league for at least three years before taking off several seasons and returning this year.

    A guy this intense probably isn't cut out for coaching at any level let alone a C level team. Last I knew, C was below A and B.
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    I'm not from the area but I too have a child who is an athlete. I tend to be the parent who speaks up when I feel it's needed especially while parents I'm sitting with coax me on because they too feel the need to but just dont as not to blackball their child. I either speak with the coach after a game or by e-mail if I feel i'm being ignored then thats when as a parent you need to go to the association.

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