Strongsville pewee football game called off after heated argument between assistant coach, parents – Cleveland 19 News

BEREA, Ohio (WOIO) – A pewee football game between Berea Midpark and Strongsville was called off in the middle of the game due to the bad behavior of some parents and even a Strongsville assistant coach.
Berea Police said the game was between fifth and sixth graders and it all started after a Berea player was knocked out in the first quarter and suffered a concussion.
Apparently, that player’s mom and some of the Berea Midpark fans thought the Strongsville coaches told their players to intentionally target her son and hurt him.
19 News obtained cellphone video of the rowdy scene from Berea police. The video shows the Strongsville assistant coach in a heated argument with some other parents.
“I need the police up here, there’s a big fight between parents at a youth football game, it’s really bad,” a 911 caller said.
“How many people, more than 10?” the dispatcher asked.
“I’m talking 20, yeah it’s like 20 or 30 easy,” the caller replied.
“It’s physical?” asked the dispatcher.
“Uh yes, yes,” said the caller.
“Any weapons?” the dispatcher asked.
“No,” the caller replied.
This all happened at a football game between Berea Midpark and Strongsville at Lou Groza field last Saturday.
“Fans are fighting, coaches are fighting, it’s out of control,” a caller told 911.
According to police, the concussed boy’s mom and other Berea fans thought the Strongsville coaches were laughing about his injury, and that’s when the boy’s mother got into an argument with the assistant Strongsville coach’s wife in the bleachers. The coach’s wife was holding their 7-month-old daughter at the time.
“It started in the stands, there were some parents arguing,” another caller told 911. “One of the coaches from, from the other team got involved and there was a big shoving match.”
When the coach caught a glimpse of the argument he sprang into action, jumping on the chain link fence in front of the bleachers and yelling at the mother of the injured player to calm down, that’s when other fans got involved.
“It seemed like there’s some parents that were getting into it and there’s just been a pretty big shoving match right now and if we could have a squad car come out here to see if they could calm everything down,” another 911 caller said.
One of the game officials ordered the coach to leave because of his bad behavior, but instead, the coach attempted to run into the stands before he was stopped by a group of bystanders. When he still refused to leave, a group of spectators pushed him towards the exit. The game was canceled because of all the commotion.
In the end, no one was charged because police determined it was just a verbal argument with a little bit of pushing but nothing that they felt rose to the level of assault.
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