Facility designs might not give much thought to the type of glass specified for press box windows, but maybe they should, given what transpired Saturday at Fresno State's Valley Children's Stadium.
An unnamed Fresno State football coach has been placed on leave after punching a press box window in frustration during the first half of the Bulldogs' eventual victory over visiting San Jose Sate, injuring two fans seated below.
As reported by The Fresno Bee, two Fresno State fans — a mother and her young daughter — were injured by falling glass when the coach punched out the window after the Spartans scored a touchdown late in the second quarter.
Fresno State athletic director Terry Tumey said in a statement that “a member of the coaching staff broke the window in the coach’s box above a seating section.” That coach has been placed on administrative leave, Tumey said.
“At this point, we’re trying to figure out what’s going on with all that transpired, but I can definitely tell you that the individual that acted in that way will be placed on administrative leave, effective immediately,” Tumey said in an interview at the game, according to the Bee. “We have to have some disciplinary action until we can figure out what transpired. But our biggest concern right now, quite honestly, is our fans and the young women, the child, and her mother.”
The woman and the young girl received treatment at Valley Children’s Hospital, Tumey said. The extent of the injuries was not known, but both received lacerations from the falling glass. The glass in the press box window is not tempered or safety glass, which breaks into smaller pieces less likely to cause injury if it were to break. There were shards of glass from the left side of the window, large and small pieces with jagged and sharp edges, on a ledge under the window the Bee reported.
Tumey declined to identify the coach but said they would not have any contact with the football program while out.
The Homecoming victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Bulldogs.
Coach Jeff Tedford was unaware of the incident immediately after the game. “That’s very unfortunate,” he said. “That breaks my heart to hear that. I’m sure I’ll find out about it, but it’s very unfortunate that happened.”
