Video has emerged online of a Georgia Pee Wee football coach punching one of his players twice as the team heads to the sideline during a timeout.
The 9U Savannah Gators were playing in the American Youth Football National Championships in Kissimmee, Florida, when their coach appears to get angry at one of his players. As the team huddles with the coach, the coach punches the 9-year-old player. The team then moves further to the sideline, huddles again, and the coach punches the player again, knocking him to the ground.
No room in the game for coaches like this. I hope he is arrested and banned for life. pic.twitter.com/1B0F2cLiqH
— Coach Reed (@CoachReed314) December 9, 2020
The video has sparked outrage on the team’s Facebook page.
“Damn shame that y’all just stood around and watched that coach abuse that player #justicefor2,” one commenter wrote, according to Fan Buzz.
The Gators posted an apology after the video drew anger online. The apology, however, didn’t go far enough and was later removed.
“We understand what we all saw yesterday was disturbing to us all but let’s not blame everyone for one mans actions,” the post read. “The guy in the video is our 9U head coach he is a good guy that just took it a little too far on a 9U player.”
The video even caught the attention of Lebron James who posted the following to his Instagram story:
“Ain’t no [swearing emoji] way!! Couldn’t be my kid. Hell if I there and it’s not even my kid we gone have more than words for sure.”
As of Thursday morning there was no word as to whether the coach will be disciplined or whether police will be involved.
