Parent-Coach Banned from IHSAA Events After Punching Son's Wrestling Opponent

The Nampa (Idaho) Police Department is investigating a Jan. 20 incident involving a parent-coach from Meridian's Rocky Mountain High School who reportedly jumped into a wrestling match and punched a Nyssa, Ore., student who was wrestling his son.

As reported by the Argus Observer in Ontario, Ore., Nyssa athletic director Joshua DeAnda said the wrestling move that triggered the reported assault was legal, but a response from Rocky Mountain High School on Thursday alleges that Russell Brunson — a social media influencer and millionaire — jumped into the match because the move was illegal.

“I’m not a wrestling coach and I don’t know the difference between what is legal and illegal, but I do know that punching a 14-year-old boy is illegal,” said Nyssa School District superintendent Ryan Hawkins in a phone interview Friday morning.

Nampa police have collected videos and statements as part of the department's investigation into whether criminal charges are warrented.

Furthermore on Tuesday, the board of control for District 3 of Idaho High School Activities Association handed down a lifetime ban from coaching and being able to watch events for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year, as well as the 2024-25 school year, the Observer reported.

“They have the right to do that during the regular season,” said IHSAA executive director Ty Jones in a phone call on Friday morning.

“Our board takes over during the state tournaments,” he said.

Although the decision was made by the board of control from one of six sporting districts in Idaho, Jones clarified that the ban would be for any IHSAA events in the state.

In an email from Jones on Jan. 23, he said there hadn’t been any complaints filed by the end of that day with the Idaho’s governing body of high school athletics and activities. However, he said IHSAA had received an email from DeAnda requesting follow-up on the matter.

One of the many issues Nyssa officials had was that the student-athlete who had been hit was made to finish his match immediately afterward. As such, the Observer asked the IHSAA if there were any protocols or rules in place to allow a wrestler time to recover from an unforeseen incident such as this outside of utilizing blood loss or injury time.

“There isn't a specific rule regarding this other than when the tournament manager or official feels that it is okay to continue the match in a safe environment,” Jones said. “Then they would start wrestling again.”

Fifteen schools participated in the Jan. 20 tournament at Skyview High School in Nampa.

According to first-hand accounts, Brunson was kneeling down on the mat next to the boundary line during the match and when he saw the Nyssa wrestler apply pressure to his son’s neck during the move, Brunson sprang onto the mat, striking the Nyssa student twice.

When asked who is watching for people on the mats where they shouldn’t be, Skyview athletic director Eric Bonds said that a lot of times it is the referee and the head coach on the floor. In addition, a vice principal was on duty that night.

“Really, as a coach, he’s got to know,” Bonds said of Brunson’s actions. “He wrestled in college.”

The school had already started taking action related to barring Brunson the next day.

A statement from Niki Scheppers, chief of staff for communications at Rocky Mountain High School, clarifies that Brunson is not a district employee, but rather an unpaid volunteer for the past four years.

The statement included the following quote from Brunson.

"There is no excuse for my actions on January 20th. I should not have stepped onto the mat and tried to break up the wrestling match. I saw my child in a potentially dangerous position and reacted rashly. I have reached out to the … family directly and sincerely apologize for my inappropriate reaction."

The statement goes on to say that as a coach and parent, Bruson “was emotionally invested in the match, particularly because the young wrestler involved was his son."

“During the match, Coach Brunson observed an illegal chokehold being applied to his son by the opposing wrestler,” reads the statement from Rocky Mountain, as reported by the Observer. “Concerned for his son's wellbeing, he reacted instinctively by shouting to alert the referee and attempting to demonstrate the situation. However, in the final moments, fear and adrenaline took over, leading Coach Brunson to make a decision that he now acknowledges was wrong.”

Brunson was also quoted as saying it wasn’t premeditated.

“If I could go back and replay those 2 seconds of my life, I would, but unfortunately, it’s too late,” he said.

Rocky Mountain is also conducting its own investigation into the incident.

A statement received from the family of the youth who was struck follows, with the Observer withholding names of the victims.

“The events that transpired on the morning of the 20th at the Skyview wrestling duals were very unfortunate, to say the least. We allow our children to participate in sports to help build character and learn the value of hard work, the joy of victory and accomplishments, as well as the pain of loss and disappointment.

"Sports are supposed to be a safe place to experience those things. I understand that athletic events can cause emotions within our athletes and within us as parents, as well. Wrestling can be an uncomfortable sport for both the athlete and the parents. On this particular morning a coach/father saw their kid and athlete in a completely legal, non-threatening, but uncomfortable move, saw the uncomfort in his child, and reacted in an unacceptable way and a 14 yr old was hit by an adult. A major line was crossed, and consequences have to follow.

"That being said, we hope that everyone can be a little kinder, more patient, slower to anger and judgment, and give each other a little bit of grace, as everyone makes mistakes.”

Oregon School Activities Assocaition executive director Peter Weber during a Friday phone interview said OSAA has not taken any actions at this point and likely won't.