Spectators Banned from West Hazleton, Pa., Youth Basketball Games

Youth basketball games in West Hazleton, Pa., won’t be filled with the sounds of cheering parents and fans anymore. After a fight broke out between parents and officials at a recent game, the Hazleton Area School District released a statement to youth basketball players and their families, banning spectators from the games.

According to PAhomepage, the West Hazleton Youth Basketball League uses Hazelton Area School District facilities for its competitions.

At a game in early February, the Standard Speaker reported that a parent confronted an official and a security guard in a “nose-to-nose exchange.” The game was stopped and police were called during the incident.

In its statement, the school district said, “This decision was made after careful consideration of several factors, including previous incidents that our staff have encountered over the past few years. In one instance, a staff member was injured during a situation. Our priority is to ensure that our student-athletes participate in a safe and secure environment, free from any disruptions. It is important to note that the WHYBL is a guest utilizing our facilities and is not a School District-sponsored league. As such, facility rentals are contingent upon maintaining a safe and respectful environment. The alternative to this decision would have been to cancel the remainder of the season, which we did not want for our student-athletes.”

As a solution to the ban, the West Hazleton Youth Basketball League will live-stream the games on the organization’s Facebook page so that parents and fans can still see the action.

However, some parents who were present the day of the incident were confused by the school district’s response. One father told PAhomepage, “It wasn’t that big. I didn’t think my son was in threat.”

At the time, only the parent involved in the incident was banned, but just a few days later, the school district released it’s statement banning all spectators from the league’s games. Now, more than 190 people have signed a petition to reverse the decision. The school district also heard complaints at a recent board meeting, but no updated statements have been released at this time.