An assistant coach for the 8U Fury Platinum Chattanooga travel softball team has been arrested after a viral video shows her instigating a physical altercation at the pitcher’s mound during an April 4th game.
According to Sports Illustrated, assistant coach Meredith Haskew Grant began physically fighting two opposing coaches in the bottom of the fifth inning when her team was losing by seven runs. When the fight began, the coaches were still surrounded by youth players, and parents and other coaches can be heard in the video, yelling for their children to get away.
In defense of her actions, Grant told responding officers that the opposing coaches were making “unsportsmanlike comments” before the altercation turned physical. However, Dalton (Ga.) Police do not believe the video lines up with Grant’s story.
Fury Platinum immediately cut ties with Grant when the video began circulating online and news of her arrest was made public. Grant is being charged with misdemeanor battery.
The opposing team’s coach, Lauren Stithem, posted a statement regarding the incident online, she said, “I witnessed the craziest thing I have ever seen since coaching youth softball. As you see here, we have a coach from the other team throwing hands at every single one of my coaches, including myself. Here is the video evidence. My male assistant coach is being accused of throwing hands with her, and you can very clearly see him walking away when she lays hands on him. If we don’t have more restraint than this, you shouldn’t be coaching children. Ever. For those spreading rumors about what happened, the big eye in the sky doesn’t lie. Do better. This coach from Fury Platinum is spending the night in jail. Proud of my coaches for holding their composure!”
Stithem is also hoping to see Grant charged with child endangerment because of the proximity of the youth athletes when the fight began.
