Three youth football coaches caught on video fighting during a game last month had their day in court Thursday, and the outcomes split sharply. Two Keystone Oaks coaches got a homework assignment. The Carlynton coach got a bond condition and a date with an arraignment judge.
The key facts:
- Dequay Canton, a Carlynton coach, faces a third-degree misdemeanor and a summary harassment charge, according to CBS News.
- Joseph Kubiak and Frank McGrath, both Keystone Oaks coaches, were each cited for summary disorderly conduct.
- Judge Jack Kobistek agreed to dismiss Kubiak and McGrath's charges if they finish two online NFHS courses by Nov. 19: Teaching and Modeling Behavior and Fundamentals of Coaching.
- The courses total 15 hours and cost about $55.
- Canton waived his charges to court in Downtown Pittsburgh. He is out on a non-monetary bond and cannot coach children while the case is open.
- His formal arraignment is set for Nov. 25 at 2 p.m.
Kobistek called the incident an "ugly situation" and said it wasn't the coaches' best day. He noted that both the WPIAL and PIAA recommend the courses. Their attorney, Casey White, said the charges will be dismissed and expunged once the men present their certificates to the judge. White added that the pair would have finished the coursework Thursday night if the 10-day wait allowed it. He said they are headed to their board and hope to be back on the sideline this weekend or soon after.
White also put the blame on the other side. He said his clients were trying to calm things down and that the Carlynton coach started it and escalated it.
Canton didn't say much. Leaving court, he shook his head "no" when asked whether he started the fight. His attorney, Bart Wischnowski, declined to comment before or after the preliminary hearing.
The fight's origin is disputed. Days after the incident, Canton told KDKA-TV that players on the other team were directing racial slurs at his players, which he said set things off. White said his clients heard no slurs from players or coaches. He also said the league interviewed the referees, who reported hearing none.
The video drew national attention, which is how a youth football sideline dispute ended up with prosecutors involved. Fifteen hours of online coaching modules is not exactly four quarters of fun, but it beats the alternative.
Source: CBS News