A youth football game in Polk County ended with grown adults throwing hands, and Sheriff Grady Judd says charges are coming. He also says undercover detectives may be headed to a sideline near you.
- What happened: A fight broke out Saturday just as an 8U game between HOA 30 Kartel and the Plant City Colts Certified Strikers wrapped up, according to Tampa Bay 28 (WFTS).
- Who was involved: Adults. The Polk County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation.
- Where things stand: Deputies responded, but everyone involved had already left by the time they arrived. Judd said investigators are working to identify those involved and pursue charges.
- Possible charges: Judd said participants could face misdemeanors, including disorderly conduct and affray.
- The betting angle: Some witnesses told Tampa Bay 28 the fight may have started over wagers on the game's outcome. That claim has not been independently confirmed.
- The response: Judd said he plans to send undercover detectives to youth football games to investigate illegal betting.
Sharod Odom, a Lakeland youth football coach with about five years in the game, told Tampa Bay 28 he was at the game. He described a scene that started with the usual postgame handshakes and "good game" chatter before swinging started, pushing followed, and things got "real wild."
Odom said competition between teams can run hot, but the bond between coaches and players runs deeper than the scoreboard. He said he spends time driving and talking with kids, and that the culture is built on family-style chemistry.
Judd put it bluntly: the kids behaved, while the coaches and parents did not. He added that nobody should be betting on children playing sports "now, not ever."
Tampa Bay 28 reached out to both teams for comment and had not heard back.
Eight-and-under football is a game where, in many cases, the players are still figuring out which way to run. The adults, apparently, were the ones who needed the postgame cooldown. If Judd follows through, the next guy in the folding chair muttering about the spread might want to check who's sitting behind him.
Source: Tampa Bay 28 (WFTS)