Adults threw hands at an 8-and-under football game in Winter Haven, Florida, and the Polk County Sheriff's Office is now trying to work out why. Sheriff Grady Judd's answer so far involves possible gambling and a plan to send undercover deputies to future youth games.
- When and where: The fight broke out just as an 8U game ended during the weekend of Oct. 10-11 in Winter Haven, according to Tampa Bay 28.
- Who was playing: FOX 13 News reports it was the Winter Haven Tigers vs. the Plant City Colts. WFLA names the HOA 30 Kartel and the Plant City Colts Certified Strikers. The outlets haven't reconciled the difference.
- The spark: FOX 13 reports a parent struck the Plant City coach in the head, which kicked off a full brawl.
- The video: The Independent reports that law enforcement footage shows parents and spectators throwing punches and spilling onto the field with young players nearby.
- The betting angle: WFLA reports Judd said the preliminary investigation points to bets on the kids' game as the cause. FOX 13 reports investigators are looking into betting claims but have no video or other proof that gambling happened. Tampa Bay 28 says the claim hasn't been independently confirmed.
- Arrests: None have been publicly confirmed, per iHeart's Tampa Bay Mix.
- Possible charges: If instigators are identified, investigators plan to file misdemeanor affray or disorderly conduct charges, FOX 13 reports. Both fighting that breaches the peace (Florida Statute 877.03) and gambling on a game of chance are second-degree misdemeanors under state law, per the Florida Legislature.
Undercover at the Under-8 Game
Judd said deputies will go undercover at future youth sporting events to watch for illegal gambling, per FOX 13 News and WFLA. FOX 13 quotes him saying, "we're going to go undercover and look for that conduct."
So the next time you see a guy in a folding chair taking an oddly intense interest in an 8U handoff, he may be a deputy. Or he may just be a dad. Both are plausible.
Not Just a Winter Haven Problem
This fall's sideline chaos stretches well beyond Polk County. OutKick, via Fox News, reports a Florida high school football game turned into a brawl involving players and coaches after the final whistle. NBC10 Philadelphia reports that an altercation between a referee and a spectator at a youth football game ended with someone firing a gun. Boston.com reports video of a referee and a coach fighting at a youth flag football game in Revere, Massachusetts.
The Winter Haven investigation remains open. Judd's undercover plan suggests Polk County isn't waiting for the final answers before changing how it covers youth games.
Source: Hoodline