Post-Game Brawl Leads To Assault Charges For Fair Lawn Youth Soccer Coach
FAIR LAWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A youth soccer coach has been arrested for allegedly headbutting another coach -- a young player was also struck during the fight.
Fair Lawn police said it was a rough game that didn't end with the final whistle.
Sean Cormack, 45, the coach of the Fair Lawn team approached players from Midland Park following a September 10 game.
"At that point the Midland Park coach got in between and told the Fair Lawn coach, if you have a problem with what occurred then speak to me. That turned into a verbal altercation, which turned into a physical altercation. Cormack head butted the coach," Fair Lawn Police Sergeant Brian Metzler said.
He said players and spectators started running onto the field to break up the fight.
"The Midland Park coach's 9-year-old son happened to get backhanded by Cormack," Metzler said.
Parents in Fair Lawn whose children play soccer, are shocked.
"It's very upsetting. It's scary. We're trying to teach the kids to do the right thing, to treat each other with sportsmanship and respect, and as parents we are the role model for the children so my husband, one of the reasons he wanted to coach is because he wanted to instill those values in our kids, and the kids on the team," Christine Alfano told CBS2's Alice Gainer.
Police said Cormack does not have a criminal history, but is now charged with two counts of fourth degree simple assault.
While rare, it's not unusual to hear about these sorts of youth sports altercations.
"I've been here 20 years. We've had a couple incidents of that happening here. Just sets a bad example for the kids when they see the adults that are fighting. That's the last thing you really want to see," one parent said.
They hope its the last time they see an incident like this.
The 9-year-old player went to the hospital with dizziness and was released.
Cormack went to the hospital with a head injury, and the Midland Park coach refused medical attention.