Coaches Gone Wild: Refs and Players get Choked Out!

Adults need to leave kids’ games alone. Thomas Sparks, 37, proved this point the hard way after he tripped and choked a referee over a foul call. The incident happened on Oct. 24 during a girls’ basketball game in Shelton, Connecticut. Sparks was coaching for the Connecticut Elite youth league when the trouble started. According to the CT Post, he clashed with the official over what he thought was a bad call. Things got physical fast. Sparks allegedly tripped the referee and shoved him to the ground. He then wrapped his arm around the ref’s neck while the man was down. Other people at the game had to step in to stop the fight before Sparks was kicked out of the building.

The Fallout for Sparks

Sparks faced immediate consequences for his actions. He was arrested the same day and charged with assault, strangulation, and risk of injury to a child. The referee filed a report at the police station after the game. Witnesses, including some players, backed up the referee’s version of events. After their heated exchange, Sparks explained to investigators that his actions stemmed from uncertainty about the referee’s reaction. A $10,000 bond secured his release, with a court appearance scheduled for Nov. 12. “Tommy resigned for personal and family considerations,” Staples High School Athletic Director confirmed to the CT Post. He also lost his job with Connecticut Elite.

A Pattern of Violence

This story is not an isolated event in youth sports. Just a few days earlier, on Oct. 20, a similar brawl broke out in Florida. A flag football coach named Brandon Mayer choked a 15-year-old girl after she argued with his daughter. The girl said the other player made fun of her for losing. Mayer used a “choking mechanism” on the teen for about 15 seconds. “It felt like I was just, I was never gonna get out until I just saw black,” Sophia Lopez told CBS12 News. Mayer was arrested and charged with felony battery by strangulation. He was released on bond. These two cases show a scary trend where coaches lose control and hurt kids or officials.