Parents Brawl At a Softball Game

It didn't happen locally but it could, parents at a softball tournament in Tennessee started throwing punches instead of pitches. Tournament director Tina Gale says both teams involved in the fight were from North Carolina and immediately disqualified from the tournament and escorted out of the ballpark.

According to reports, there was some heckling over umpire calls favoring one team, which led to some parents walking over to confront the other team's parents. Video posted Saturday on social media shows adults kicking, shoving and punching each other on a lawn outside the field while others rush to try to break it up. Shrieks can be heard in the background. You can see the whole brawl at on USA Today's sports page. 

There have been times I have been at my son's ballgame and have witness parents getting out of control.  One game, a mother started yelling at the umpire using words you wouldn't use to talk to your grandma with or anyone else, and had to be escorted out of the park! Shocking yes, but is that the norm now? Hope not.  In Clifton Park when you walk onto the softball fields there is a sign that reminds parents this is a game for the kids and about the kids. I get it, sometimes you get into the game but that needs to be saved for professional sporting events.  Even then, it needs to sometimes be toned down.

The biggest thing to remember, it is the kids that are playing.  It is your kids that follow your example and if you are throwing punches, most likely they will eventually throw punches.