A Georgia youth football coach is facing a child abuse charge in Florida after a video showed him striking a young player at a national tournament.
ESPN reports the video shows the coach, Gerrell, slapping the helmet of a player on his under nine team and yelling at him. He then hit the child a second time, and the boy lost his balance and fell. The incident happened at the 2020 American Youth Football National Championships in Kissimmee, Florida.
The child’s mother told authorities she did not want to press charges. Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Jacob Ruiz said that the sheriff’s office and the state attorney’s office reviewed the case and decided charges would be filed anyway. He said there is zero tolerance when it comes to the abuse of a child.
The coach has been banned from the league, and he was also reported to have lost his job as a counselor at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office detention center. American Youth Football’s general counsel, Adam Laufer, said in a statement that the league was beyond disappointed and that the coach’s actions were inconsistent with the values of youth sports.
The coach has since posted an apology on Facebook Live. He said he would not make excuses for what happened.
As of this report, the case has not been decided and the charge is an allegation.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
