Atlanta High School Football Coach Charged With Battery After Punching Player

An Atlanta high school football coach came under fire on social media as a video circulated showing the coach punching a player in the stomach on the sidelines. The volunteer coach was arrested and will be facing a simple battery charge, as well as administrative charges from the school district, WSBTV reports.

After a player walked to the sidelines during the first quarter of a match between Benjamin E. Mays High School and Douglas County High School on Aug 26, he doubled over after appearing to take a blow to the stomach from the Mays High School coach. According to school officials, the volunteer coach has been removed from his coaching duties.

As video of the incident began to circulate on social media, many expressed outrage at the actions of the volunteer coach.

The coach appeared visibly upset and yelled at the player before striking him, which caused the player to double over in pain. After the volunteer coach punched the student in the stomach, he was escorted off the field by police, according to a district spokesperson.

Atlanta News First received a statement from Douglas County High School spokesman Seth Coleman, “A lay coach for Mays High School, who is not a classroom instructor, is in police custody after an incident that occurred on the sideline during the school’s game this afternoon against Douglas County High School. The lay coach will be charged with simple battery and face administrative charges from the district.”

The game was broadcast on Peachtree TV and was simulcast on Atlanta News First+, Roku, Apple TV and Hulu. Benjamin E. Mays High School ended up losing the game 42-48 to Douglas County High School.

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