A six-year-old boy from Chardon, Ohio, left his first football practice in tears and no longer wants to play the game he once loved.
His mother, Nikki Howes, shared the story on Facebook. She hopes to warn other parents and push for change in youth sports.
It was the boy’s first season with Chardon Youth Football. During a drill, he got tackled. The play was called dead. But another player jumped on late.
He landed on the boy’s helmet. The six-year-old was pinned. He could not move his body. He used his legs to wiggle free.
He pushed against the turf. He tried to get out from under the other kid. He was not kicking anyone on purpose.
An assistant coach saw this. He ran over. He grabbed the boy by his shoulder pads. He lifted him high into the air.
He carried him about 20 feet while yelling. Then he spun the boy around. He slammed him back to the ground.
He screamed, “Stop kicking!” He added, “Stop crying, you’re fine.“
The little boy cried hard. He was scared. Nikki saw it all. She rushed to the coach. She told him, “Never put your hands on my child again.”
Nikki filed a formal complaint. She contacted the Chardon Youth Football board. She also reached out to the Great Lakes Youth Football League (GLYFL).
She followed up many times. She initially wanted the issue handled privately, but nothing happened. No one took action against the coach.
Her son changed after that day. He was excited about football before. Now he says he never wants to play again. The joy turned to fear.
Nikki posted her story not out of anger. She wants accountability. Coaches should teach with patience and respect.
No child should feel fear from an adult in charge. Youth sports need to be safe and positive for everyone.
The Facebook post attracted attention, with parents sharing support, similar stories, and suggestions for alternatives to tough coaching.
Tiffani Cappello wrote about her nephew. He had a bad coach, too. It was his first time playing. The coach was abusive. He yelled and hurt the kids.
“My nephew had a similar experience… Not in Chardon. He was so excited about playing football and couldn’t wait for the season to start. It was his first experience.
Via Facebook
The coach was horrible and abusive to the children. It took him only a couple weeks to completely destroy this kid love football as well as part of his self-worth. My sister complained, but nothing was ever done.”
It crushed the boy’s love for football. It damaged his confidence. Tiffani’s sister complained. Nothing changed.
Ivica Frajer Medved has five kids. Four boys participate in sports such as soccer, wrestling, football, and baseball. He says criticism is part of growing up. Coaches need to guide kids.
But hands-off is key, especially at age six. He praised Chardon’s youth wrestling program. He called Coach Jim Morrison the best. He encouraged the boy to try wrestling instead.
Thomas J. Connick had a different view. He said the boy should not play football. Parents should not shield kids too much.
Life is tough. Adversity builds strength. Soft kids struggle later. He warned against complaints. He even joked that wrestling would be worse.
Gaz Simmons is a referee. He knows that stories vary depending on who tells them. Parents, coaches, kids, refs, all see it differently.
He agreed that the coach got too aggressive. But he asked what Nikki wanted. Firing? Training?
He noted the coach grabbed and yelled, not hit. He wondered if the boy did more than wiggle.
Rebecca Lynn called it child abuse. She said Call the police next time. Some sports have SafeSport rules.
Catholic CYO leagues protect kids. All leagues should. Defending this is wrong. She felt for the family.
Jerad Howes is the boy’s dad. He clarified details. The play was over. Kids got up. One landed late. His son’s helmet was pinned. Legs were all he had.
He kicked against the ground to escape. The coach jerked him out. Lifted him overhead. Ran 20 feet yelling. Spun him. Slammed him down. Yelled in his face. This was not normal discipline. It was not just a grab or a shout.
Chardon Youth Football is part of the GLYFL. The league has rules against abuse. But enforcement seems weak. Parents pay fees.
They expect safety. Boards must investigate fast. Train coaches on age-appropriate methods. Background checks help. But ongoing education is key.
Other programs do it right. USA Football offers Heads Up certification. It teaches safe tackling and positive reinforcement.
Local wrestling in Chardon gets praise for caring coaches. Models exist. Leagues should follow them.
Nikki’s post has sparked talk. More parents may speak up. Change could come. Fire bad coaches. Add parent oversight. Mandate training.
Every kid deserves to play without fear, and Football can build skills and friends, but only if adults act like adults.
The school and coach need to be sued big time! Kids under age 12 should never be trained in football ! This is gross stupidity from the parents and school, etc.