An incident at a youth wrestling tournament held at Perrysburg High School has sparked outrage among parents and community members after an 8-year-old wrestler was allegedly assaulted during a match, while officials and coaches failed to intervene.
According to Adam Hayhurst, the father of the child, the incident occurred on January 11, 2026, during an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) youth wrestling tournament.
Hayhurst said his 8-year-old son competed against another child of the same age when the opponent repeatedly grabbed, twisted, and pulled his son’s crotch during the match.
Hayhurst stated that the contact was not accidental. He said the opponent performed the same action twice in a way that appeared deliberate and caused visible distress to his son.
He added that another child had wrestled the same opponent earlier and verbally told officials on the mat that the same thing had happened to him.
That child reportedly left the match crying and visibly shaken.
Despite those warnings, Hayhurst said officials did not stop the behavior.
When parents raised concerns with the head referee, Hayhurst alleged that an official at the scorer’s table closed her eyes and said she “didn’t want to see that.”
He said the head referee told him he would “look into it,” but allowed the match to continue and permitted the opposing child to wrestle further matches.
Hayhurst also criticized the conduct of the opposing team’s coach, identifying the team as Madison Youth Wrestling.
According to Hayhurst, the coach shouted, “That’s right, make him cry!” from the sidelines during the match, a remark that further intensified parents’ concerns about sportsmanship and child safety.
A photo shared by Hayhurst from the match appears to show his son in visible distress while the referee looks on.
Hayhurst said the image underscores his belief that officials witnessed the behavior and failed to act.
“This is not what youth wrestling is about,” Hayhurst said.
“This is not how we teach kids sportsmanship, and this is absolutely not safe.”
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Hayhurst warned that allowing such conduct puts children at risk of physical injury and sends a harmful message that hurting others is acceptable if it leads to victory.
He called on the OAC league to take responsibility for what he described as a failure to protect young athletes, especially after the behavior was reported more than once.
The incident prompted a strong reaction on social media, where parents and community members expressed shock, anger, and concern.
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Several commenters questioned whether assault charges could be filed and urged Hayhurst to contact legal counsel.
Others criticized the level of competitiveness in youth sports and called for better training and accountability for referees and coaches.
Hayhurst said he shared his account publicly to raise awareness and push for change.
He urged parents, league officials, and athletic organizations to prioritize child safety, improve official oversight, and hold teams accountable for dangerous and inappropriate behavior.
“Our kids deserve better,” he said.
