South Side Dawgs football player Cohen Laredo was yelled at in front of players and spectators by a coach.
Cohen Laredo, 9, born on February 23, 2016, was born to his father, Bj Laredo, and his mother, Brittany La Plante.
His parents got married on August 20, 2011. They have been married for over 13 years.
Cohen’s mother, Brittany La Plante, resides in Nanaimo, British Columbia, and has studied to become a certified personal trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA).
Later, she studied Nutrition at ISSA and graduated in 2021.
Since October 1, 2020, she has been serving as the certified personal trainer and nutritionist at Head Coach – Authentically Fit.
On the other hand, Cohen’s father, Bj Laredo, is a former service manager at Nanaimo Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
Currently, he serves as a co-founder of Vancouver Island Pro Wrestling and service manager of Harris Mazda.
Cohen Laredo’s Parents Stood Up After He Was Bullied And Demoted To The Water Boy By The Coach
Cohen Larode was fully committed to the South Side Dawgs to play football.
He wears jersey #76 and has never missed a single game or practice session.
Recently, Cohen’s mother, Brittany, shared an emotional Facebook post in which she announced that a coach had bullied her 9-year-old son.
Brittany said that Cohen was publicly yelled at during a game for not running fast enough, which left him emotionally distressed and unable to respond afterward.
Following the incident, he was removed from the game, marked for disciplinary action, and told that he wouldn’t be playing in the championship. Moreover, he was demoted to water boy.
Brittany and Bj have already pulled Cohen from tha team and said that they have received a refund for the fall season and will be moving to a new organization that values players, teaches through encouragement, and prioritizes kids.
Brittany thanked everyone who stood up in support of Cohen and the kids who chose not to play on Saturday in protest, expressing their gratitude. She said,
To the families who have stood up in support of Cohen especially the kids who have chosen not to play on Saturday in protest our deepest gratitude. Your courage and kindness mean everything.
Brittany La Plante
She concluded the post saying,
For those considering South Side: this is just a glimpse into what we’ve been dealing with. We’ve donated over 6 hours a week of our time to this team, showing up as parents and volunteers. We expected the same level of care and respect for our child. We didn’t get it. I won’t stop until this changes, not just for Cohen, but for every kid who steps on the field believing they’re part of something good. Please share & spread 🫶🏈 I have had many people reach out and ask how they can express their concerns that they have also had, please don’t hesitate to message me and I can send you the information as to where South-Side Minor Football Associatione Minor Football Association
Brittany La Plante
In the comment section, Brittany’s close ones and relatives also showed support for her and praised him for standing up against the incident. One person wrote,
As a former coach of kids hockey and baseball, this really disgusts me. I hope the rest of the players stands behind Cohen and forfeits the game. Graciously accepting silver with pride and sportsmanship.
Geoff Reinhard
Another person wrote,
Good for you Brittany for standing up to the world of bullies who call themselves “coaches” or “sport purists”. There are some phenomenal coaches, teams and organizations, unfortunately there are also people who use sports to hide behind the fact they are bullies. I’m so sorry Cohen has had to go through this, but he has a fierce momma bear on his side and not all of the kids out there do. Thanks for supporting them too.
Cathy Fowler
The Third person wrote,
Brittany this absolutely breaks my heart. Cohen is such a sweet soul from what I saw first hand when Thomas was on his team. This blows me away! The incredibly unprofessional actions done towards him are completely unacceptable. Give that boy a big hug from Thomas. I’m so sorry!
Siobhan MacPhail
The incident has highlighted the importance of supportive coaching in youth sports.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Brittany La Plante’s mother-in-law, Suzanne Vautour, is from Nanaimo and lives in Hope, British Columbia.
- Cohen’s father, Bj, also served as a DJ at BJ The DJ.
- Brittany Empower Plus-Size Women to Lose Weight and Gain Confidence through Personalized Coaching.
