Atlanta High School Football Coach Charged With Battery After Apparently Punching Player

Despite admonitions and discipline coaches have faced for being too hard on their young players, incidents, unfortunately, still occur.

This time an Atlanta high school football coach has come under fire on social media after a video circulated showing him apparently punching a player in the stomach. The volunteer coach was arrested and will face 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 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 the incident, which caused the player to double over in pain. Afterward, the volunteer coach 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,” Coleman said. “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 lost, 48-42. The game was part of the Great Atlanta Bash at Eddie. S Henderson Stadium at Midtown High School in Atlanta.