A man featured in a viral video striking an American Youth Football player, a 9-year-old, multiple times has been charged by Florida officials and banned from future sports activities.
A Twitter user posted a video Wednesday of the coach, who has been identified as Gerrel Williams, scolding the Savannah Gators player during a championship game in Kissimmee, Florida. In the short clip, the coach is seen either smacking or punching the 9U football player on the head with his helmet on, hitting him another time and walking away from the child angrily.
The video has been viewed more than 3 million times, with tons of comments referring to the coach’s behavior being abhorrent. Some have said those present during the altercation should have reported and/or stopped the coach.
A social media user informed the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office of the incident this week, according to Savannah ABC news affiliate WJCL. The sheriff’s office contacted the child’s mother in Savannah, who was aware of the incident but decided not to press charges. On Friday, according to a statement, the Kissimmee sheriff’s office will move forward with charges.
“The decision has been made that charges for child abuse will be filed, regardless of parent’s decision not to press charges,” the statement read.
Some deemed the coach’s response as par for the course in youth football.
The Savannah Gators issued a response online after the backlash Wednesday. It has since been deleted.
“Please keep the negative comments off this page...This organization has great coaches. We understand what we all saw yesterday was disturbing to us all, but let’s not blame everyone for one mans’ actions...He is a good guy that just ... took it a little (too) far on a 9U player.”
By Thursday morning, Adam Laufer, AYF executive vice president, told TMZ the coach has been banned from all of the organization’s events and activities as a result of his actions earlier this week.
“We are, of course, beyond disappointed in the coach’s actions, which are wholly inconsistent with the fundamental value of youth sports,” Laufer said. ”The coach has been banned indefinitely from all future AYF events and activities.”
AYF supports youth football in all 50 U.S. states and six countries.
Chatham County Sheriff John Wilcher released a statement Thursday regarding Williams’ employment as a counselor for the county’s detention center. Wilcher said in the statement that Williams was no longer an employee for the sheriff’s office.
“CCSO reviewed the video and we are very disturbed by the actions of Mr. Gerrel Williams. The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office does not condone this behavior. As of Dec. 10, 2020, he is no longer an employee of the CCSO. Mr. Williams was not a deputy; he was a counselor in the detention center,” read the statement.
A video on Facebook appears to show Williams apologizing for his actions. The video, which appeared on the Facebook account of Alexis Cobb, shows the coach saying that he should have corrected the child in private.
“At the end of the day, I am a man. I’m not going to make no excuses for what I did.”
Legendary Los Angeles Lakers player LeBron James commented on the coach’s behavior Thursday on Instagram. He stated there was “no way” that could have been his child.
The incident has brought scrutiny not only to the youth football league but also other organized youth sports, where such heated confrontations have made headlines. Last month, a youth football coach was seen choking another coach due to his son not being placed in a game. Last year, a high school football coach threatened a referee for a “no-call” against his son.
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