A Kent middle school football coach wants the Kent Predators pro Indoor Football League team to clean up its act and stop fighting opposing players during games at the ShoWare Center.
Mike Foster, who coaches eighth-grade football at Mill Creek Middle School, attended the March 12 home debut of the expansion Predators March against the Fairbanks Grizzlies. Foster, who wrote a letter to the editor of the Kent Reporter to complain about the game, said he counted at least four fights between players.
“It was the worst exhibition of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen in my life,” Foster said in a phone interview Monday. “Kids were sitting in the stands watching adults act like that. I guess the players thought since they were playing in an arena where hockey is played that they had to fight.”
Officials whistled several 15-yard, personal fouls against players, but no players were ejected from the game, even though the league prohibits fighting.
Brooks York, director of operations for the IFL, said in a phone interview Monday from the league’s Richmond, Va., office that players are supposed to be ejected by officials for fighting if the official sees them punching or shoving each other.
“We want to make sure the game stays clean,” York said. “Fans don’t want to see fighting. They want to see action.”
York said, as of Monday, he had not heard any complaints about fighting at the Predators game.
Foster said he planned to contact league officials to let them know what he thought of players who fight.
“I think they all should be fined their pay for the night,” Foster said. “Don’t take cheap shots and don’t fight.”
Players are paid $225 per game and receive a $25 bonus for a victory.
Kent coach William McCarthy said a few of his players were involved in scuffles with Fairbanks players, but he did not want to get into specifics about what he might do to discipline those players.
“Those are things that we take care of internally,” McCarthy said in a phone interview Monday. “It happens in games where players retaliate and the officials can’t see everything.”
McCarthy said he still needed to review film of the game to see what Kent players had done. He also knows the league officials can impose sanctions.
“The league reviews film and if they catch anything we go with what the league says,” McCarthy said.
Kent players Chase Reed and Andre Jordan were each involved in tussles with Fairbanks players. Reed received two personal foul calls against him after the Predators had scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
York said he reviews films of games and that he has the authority to fine or suspend players even if they were not ejected from the game if he sees them fighting or taking cheap shots on film of the game.
“There are disciplinary rules to enforce so the game does not get out of hand,” York said. “We can issue fines and suspensions.”
A Tri-Cities player was ejected by officials two straight games for shoving or fighting opposing players, according to the Tri-City Herald. York said the league will take action this week against that player with a suspension, fine or both.
“If you take money away from them, they follow the rules,” York said.
York declined to say whether the league will take any action against Kent players. As of Monday, York said he had not watched film of the Predators home opener.
“We don’t air our in-house laundry,” York said about whether the league would announce any fines or suspensions.
Foster played football at Kent-Meridian High School and has coached in the Kent School District since 1972. He said the players should have received more than a 15-yard, personal-foul call for fighting with opponents.
“There should have been some ejections,” Foster said.
Foster, who sat in end-zone seats, said he hopes league officials take stronger action.
“It was disheartening,” Foster said. “I love football. I’ve played or coached it since 1959.”
But the debut of the Predators left him with a bad taste for the IFL.
“It’s a black eye on Kent,” Foster said.
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