Rhode Island Youth Football Coach Fired After Letting Adult Play in a Game

A Rhode Island youth football coach has been fired, and received a ton of backlash over allowing an adult to play in a kids' game.

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A Rhode Island youth football coach was fired after allowing an adult to play in a game. During a game in Scituate over the weekend, the now former Capital City Buccaneers coach sent out a player wearing the No. 84 after halftime who clearly looked bigger than the other players with ages ranging from 13 to 14 years old. Following a few plays, the referees noticed the guy believed to be at least 18 years old, and got him off the field. 

As Capital City Buccaneers founder, Alexandra Diaz, stepped away from the field, No. 84 made his way onto the field. One parent in attendance named Kevin Stockwell told ABC 6 News that he could spot facial hair, and arm tattoos on the player in question. “If I was there, that would never ever happen because safety of these kids is more important to me than anything. That's not how I run my program,” Diaz toldNBC 10 News. “It hurts me, it hurts the community, (and) it hurts the children because a lot has been ripped from them.”

 

When confronted about letting the older brother of a player on the team to play a few snaps, Diaz told NBC 10 News that the coach acknowledged the choice was "a mistake," and "he feels sorry." Imagine how sorry he would've been if one of those kids got hurt. 

In addition to having the coach fired, the Rhode Island Pre-Teen Football League has placed an indefinite ban on the team.  

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