Coach headbutted by parent at U12 game
U12 coach Alan Edwards
AN UNDER-12 soccer match in Carlow town had to be abruptly abandoned when a coach was violently headbutted in front of dozens of stunned children and parents.
Gardaí and an ambulance were called to the shocking scene, which happened during a match between two Hanover Harps U12 boys teams, when one of the coaches was approached “out of nowhere” by a parent from his own team, then viciously headbutted.
“I went to the ground … blood streaming out of my nose non-stop,” said Alan Edwards from Heather Hill, Graiguecullen, who remains very shaken by the ordeal.
“It’s not something you’d ever expect at a children’s match – to be assaulted at the side of a pitch – I mean, if that happened on the street, you’d be locked up,” Alan told .
“There were no words exchanged between us, no history, he just came up behind me, tapped me on the shoulder, then as I turned … bang – he headbutted me,” said Alan.
The division three game took place on Saturday morning, 29 March, on a pitch located at Presentation College, Carlow, which is used regularly by Hanover Harps and many other sporting organisations in the town. Dozens of parents and children witnessed the assault, then watched the upsetting scene as Alan fell to the ground pumping blood, including Alan’s son, who is a member of the team.
“A good few people with first aid came to help me, but the blood was taking an age to stop, it was just flowing, flowing, flowing. So the ref abandoned the match and called an ambulance and the gardaí,” explained Alan.
“One of the parents, in fairness, took my son away while this was going on.”
Alan was brought by ambulance to St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, where he was diagnosed with a fracture to the top of his nose and released five hours later.
“I was off work for a week and I’m self-employed and very busy at the moment, so that wasn’t good. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it and I still don’t understand the reasoning behind it … after the season we’ve had for this to happen at the end,” said Alan.
Moments before the assault and just over ten minutes into the game between Hanover Harps ‘white’ and ‘mint’ U12 teams, Alan had taken the alleged assailant’s son off and replaced him with another player.
“I coach the Hanover U12 white team with others. We’re very lucky in Hanover and have four teams in the U12 league, so our panel has 15 players and it’s nine-a-side, so I give children an even and fair amount of game time. I’d be changing players around all the time,” explained Alan.
“We had a really good season and created a really unique bond among this group of players. They are a great group and we very much try to instill the principles of respect in them; it’s not just coaching, it’s instilling something more,” said Alan.
“That’s what makes it so shocking for something like this to happen.”
Alan is still experiencing a “fuzzy sensation” in his nose and understandably remains rattled by the experience.
“No-one knows what to say about this … to be honest, the club is in shock,” he added.
“I think everyone wanted the season to finish and just to move on and get breathing space from this, but if someone did this down the town some night, they’d be up before the courts,” argued Alan.
“It shouldn’t be allowed to happen. What about the welfare of coaches? What protocols are in place?” he said.
It is understood that following the alleged assault, the team had one further game in the season, which was attended by all players. It is unclear whether Hanover Harps FC or Carlow & District Juvenile League have protocols in place for the assault of coaches by spectators.
When contacted by , both pointed out that the matter is being investigated by the gardaí and therefore they would not comment.
“Gardaí are investigating the matter,” stated David Corcoran, chairman of Hanover Harps FC.
“The club has contacted the man and asked him not to attend any Hanover Harps training or matches and he hasn’t. We also met the coaches and players of both teams and made it clear that this behaviour is not acceptable and that if any players have any issue or concern with what happened to come and talk to us,” added David.
In an email to , Bob Howson, chairman of Carlow & District Juvenile League, said: ‘This matter was referred to the gardaí and in these circumstances we cannot become involved in any way.’
Carlow gardaí confirmed that they attended the scene at Presentation College, Carlow shortly after 10am on Saturday 29 March and are “investigating all matters in relation to this alleged assault”.
Gardaí have also appealed for witnesses to come forward by contacting Carlow Garda Station on 059 9136620.
