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As any parent with a kid in the sport will tell you, youth baseball is serious business these days. There’s nonstop travel, tournaments seemingly year-round, and thousands of dollars poured into equipment and apparel.
But sometimes, things can go a bit overboard. That’s exactly what happened at a tournament over Memorial Day weekend in Kansas City when a coach for a team from Oklahoma allegedly instructed his 12-year-old son to fire a ball into the opposing team’s dugout.
According to USA Today, the incident has landed the coach a lifetime suspension, while the son was suspended for years.
“Due to the sensitive nature of the sensitive manner of the issue, and involvement of minors, no further comments will be (provided),” John Latella, the CEO of the United States Specialty Sports Association, said when asked about the incident.
Youth Baseball Coach Allegedly Instructed Son To Throw Pitch Into Dugout
Michael Ryals, 38, of Welling, Oklahoma has been suspended for life after two people associated with the team he coached said parents of the players thought Ryals told his son to throw into the opposing team’s dugout.
Video of the incident, which contains explicit language, shows the pitcher wind up and fire a ball directly into the opposing team’s dugout on the third-base side of the field.
“Our athletes and our parents were 100 percent blindsided when Michael instructed his son to do what he did,” a letter to opposing coach Brandon Magni read. “We left the park immediately after the game and we are no longer associated with the coach and we never will be again.”
Ryals has not yet issued a statement in response to the incident.