O.T- Rugby coach attacked by opposing coach /parents in Cal

[faba]

Updated: May 16, 2005, 12:38 PM ET

Coach attacked by another coach, parentsAssociated Press

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. -- A girls rugby coach was beaten until he was bloody and unconscious during a weekend match, and police are seeking criminal charges against several adults.

"I never saw them coming," said Craig Stewart, 55, who was kicked in the head and face by another coach and parents during a game Saturday, according to witnesses and police.

The violence erupted during a tournament game between the Rohnert Park Girls Rugby Club and Stewart's team, the Alameda High School Riptide club team.

The conflict began when referee Paul Berman, 33, ordered a spectator off the field. He was punched in the face three times by the brother of the coach of the Rohnert Park team, police Sgt. Art Sweeney said.

Stewart intervened to help Berman and held the attacker on the ground until police arrived, detectives said. The Rohnert Park coach and up to eight spectators then descended on Stewart, Sweeney said.

Stewart was taken to Kaiser Medical Center in Santa Rosa with cuts and a head injury. He was recovering at home Sunday. Berman was treated on the scene for a split lip.

Several of the adults had fled by the time police arrived on the scene. Authorities were working to identify those involved in the fight. No one had been arrested by late Sunday.

Charges against the attackers could include battery and assault with a deadly weapon, Sweeney said.

[Verde]

Some people are animals.

[Maxman]

In fairness that guy really sucks as a coach.

[Green DNA]

Two soccer stories:

I was coaching a 16 and under team when the game started getting rough and a fight broke out. Next thing you know, parents from both teams were duking it out in the middle of the field, there was absolute bedlam. Mothers, fathers and assorted other relatives in a huge melee, it looked like something out of the WWF. We has a good laugh about afterwards, but it was pretty scary at the time.

Another time I was playing in a game against the Brooklyn Juniors (a team of Jamaican's). They got upset over a couple of calls and threatened to beat the referees ass, then kill him. We had to escort the poor guy to his car with loogies hanging from his hair, his face and all over his clothes. He was scared $hitless. I wouldn't be ref, no matter what they paid me.