Youth football league altercation leads to suspension for coach

Setting less than a stellar example for their kids, two youth football coaches were involved in a physical altercation in Tempe following a game earlier this month. The game was between the Maricopa Matadors and the Dragonz.

On an azfamily.com video Maricopa coach David Kennedy apparently pulls up in a red vehicle and blocks Tempe coach Terrance Payne’s white vehicle from leaving the area (click here to see video). There is reportedly only one way in and out of the field where the game was held.

After words are exchanged, the two begin fighting. Payne’s wife, Tiffany, is alleged to have stabbed Kennedy as more people get involved in the fight on the video.

According to one source, Kennedy was not badly injured in the confrontation.

Despite the incident, Maricopa Youth Football League President Dan Shaw said there really isn’t much of an impact as far as the league goes. Kennedy was suspended as a result of the actions.

“You will have about six to 15 players players that will not play in this league next year due to the Board’s decision of suspending our coach,” Shaw said. “We as a non-profit and all-volunteer program work very hard to provide a youth tackle football league. The city does not have tackle football, so a lot of us hard-working parents are trying to provide a sport that keeps the kids off the streets.” According to Shaw, the program has 175 kids participating.

“We will learn from our mistakes and keep growing this youth football organization,” Shaw noted. “We started out with about 60 kids. Next year we will be around 250 kids. Remember, we have to think about the kids and not ourselves.”

Asked if a serious incident like this had ever taken place in the four years of the league involving coaches or kids, Shaw said this was the only time they have ever had a fight.