Angry Dad Cross-Body Blocks Son’s High School Wrestling Opponent

The father of a high school wrestler, feeling that his son’s opponent had used an illegal maneuver, ran out during the match and CLOCKED THE OPPONENT WITH A FULL-ON FLYING BODY BLOCK! For those of you unfamiliar with the rules of high school wrestling, this is a major breach of etiquette. And also, the law (the whole “striking a child” thing). So, the dad ended up arrested and charged with simple assault. Let’s take a look but, first, a trigger warning: if you are a typical toxic sports parent who only hurls verbal assaults at youth sports the guy you’re about to see makes you look like you don’t love your kid enough.

I think all can agree that wasn’t the best response from the dad; throwing a Goldberg-style body spear against a child rarely is. But I think there are a couple of interesting points to be made in the dad’s defense.

1.) That WAS a completely illegal move. I mean, high school wrestling would be much more awesome if kids WERE allowed to do a modified German suplexes as a finishing move. Sadly, a small but vocal group of “concerned parents” and “brain injury experts” will make sure THAT never happens.

2.) The referee wasn’t doing anything about it. I mean, that HAS to be a disqualification or the opponent has to do the rest of the match with one arm tied behind his back (I’m not entirely clear on the finer points of amateur wrestling.

3.) It’s clear the dad was acting in the heat of the moment. Obviously, if his actions had been premeditated he would have had his wife distract the ref and then he could have run in with a metal chair or barber shears or something. That’s Wrestling 101, right there.