As hundreds of young kids poured into BPHS on Saturday, March 2 for the annual Ted Gates Tournament, nobody knew that there would be controversy taking down the day.

In a field of competitive youth wrestling, tensions can run high between competitors as well as between coaches and athletes. Most people, to some extent, can draw the line between right and wrong when it comes to player/ coach interaction.

Floyd Huff, youth coach of Waynesburg, took his interactions to the extreme when he hit his 9-year-old wrestler in the face after the boy lost his match. Many bystanders decided to step in including Bethel Park senior Jared Yantek.

“What surprised me was that the boy was almost protecting his [coach], which made me wonder if this is a common occurrence,” Yantek said.

The boy’s match took place on the mat that Yantek was working for the morning. Upon witnessing the incident, Yantek confronted the man, to which Huff did not take too kindly.

There was an off-duty state trooper watching his son wrestle that morning who arrived at the scene within minutes. Huff was quickly detained and brought up to the Athletic Office above the main gym. Upon searching the man, they found a kit containing heroin needles and other drug paraphernalia.

Needless to say, this man is going to be facing jail time. Without the leadership of our fine students and local law enforcement, who knows how life could have continued for this child.