Video shows Rob McFarline, a St. Clair Shores assistant football coach, slugging a parent who came down on the sideline during a game Friday at Warren Woods Tower High School in Warren, Fox 2 reports.
Fox 2's Amy Lange reports that Lake Shore High School in St. Clair Shores said the parent had exited the stands and entered the field and confronted the coach on the sidelines.
The coach told Fox 2:
"I acted in defense of the students and coaching staff. Just before the incident seen on video, the parent came towards me, yelling and cursing about his son playing running back. He aggressively approached me and a few other parents. At first I thought he was heading back to the stands, but when I saw him moving towards the field wearing a black hood and with his hand in his pocket, heading toward the coaches and the kids, I acted to prevent any escalation of the situation."
But Principal Janelle Bross told Fox 2:
"Based on eyewitness accounts, the actions of the coach were not a matter of protection or fear of safety for students - it was out of frustration towards the parent.
"There is no tolerance for physical aggression or violence and that the actions of both men did not meet the expectations we have for members of our school community and therefore neither will be allowed on our property or at any future Lake Shore events."