A high school football coach in Atlanta was arrested after he appeared to punch a player in the stomach during a game on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the first quarter of a game between Mays High School and Douglas County when a Mays coach was seen screaming at a player on his own team and then appeared to strike him.
According to Atlanta News First, the coach was removed from the sidelines by an Atlanta Public Schools police officer and placed in custody.
A spokesperson also told Atlanta News First that the person was a “lay coach,” which means they are a coach who does not teach at the school or hold a teaching certificate.
They are required to complete a GHSA training program.
“A lay coach for Mays High School, who is not a classroom instructor, is in police custody after an incident that occurred on the sideline during the school’s game this afternoon against Douglas County High School,” spokesman Seth Coleman told the outlet. “The lay coach will be charged with simple battery and face administrative charges from the district.”
The game was taking place at Eddie. S Henderson Stadium at Midtown High School in Atlanta and was being broadcast on PeachtreeTV, which caught the incident on camera.
After the unnamed coach struck the player, wearing No. 24, he can be seen hunched over in pain before standing back up as the coach continued to yell at him.
“The safety and well-being of all APS students remains a high priority for the district and all APS employees are held to the highest standard of conduct and professionalism,” the statement continued.
Saturday was not the first time that there had been an incident involving the football team at Mays.
Two weeks ago there had been several brawls at a Mays High School football scrimmage, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.