MEDINA, N.Y. (WKBW) — There is more fallout to an incident that was recorded on the field after a sports game in Medina.
A Medina and Akron little league football game, not affiliated with either school district, continues to outrage parents in those communities all because of a video.
On Saturday, Akron Youth Football teams played against Medina Youth Football teams in Medina.
A video, shared dozens of times on Facebook, shows cheerleaders, walking off the football field, visibly upset and holding their arm.
One of the girls is Erin Behm's daughter.
"When she came up to the bleachers, all the girls, it was mayhem," Behm said.
Behm said her daughter was slapped on the arm after shaking hands with the Medina players.
"She's crying and she's like 'I don't understand,'" Behm added.
Sandra, who did not want to go on camera or use who full name, tells 7 News she has a nephew who plays on the Medina football team. She believes all of this could have been an accident.
"They get a little excited after a game and you know, they go to, you know, give the high-five or slap of a hand, but again, these are kids," Sandra said.
UPDATE: The Medina team has to *forfeit* for the rest of the season for their actions & will apologize to the Akron girls.
— Kristen Mirand (@kristen_mirand) September 22, 2022
Akron teams have to apologize to Medina parents & players for storming the field & cursing. Parents were given a warning. @WKBW https://t.co/hKj3SvvW0v
Following the incident on Saturday, both teams are feeling the heat.
According to an email Behm received, commissioners from the Niagara-Orleans Football Association, NOFA, made their final decision following the incident:
- The Medina team will give a formal apology to the Akron girls for their actions
- The Medina football team will forfeit the remainder of the season.
"It's just sad. These are little, little kids. They're heartbroken right now," Sandra said.
NOFA also said that the Akron Youth Football and Cheer team have to give a formal apology to parents and players of the Medina football team because some parents ran onto the field yelling and cursing at the Medina players.
Parents have been given a warning.
"I can apologize for not knowing what to do in the moment, but for going on the field, without having some leader to tell us what to do, I guess that was our only, our only option," Behm said.
7 News did reach out to NOFA twice, but have not heard back. 7 News also called the commissioner of Medina LOYAL Football and Cheerleading and president of the Akron Little League Team, but have not heard back.
Following a petition created by Akron parents for the Medina team to forfeit, Medina parents have created a petition to get the decision reversed.
