Atlanta High School Football Coach Arrested After Appearing To Punch His Own Player On Sideline

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A high school football coach in Atlanta was arrested after punching a player on his own team in the stomach during a game over the weekend. The entire incident was caught on the live broadcast of the game.

The incident occurred during the game's opening quarter between Douglas County and Mays High School. A Mays coach was first seen yelling at one of the team's players before striking him in the stomach. The player immediately put his hands on his knees bent over as if he had just gotten the wind knocked out of him.

The coach was removed from the sideline during the game by an Atlanta Public School police officer and placed in custody. According to a spokesperson who spoke with Atlanta News First, the coach will be charged with simple batter and face administrative charges.

READ: GAME BETWEEN TOP-10 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM ENDS IN MASSIVE BRAWL

The coach on the sideline is described as a "lay coach," which means they are a coach who doesn't teach at the school.

“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,” the spokesman said. “The lay coach will be charged with simple battery and face administrative charges from the district.”

“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."

Mays went on to lose to Douglas 48-44 in the non-regional contest.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.