CINCINNATI — After a parent and coach for the Evanston Bulldogs were allegedly shot by the opposing team's coach at a Cincinnati youth football game Sunday evening, community members are searching for solutions.
"I had to hold the player and tell him, 'No, sweetheart your father is not dead,'" said Marye Ward, cofounder and administrator of the Cincinnati United Youth Football and Cheer League.
League organizers, parents and players came together on Tuesday night to help one another, discuss the season's next steps and ensure everyone is OK and safe.
"This is traumatic, to have a coach shot and a parent shot," Ward said.
Others say they haven’t fully processed what happened.
"I was there, I was close to the shooting. I still have some of that shock myself so you know it’s a difficult situation, especially for young kids," said David Barnett, assistant coach for the Bulldogs.
Amber Mingo-Foggie, a mother and aunt of Bulldogs players, said her kids were not at Sunday’s game but those who were are struggling.
"My nephew, he’s really struggling at the moment, he didn’t go to school yesterday and a lot of our kids didn’t go to school, a lot couldn’t sleep," said Mingo-Foggie.
I asked Mingo-Foggie what her reaction was when she heard the accused shooter was a coach. She told me she was surprised.
"I was very surprised, just because to have a weapon at a child’s game in general is mind-boggling to me," said Mingo-Foggie. "But to be a coach and on the field, I think is just not what any organization stands for."
League organizers say coming together as one is the first step in moving forward.
"We are here, we’re not ignoring it, we’re not sweeping this under the rug. We’re gonna face it and move forward," Ward said.
Tuesday’s meeting had trauma response teams and therapy services available to anyone who wanted them — parents and children alike.
Mingo-Foggie said that she hopes the children of the other team and their families are doing alright and doing what is needed to process the trauma they experienced. Adding the trauma and therapy resources that are available to the Bulldogs are available to them as well.
"I hope that they are also doing what they need to do to help their children that were there in the same situation," said Mingo-Foggie. "We’re not the same organization but we still feel you know for their children who experienced the exact same thing."
CUYFCL said coming out of this, its priority is the kids.
"Do the kids wanna play? Are they able to play? I know the parents think they can, but we don’t put on that equipment," Ward said. "I need them to tell us, if you’re OK then we’ll play our games. If not, we’ll push it back."
If the kids are ready to play, the next step would be rescheduling the playoff games, but Ward said they would take place in Dayton not in Cincinnati. And the changes would not stop there.
"Coming into the gate, we’re gonna limit what you bring. There’s no carts, no backpacks, no bookbags. If you have a cooler it only needs to have water, no boxes of snacks or anything," Ward said.
She added that no one besides coaches will be allowed on the sidelines and that the league has already purchased security wands for upcoming games.
Parents and coaches we spoke with are happy with these changes and fully support the top priority being the safety of the children.
