CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A fight broke out at a youth football tournament Saturday that led to one arrest and the cancellation of the rest of the game.
The fight happened Saturday; videos obtained by TV9 showed Jarod Anderson running at Arnold Smith. Smith was coaching one of the teams that day.
“As I am coming off the field, I turn around and the guy is swinging at me,” he said.
Smith said the fight started off the field after he and Anderson’s son were told they were too old to play in the tournament.
“Whatever transpired, he called his dad saying Arnold and his son are trying to fight me and trying to jump me,” said Smith.
Smith’s girlfriend is still recovering after being hit by Anderson. Anderson, 34 of Hiawatha, is being charged with simple assault for the incident. The rest of the tournament was canceled.
Smith said he’s had issues with Anderson in the past and even tried to file a noncontact order, but the confrontation has lasting impacts.
“These people have no clue about the damage they are causing,” said Trevor Bollers, the founder of the Iowa 7 v. 7 football tournament. It brings teams from all over to play one another. He started the organization to give more playing time and opportunities to students.
“We’ve done a lot of good over the last five years,” he said.
Bollers said that hard work was already being undone from this one fight. He said other venues in the state have canceled two tournaments. He also decided to cut teams in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines from an upcoming tournament and more changes are coming to keep this from happening again.
“One of the things we talked about is how do we know everyone who walks through our doors,” he said.
More opportunities is the reason Smith got into coaching and he said this fight could have been prevented.
“My family and I, that’s not who we are,” said Smith.
You can watch video of the fight below:
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