Youth softball coach & umpire get into ugly confrontation as emotions boil over at Arkansas tournament
For two youth girls softball teams, they'll never forget Father's Day weekend 2026 after emotions boiled over during their game.
A simple foul ball call by the first base umpire during the USSSA Wood Grill Buffet/Everett Classic in Benton, Arkansas, turned into a chaotic scene with a coach and umpire going at it in front of the girls. The difference between this incident and the other crazy incidents we've seen this season is that some people say the umpire instigated the situation.
The drama boiled over during the top of the fourth with Arkansas Pride 12 (13U) up to bat with a 7-2 lead on Tulsa Elite NEA (14U). On a 3-2 pitch, a Pride hitter laced a shot down the first base line that was instantly waved off as foul by the first base ump.
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The Pride coach didn't like the call and that's when things got heated. After the Pride coach addressed the home plate umpire, words were exchanged between the coach and first base umpire who then got face-to-face with the coach. That's when shoves were exchanged.
Did the ump miss the call? Maybe. Did the coach have a gripe? Maybe. Does any of this matter to the point where it's worth pushing, shoving and possibly going to jail? For some adults, the answer, lately, is 'yes.'
"Our team was immediately sent to the dugout and remained there until everything was resolved. At no time did we have players running around the field. Additionally, all of our parents remained on the sidelines except for one individual, who was assisting in preventing further escalation and attempting to separate those involved," the Tulsa Elite coaching staff said in a statement posted to the team's Facebook account.
"This type of behavior is unfortunate for our sport, and we are not here to take sides or place blame. The video speaks for itself.
"When we were informed that our parents would have to leave, I made the decision to forfeit the game and remove our team from that environment. My responsibility is to the safety and well-being of our players, and I felt that was the best decision at that time."
OutKick's attempt to receive a statement from the USSSA Arkansas state director has gone unanswered.