WARREN, Mich. – A troubling incident unfolded during a high school football game when an assistant coach was caught on video striking a parent on the sidelines, stirring up concern among the local community.
The footage, which has since been shared online, reveals Lake Shore High School assistant Rob McFarlin involved in a physical altercation with a parent during a game at Warren Woods Tower High School. As players attempted to separate the two men, it became clear that emotions were running high on both sides.
Witnesses reported that the parent confronted McFarlin about his son’s playing time before the situation escalated. “It sounds to me that two adults didn’t make the right decisions,” commented parent Shannon Smith. “So just like anyone, there’s a consequence to making the wrong decision.”
Another parent, Elizabeth Goode, expressed conflicting feelings: “It’s a scary world right now, but the parent came down to the field. I would stand behind the coach – and I don’t know him personally.” This illustrates the divided opinions among the Lake Shore parents regarding the unfolding events.
Despite claims from McFarlin that he acted in defense of the students and coaching staff, the school principal, Janelle Bross, released a statement asserting that McFarlin’s actions were not based on protecting anyone but rather stemmed from frustration. “There is no tolerance for physical aggression or violence, and the actions of both men did not meet the expectations we have for members of our school community,” she stated.
The district has since banned both the coach and the parent from Lake Shore High School and its sporting events. Additionally, law enforcement is currently investigating the incident, aiming to gather more information on what transpired that day.
