Youth basketball game sparks 40-parent 'screaming match' at Bloomington Kennedy

Around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, a basketball game involving 12-year-old boys at a tournament taking place at Bloomington Kennedy High School escalated into a "screaming match" involving parents. A person at the gym called police to report 15 to 30 people were fighting.

Bloomington police spokesperson Mike Hartley told Fox 9 the incident began with an physical altercation involving punches on the court that later prompted about 40 parents to start yelling and swearing at each other.

The responding officer reported "that from the sounds of the parents were yelling and screaming," Hartley says. "The kids started the fight, it spread to parents, the parents started screaming, the cops arrived and it filtered out."

Further investigation revealed that following the basketball game, "3 juvenile players engaged in a physical confrontation and were quickly restrained. Those altercations lead to the verbal dispute between adults from the opposing teams."

Hartley says the melee was mostly under control by the time officers arrived. Nobody was seriously injured, and there were no arrests.

Positive Coaching Alliance is offering resources for parents, coaches, and others involved in youth sports. Click here for more information.