Texas UIL says it's investigating after video shows HS ref ripping helmet off player
The University Interscholastic League, the governing body of Texas high school football, said Saturday it is investigating after a video went viral showing a game official ripping the helmet off a player.
The incident occurred Friday in a game between Whitney and Dallas Madison at Seagoville Stadium in Dallas.
A video from an account identified as Karla Haynes, whose bio says she is the wife of Whitney head coach and athletic director David Haynes Jr., shows a Whitney linebacker bumping into the referee twice. The referee responds to the second bump by grabbing the player, whom Haynes says is her son, by the facemask and ripping his helmet off.
The referee throws a flag after the play, at which point Haynes said he ejected her son.
@uiltexas how is this allowed from a ref!!!!!!! And then you eject MY SON and you literally assaulted him!!!!!!! @kwtxsports @kwtx @FoxNews @25NewsKXXV @CoachHaynesJr @WacoTribSports pic.twitter.com/W2vQQikXmp
— Karla Haynes (@KarlaAHaynes) September 30, 2023
Another account belonging to Dillon Hightower, identified as Whitney's wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, responded with an angle of the play from the opposite side:
Here’s the view from the film… pic.twitter.com/nMpuzc2FC5
— Dillon Hightower (@CoachHightower3) September 30, 2023
The referee involved has not yet been identified.
The morning after the game, at which point the incident had received significant attention on social media, the UIL posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) that it was aware of the incident with "great concern" and was "actively looking into the matter."
The UIL is aware of an incident involving a sports official and a student athlete during the Whitney vs. Dallas Madison varsity football game last night (Friday, 9/29). This situation is of great concern to us and we are actively looking into the matter.
— Texas UIL (@uiltexas) September 30, 2023
Whitney went on to beat Dallas Madison, 56-28, per MaxPreps.
