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ELK RIVER, MILAN. Lir) 'Soccer . . dad' u....1 .,. ' `Soccer dad' i cites a tion, said she has no informa- the second half, Hawkins tion about the lawsuit and no warned his son that he wouldn't wrong comment. be allowed rule play soccer if he ,..--, Z The conduct of parents and broke the rule again. a+ coaches has received national When Jacob looked away in x attention in cases where the pres- disgust, according to court w ra sure of youth sports resulted in papers, Hawkins grabbed his Z physical harm and even murder. son's shirt and twice asked, "Do 0.--, Suit faults comments One of the most publicized you understand me?"As soon as a after COi1f1 OTitlllg 5011 instances was the January con- the conversation ended, Tanya ' assinej viction of a Massachusetts man Peplinski, the Maplebrook coach, in the beating death of his 10- approached Hawkins, yelling, d BY HANNAH ALLAM year-old son's hockey coach. `That's physical abuse!" court Pioneer Press There are dozens of other reports papers state.Hawkins told Peplin- of coaches attacking parents,par- ski to mind her own business. : < - An Elk River, Minn., father ents attacking officials and play- The next month, Peplinski accused of grabbing and yelling ers attacking one another. and the Maplebrook soccer at his son during a game is suing Such instances leave many board filed a complaint with the Ls) the Minnesota Youth Soccer parents and players calling for a Minnesota Youth Soccer Associ- Association and others, claiming return to sportsmanship and ation,accusing Hawkins of"ver- his right to free speech.was vio- the creation of complex ethics Bally abusing players, verbally lated by other parents who said and conduct codes for youth abusing opposing coaches and ' he should be banned from coach- sports. physically assaulting a player." 0 ing. The Minnesota Youth Soccer Peplinski, who could not he Eric Hawkins said a complaint Association has an 11-point reached for comment, and the brought to the association after he confronted his 10-year-old son ethics code for coaches that others asked for a lifetime coach- includes the words, "Coaches ing suspension for Hawkins. during a game in May violates shall refrain from all manner of A subsequent letter from the his free speech rights, according personal abuse and harassment association's hearing board to a lawsuit filed Thursday in fed- of others." found the most serious accusa- eral court in Minneapolis. Hawkins' case stems from a Sons without merit, but Although association officials May 28 soccer game in which stressed that, "the actions of found accusations of verbal and boys younger than 11 from the grabbing a player's shirt,even if physical abuse without merit, Elk River United Soccer Club it is a relative, is an unwanted according to court papers, a played against their counter- act during a game," according hearing board decided that parts from the Maplebrook Soc- to court papers. Hawkins violated conduct codes cer Association. Hawkins Hawkins wrote that the accu- on inappropriate language and coached the Elk River team, sations caused him "loss of harassment of club players and which included Ms son Jacob. enjoyment of life, humiliation, coaches. During a break in the game, embarrassment and injury to w Hawkins, 39, did not return a Hawkins noticed Jacob break- reputation." phone message seeking com- ing an unspecified family rule Hawkins didn't specify dam- ;4 w ci ment. Ellie Singer, president of that was not"related to the cur- ages. = o the Minnetonka-based associa- rent game under way or related r4 O c-i to the game of soccer in gener- Hannah Allam can be reached at J 'SOCCER DAD,'5B al," Hawkins wrote in court hallam @pioneerpress.com or 0 papers. As players prepared for (651)228-2172.