Police look into assault on coach

Deirdre Newman and Steve Virgen

Police are investigating a report that a parent assaulted the head

coach of the Estancia High School girls’ basketball team.

The report filed Tuesday documents an alleged assault by the

mother of a player against coach Tami Rappa after a home basketball

game Tuesday night. Linn Brady reportedly shoved her shoulder into

Rappa’s chest because she was upset that her daughter did not play in

the game.

On Wednesday, Principal Tom Antal and Athletic Director Nancy

Ferda removed Brady’s daughter from the team because she violated the

team’s code of conduct by missing more than three practices without a

justifiable excuse, Rappa said.

Today, Rappa said she plans to file a restraining order against

Brady.

“It’s sad that in today’s society, we have to protect ourselves as

coaches,” Rappa said. “You think, no wonder kids have no role

models.”

Rappa, who is in her first year coaching at Estancia, said she did

not play Brady’s daughter Tuesday night because she missed four

practices, one game and was late to one practice.

“There was no way she could go in because she didn’t know any of

the plays,” Rappa said.

The incident began after Tuesday’s game. Brady approached Ferda

and then Antal, complaining about Rappa’s decision not to play her

daughter, Antal said.

“[She was] a little agitated, but she wasn’t shouting,” Antal

said. “I told her I would never second-guess a coach’s decision.”

Antal then recommended that the woman cool off and talk to the

coach when she was calmer. But after She left the gym, Brady

reportedly assaulted Rappa.

While Antal characterized it as an isolated incident, he said he

was shocked and saddened by the aggression.

“For [Rappa] to feel the need to file a police report because a

parent assaulted her and was belligerent, while she’s in the

workplace and doing her job, is rather extraordinary,” Antal said. “I

have not seen it happen here [before].”

The assault violates the district’s new Victory With Honor

program. One of the program’s components encourages parents to treat

others involved in competition with respect.

Estancia’s plan to publicize this part of the program involves

meeting with booster groups. But since Antal can’t force parents to

attend the booster club meetings, he said he would consider adding a

standard for parent behavior to the code of conduct that athletes and

their parents are required to sign.

“It’s just sad because I was on a high for my team,” Rappa said.

“There was a lot of encouragement. Everything has been starting to

come together, and then I get low-bridged back to negativity. I was

thinking, ‘Do I ever get a break?’”

Antal said he hopes parents who get upset at athletic events will

think twice before lashing out.

“If there’s anything I hope the public can think about, it’s

before you take action, stop and take 10 long breaths and think,

because sometimes the next morning is a better time for action,”

Antal said.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected]. STEVE VIRGEN

covers sports. He may be reached at (949) 764-4325 or by e-mail at

[email protected].