Fight erupts at youth soccer game in Wisconsin, referee punched

Three boys have been cited for fighting at a youth soccer game in Wisconsin -- including one boy who allegedly punched a referee.

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Two teams, FC Wisconsin and San Jose FC, from Illinois, played a championship game Saturday in Brookfield, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported. At some point members of the San Jose FC reportedly became upset, and players and referees began arguing with each other after the game, according to the newspaper.

Tensions escalated and the yelling progressed to physical fighting. One 12-year-old boy threw a water bottle at referee Terry From, From told WISN-TV.

From approached the boy to tell him to stop, and was punched by another boy, he said. Then, From said the boy who threw the bottle then punched him square in the jaw.

The incident was captured on video.

Brookfield police arrested two 17-year-olds and the 12-year-old, all from Illinois, according to the Journal-Sentinel. Police gave the boys citations for battery and disorderly conduct, then released them to their parents.

"I was trying to make sure everything was safe, and I didn't expect ... never in a million years would I have thought somebody would throw a punch at a referee," From said.

However, Lindsey Herrera, a San Jose FC administrator, recounted a different version of events to WTMJ-TV. She said From put his hands on the 12-year-old's neck and lifted him, prompting another player to defend him.

Herrera also said kids and parents made racist comments throughout the tournament, which created tension and added to the kids acting out.

From denied hearing any racist comments from the crowd and told WTMJ he would have stopped the game if he had.

From said he’s suffering headaches and problems with his jaw as a result of the punch. He said he hasn’t heard from the players, their parents or the team.

"The punishment should be much more severe than what they gave them. I was shocked to hear that, that all they got was citations. This is unbelievable to me. They're just going to do it again," From said.

From said he plans to talk to the Waukesha County district attorney about filing criminal charges in the case, even though that wasn't recommended by Brookfield police.

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