In the do-or-die world of New Jersey middle school wrestling, even parents get in on the action.
It is unclear what happened at this event in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. And just want to underscore once again that this was a middle school match.
There isn’t much to be said here about this incident, right? While the start of the melee is unclear, the fallout seems rather significant.
Punches being thrown, coaches yelling. Parents streaming onto the floor. The dual-meet is stopped. Kids watching parents go at it.
This isn’t what wrestling should be about at any level.
New Jersey is a premier wrestling state, routinely funneling athletes top programs such as Penn State, Iowa, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, Rutgers as well as the Ivy League. Wrestling is taken seriously in New Jersey, but this is unwarranted at any level.
(Warning: There is some adult language in this video. Viewer discretion is advised).
Wrestling parents brawling in Phillipsburg, NJ: pic.twitter.com/HnJE1Qed39
— The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) (@MrPatMineo) January 29, 2024
The actual cause of the fight remains a bit murky. A scan of social media only seems to involve fingerpointing at a group of fans, but leads nowhere in terms of the cause for the fighting between the parents.