Idaho Wrestling Coach Banned for Life [Video]
What happens when an athletic competition becomes so demanding that a parent rushes on the field or the mat? We've all seen videos of crazed, passionate parents tackling kids overcome by emotion. A video has gone viral of an Idaho volunteer wrestling coach pulling a wrestler off of his kid as it cost him a lifetime band.
The volunteer wrestling coach is not just a wrestling coach. He is an accomplished wrestler and one of the world's most successful digital marketers. Russell Brunson is a founder of Click funnels, an Eagle-based business helping millions market their businesses worldwide. It's not unusual to see Mr. Brunson championing how his company has made its customers millions. He has appeared publicly several times with media powerhouses Tony Robins and Damond John.
Mr. Brunson is known throughout the wrestling community as a champion of the sport. He wrestled at Boise State before becoming an international businessman. He's making headlines not for his website but for an incident at Skyview High School.
A video of the wrestling match showed Mr. Brunson pulling off a wrestler during a match and allegedly punching the fourteen-year-old wrestler. Mr. Brunson was pulled off and was allowed to stay in the building during the tournament.
Mr. Brunson resigned from his position as a volunteer coach at Rocky Mountain High School. He sent a letter to the District Three Board of Control, which is part of the Idaho High School Athletic Association, reports the Idaho Statesman.
As reported by the Statesman, Mr. Brunson explained his reasoning for jumping on the mat.
"As a coach, the normal reaction would be to yell and point it out to the ref, but my reaction as a dad took it one step too far," Brunson wrote. "What would you do if your kid was getting choked out, just 2 feet in front of your face?
"If I had more time, I probably could have made a better decision. But it all happened, I panicked, and it was over in less than 3 seconds."
The wrestler who was on the receiving end of Mr. Brunson is from Nyssa. Authorities and the child's parents are considering pressing charges against Mr. Brunson, reports the Oregonian.
Mr. Brunson is banned from coaching for life and cannot attend a wrestling event this year and next.
Watch the video here.
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