Parents Charged After Brawl at Youth Street Hockey Tournament in New Jersey

What happens when competitive spirit spirals out of control? A youth street hockey tournament in New Jersey became a chaotic spectacle after a brawl broke out—not just between the players, but among their parents too. The Veterans Memorial Invitational Tournament held in Egg Harbor Township, just outside Atlantic City, saw tempers flaring and fists flying, leading to charges against several adults.

The incident began as an altercation between players of the Maple Shade Cadet and Frenzy Cadet teams. Video footage shows players shoving and throwing punches, while officials scrambled to regain control of the game. But just when you might think the adults would step in to restore order, they took a dive into the melee themselves. Surveillance footage captured grown-ups wrestling each other to the ground in what can only be described as a spectacle straight out of a low-budget action movie.

Egg Harbor Township Police confirmed that three adults have been charged for their roles in the scuffle: Colleen Biddle, 41, of Philadelphia; Robert Schafer, 38, of Maple Shade, New Jersey; and Justin Pacheco, 38, also of Philadelphia. Each faces charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct, and will have to appear in court.

The American Ball Hockey Alliance (ABHA) was quick to condemn the behavior, emphasizing that violence is never acceptable in the sport. "This type of behavior is NOT representative of normal street/dek hockey play," their statement read. They assured that severe penalties would be imposed for both players and spectators involved in the fiasco. As part of the fallout, both teams have been suspended from the tournament, and the Maple Shade Cadet team’s coach has been suspended from the league.

The ABHA also launched an internal investigation and pledged disciplinary action against all parties involved. While distancing themselves from the chaos, the host facility, Egg Harbor Township Street Hockey, clarified that the incident was instigated by out-of-town teams and did not reflect the values of their organization or community.

So, what started as a street hockey game ended as an episode of "Parents Behaving Badly." Let’s hope the next tournament focuses more on sportsmanship and less on sparring.