Fans behaving badly: Why high school sports can bring out the worst in spectators

Unruly fans are an issue at every level of sports, from T-ball to the NFL.

But in high school sports, according to Westbury sports psychologist Tom Ferraro, the stakes are higher for parents, which can ratchet up emotions and lead to an unsafe environment.

“The mindset with parents is that I need to protect my kid, which is a very primitive biological instinct," Ferraro said. "The intensity, the competition, what’s on the line for college opportunities, they’re all factors feeding someone’s reactions.”

The issue of fan behavior is again in the spotlight after last Thursday’s incident during a high school basketball game between Comsewogue and host Half Hollow Hills West High School. Jeffery Vernot, a 36-year-old spectator, was charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly punched a 15-year-old player on the court.

Vernot, who declined to comment, is a parent of a Hills West player, according to the statement from the Comsewogue district.

Coaches, game officials and administrators interviewed by Newsday agree fan behavior at Long Island high school sports events remains a pervasive and challenging problem.

Administrators said there are multiple ways to address crowd behavior, and incidents like last week are rare. Still, they said verbal abuse and hostile behavior persist. They stressed the need to have adequate security on hand to address problems before they get out of control, and that, if necessary, security must eject fans from the event. They also said coaches play a role in setting a positive tone with fans.

Rich Spadaro, who has three children who played varsity sports at Mount Sinai High School, said he has been shocked by what he has seen from other parents.

"I've seen the worst of the worst behavior in the stands," Spadaro said. "If I'm in the stands yelling at the coaches or the officials, what kind of example is that? I see people act out and I don't understand. Maybe it's the stress and they're overwhelmed."

Tom Combs, executive director of Suffolk's governing body of scholastic sports, said parents need to be reminded they are there to offer support.

“People feel like they have the right to yell and scream at officials, at players, at coaches, and a lot of the behavior is disappointing,” Combs said. “We should be there to be supportive of the teams, the kids and the officials."

Security and ejections

For regular season games, the host school district is responsible for supplying supervisors, also called chaperones, at every event. Many schools use teachers as supervisors and the number can vary based on the event. Some schools will send chaperones to away games at times, as well.

“You want your teachers there because they know the kids, so they can go up in the bleachers and tell students to cut it out,” Combs said. “It’s just more personal, so you’re going to have a better outcome… We had a 'plus one’ philosophy. If I think I need four security people or chaperones, I’m going to bring five.”

For playoff games, both Nassau and Suffolk County contract private security companies.

John Dee is the head of athletic supervision at Longwood High School and the owner of Athletic Event Management Service, which provides security at Suffolk events. He has been working security at Long Island high school sports events for more than 20 years.

“Every year at playoff games, I throw people out,” Dee said. “In a Long Island championship soccer game in the fall, we had a parent from a Nassau school throw a water bottle at an official. We escorted him out… I think everybody should take it extremely seriously because in today’s society, you have no idea what could happen.”

Section VIII and Section XI, the Nassau and Suffolk governing bodies of scholastic sports, track the number of ejections at high school events.

Seven spectators were ejected from Long Island events this fall, according to the records, which were shared with Newsday.

Pat Pizzarelli, executive director of Nassau's Section VIII, said fans who are ejected serve a three-game suspension, up from a one-game ban in previous years. Suffolk has a one-game suspension for fans who get ejected, and allows for the school district to increase the ban, Combs said.

There were 53 spectators ejected from high school events in the 2024-25 school year, records show. There were 42 ejections in Suffolk and 11 in Nassau.

That number is up from the 47 spectators ejected in the 2023-24 school year.

“There are incidents every season," Dee said, "but the idea is that once you confront someone and you do it properly, the confrontation ends very quickly."

Patchogue-Medford athletic director Anthony Cracco said the district has a zero-tolerance policy toward abuse.

“We've had difficult conversations with fans that are unruly,” Cracco said. “When they don't comply, they're ultimately ejected from the site. We've had to remove spectators from our girls lacrosse games in the spring."

Long Beach wrestling coach Ray Adams, who has taught at the school for 30 years, serves as an athletic supervisor at football, volleyball and lacrosse games.

“The goal is to make sure that the game goes on without any fans getting out of line,” Adams said. “Usually, you can tell right away with the people who are very vocal. On very rare occasions, we’ve had to kick people out, but most times, people comply.”

Safety concerns

In June 2024, Newsday reported verbal abuse aimed at referees was responsible for a continuing decline in the officiating ranks.

Patty Richter, who has officiated six sports for more than 15 years, said some fans have made her fear for her safety — and the problem isn't going away.

“Spectators are still crazy,” Richter said. “Some spectators still feel officials are fair game and it’s open season on them — especially after the game, where they think there can be no penalty. There are no boundaries, no rules anymore. People do as they wish.”

Richter recalled an issue with parents during a recent middle school girls soccer game.

“I was working the game by myself and [the parents] were complaining," Richter said. "I ended up ejecting two parents. As they left the field, they threatened me. I wasn’t leaving that field until I didn’t see them out there waiting for me. It's ridiculous that I have to go through that.”

Wrestling official Guy Leggio said he has seen multiple spectators leave the bleachers to step on the mat.

“I have seen my share of brawls at wrestling tournaments,” said Leggio, who was East Islip’s wrestling coach for 26 years and serves as the president of the Suffolk County Wrestling Officials Association.

Wrestling tournaments are unique in that fans can be right next to the action. Oftentimes, spectators will sit on the floor just off the mat to take videos of a match.

“It’s a safety concern every time we compete,” Leggio said. “Spectators are wrong as soon as they step on the mat — they’ve crossed the line. Parents must realize it’s the kids’ dream, not theirs."

Coaches play a role

Cracco said coaches play an important role in keeping the crowd in check.

“Spectators and players follow the coach’s lead,” Cracco said. “If the coach is out of control, it makes its way into the crowd and onto the bench and then behavior deteriorates from there.”

Both counties also record coach ejections. This past fall, 15 coaches were ejected from events. In the 2024-25 school year, 41 coaches were ejected.

“As a coach, you need to approach the refs in a professional manner,” Adams said. “In the past, we’ve certainly spoken to parents and said, ‘You’re not doing your kid any favors by yelling all the time. As a matter of fact, you’re embarrassing your kid.’”

Adams has had two children wrestle in high school, one of whom is a senior at Calhoun High. He said he tries not to get involved in a match as a spectator, even when he disagrees with a call.

“I let the coaches handle it in the way that I would hopefully handle it,” Adams said.

'They're just kids'

Connetquot athletic director Pete Melore said a vibrant crowd is a good thing at a sports event, but spectators have to be careful not to cross the line.

"I welcome a big and loud crowd with tons of students and parents," Melore said. "It adds to the atmosphere at our games. That's what's exciting about high school sports. The problem we're seeing with parents, spectators and students is the singling out and berating of individuals. That's unacceptable."

Pizzarelli emphasized the need for education and communication with spectators.

“I think you just have to stay on top of it and tell people it’s not acceptable, and educate, educate, educate,” Pizzarelli said. “It’s high school sports, it’s not life or death. Nobody’s making a million dollars on this stuff. They’re just kids out there playing.”