Teen referee assaulted after penalizing coach with red card

A teen referee was hospitalized after he was attacked by a disgruntled soccer coach during a game, the teenager’s family said.

Robby Eager, 17, was the referee for a soccer tournament between a Juarez and Las Cruces team. El Paso Police told ABC-7 the assault happened Sunday, September 9th at the Westside Sports Complex on the 200 block of Isela Rubalcava street.

The teams were comprised of nine to ten year-olds. Eager’s family said the game turned violent after the coach was expelled from the game for screaming vulgar insults. It was at this moment the victim says the coach allegedly attacked him from behind.

“He barely skimmed me, so I turned around and I don’t remember anything after that,” Eager said, adding he blacked out after he was struck in the face.

When Eager regained consciousness, he was surprised at the events that had just happened, as well as the possibility that the person who allegedly attacked him was someone he had worked with with in the past.

ABC-7 is not identifying the coach because El Paso Police could not confirm if the coach had been charged. A police spokesman would only said detectives had been assigned to the case. ABC-7 requested a copy of the police report, but was told it was not ready.

“We know each other. He was being cool with me and I was being cool with him,” Eager said in regards to the coach he claims attacked him, “He told me to end the game and that’s when he blew up.”

Eager was taken to Las Palmas Hospital, where he spent the night getting treatment for his injuries. Eager said he suffered a concussion and a broken cheek bone.

Following his release from the hospital, Eager still can’t believe what happened in front of the children. “The coach had no reason to act the way he did, and he just went to a whole other level without a real reason to do so,” he said.

Eager’s father said he plans to file a civil lawsuit against the coach.