New York youth football league bans 5 players over parents’ alleged misconduct over coaching, bullying: report

Five New York youth football players were banned from playing in their league over their parents’ alleged misconduct about team management and potential bullying, according to a report.

The football-loving children, between the ages of 8 and 11, were booted from the Washingtonville Wizards Youth Football and Cheer League last week while their board member parents were expelled from their positions, News12 reported.

The league’s 11 remaining board members voted out the parents in November after a series of arguments that resulted in code of conduct violations.

The now-expelled families allegedly complained about coaching styles, team management, playing time and how bullying on the teams was being handled, the outlet reported.

Nicole Berhau claimed her 10-year-old son Nolan was bullied to the point of being “made to feel less” for the entirety of the season but the league had pinned the blame back on him before he was kicked off the team.

“Nolan was bullied and made to feel less than practically all football season and when I decided I had enough and wanted to get rid of the person(s) responsible for making a 10-year-old boy feel unwanted, the s–t show began,” Berhau alleged on Facebook.

The protective mother says she couldn’t care less if she was banned from the league but drew the line on her innocent son.

“I don’t care about anything that happened regarding my position on the board. What I care about and will continue to care about is Nolan. He 100% doesn’t deserve to be removed from the WYFCL and asked not to ever come back,” she said. “You want to be mad at me? Go right on ahead, but I won’t apologize for wanting to get rid of someone who not only allowed the bullying to take place, but to BLAME Nolan for the bullying.”

The league, located 65 miles north of Manhattan in Orange County, voted to ban the five players and the four families as well as a 13-year-old volunteer cheerleading coach because her mother was expelled.

“Please be advised that our Officers have unanimously voted and that this message will serve as a formal notification that you and your family are hereby released from our program and you are no longer league members of Washingtonville Youth Football and Cheerleading Inc.,” a letter sent to the parents read.

Berhau says she is dreading telling her son he will no longer be playing in the league he’s been a part of for the past five years.

“I’m hoping that we can resolve it so I don’t have to tell him,” the heartbroken mother told News12.

Berhau has challenged the league officials to personally tell the 10-year-old that he was kicked out of the league.

“So all of those brave enough, why don’t you come and look Nolan in the face…. Let him know he is no longer welcome to be a Wizard and tell him WHY. If you can bring yourself to ‘release’ him, than you can have the uncomfortable conversation with him,” she added. “If you can’t, than you know you’ve made the wrong decision.”

The league has allowed the four families to register with another youth football program in the Orange County Youth Football League.

The 17-town, county-wide governing body found that none of the players had broken any rules or the code of conduct.

“In the interest of your child(ren), I strongly encourage you to cease your inappropriate behavior and refrain from unnecessary contact with the WYFCL,” the league’s lawyer told the parents in a Cease & Desist letter obtained by the outlet.

Despite facing backlash for the move, the WYFCL says the board followed all state-approved bylaws.

“This decision was not taken lightly,” WYFCL President James Ferrazzano told the outlet. “Our commitment remains to uphold the integrity and well-being of the organization, and we believe this action was necessary for the continued success of the WYFCL and all those involved in its programming.”