Investigation launched after video showed coach 'clotheslined' student who rushed field in Wilmot



WILMOT -- Video showing two Wilmot Union High School students rushing the field during a football game on Friday night, Sept. 6 blew up online, and revealed the surprising moment a coach took matters into his own hands.

"I take my camera everywhere," said David Amborghini.

Amborghini was in the stands, capturing the commotion.

David Amborghini



"I didn't expect it," said Amborghini.

He also didn't expect what happened next.

"And then you heard everyone say, 'Oh,' when they got hit," said Amborghini.

The stands erupted as a coach intervened, knocking one of the students to the ground.

"He dragged him by his shirt," said Billy Brown, a student at Wilmot Union High School. "It was all fun and games until that happened."







Brown said Tuesday, Sept. 17 the incident had been the talk around school.

"I guess, clotheslined him," said Brown. "They say 'clotheslined.' It was more a little bit of both. He ran into him, and he was also trying to stop him."

Rebecca Langel said her son was the student seen in the video. Langel said he suffered a concussion from the incident, and she said she believes the coach crossed the line. In a statement to FOX6 News, Langel said:

"A grown 'man' has no right to touch my kid or anyone else's. My son wasn't being violent or showing violent behavior, just being disruptive."




Langel said her son was suspended for five days, and fined $200.

"It seems like a 50/50 view you'd see on any conflict," said Amborghini.

"You shouldn't have done it, but also went a little too far on the coach's part," said Brown.

A spokesman with the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department said an investigation is ongoing.



Daniel Kopp, district administrator for Wilmot Union High School, issued this statement to FOX6 News:

"As you can assume, we take the safety of all of our students and student athletes very seriously."

"Due to confidentiality reasons, I will neither comment on the status of the personnel issue, nor any student issues in which you may be interested."


Kopp added it was important to consider the "safety of our players, who happened to be on the field running a play with their backs to the people who were running towards them."