WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — The Wheat Ridge Vikings, a sixth grade football team with 28 players, said they cannot finish their current season after they were suspended by the Jeffco Youth Football Association (JYFA).
“Football is like my heart," said Isaac Gutierrez, one of the players. “Helps me push through stuff, and it gives me excitement.”
Head coach Arthur Martinez said the team, which was undefeated, took on another undefeated team during their last game on October 1. Martinez said a referee made a call that upset Vikings fans.
“They did boo a little bit, you know, just like any fans do when they feel that they get cheated a little bit," the coach explained. “That's when the referee approached me and said that I need to get my fans under control. So, I turned around and told the fans to get out of control, kind of gave [the referee] kind of a smile at the end, like, is that what you wanted me to do? And then he said, "You're out of here.""
Martinez said he was ejected from the game, but never expected to receive an email from the JYFA later that week. Martinez forwarded Denver7 the email, which reads:
“Wheat Ridge Board and Head Coach -
Due to observed egregious coach and spectator behavior and events that transpired during and after this team’s game on Saturday, October 1, 2022 in Broomfield, the JYFA Executive Board has determined those actions to be in direct violation of the JYFA Rules including but not limited to Rules 13 and 43 as well as the Zero Tolerance Policy.
Therefore, the JYFA Executive Board has decided to suspend WR61 for the remainder of the season including playoffs effectively immediately.”
Martinez, along with several parents and players, believe there are other ways JYFA could have handled the situation. The team is continuing to hold practices, saying football is important to the structure of the players' lives.
“Give these kids an answer. Give them a fair chance to defend themselves, to be able to finish out their season that they've worked for," Martinez said. “We set goals at the beginning of the season, and I always expect these young men to fulfill those goals. And one of them is not quitting, that's for sure.”
The team wants to finish their season.
Denver7 reached out the JYFA several times to learn more about the reasoning behind the suspension, but has not heard back as of publication.