BANQUETE, Texas — A fight broke out at a Banquete boys basketball game earlier this month between adult fans.
Banquete Independent School District sent a letter addressed to parents and spectators last Tuesday.
"We felt the need to put out a letter to just speak to our parents, and we want to be proactive for our kids," said Lance Riddell, Banquete ISD athletic director.
3NEWS obtained footage of the fight between fans at the basketball game. It happened in the stands. Riddell said the fight was not the direct reason for a letter to be sent, which was posted on the Banquete ISD Facebook page.
He said the letter was sent because of an increase of incidents in various sports across Texas and the country.
"We want to give the best opportunity, make the environment safe for the officials, the fans, the coaches, spectators and the kids," Riddell said.
The letter warns parents and spectators against ridiculing either team, its fans, game officials or coaches. Riddell said he has not been contacted about the recent fight by the Texas Association of Sports Officials, or TASO.
Banquete ISD has one strike against them and TASO has a three-strike policy, the letter explained. Longtime basketball official Guy Nickleson said officials deal with fans disagreeing with their calls often.
"Anytime as official you blow the whistle, half of the gym going to love you, the other half going to hate you, because they going to feel that you calling against their team," Nickleson said.
Nickleson, who is the UIL state representative for the Corpus Christi Area Basketball Officials Association, or CCABOA, said fans in the stands should come to support the hard work of student athletes. He also mentioned that fan behavior is a statewide issue, not just in the Coastal Bend.
"It's just a tragic for it to be tampered with behavior of adults in the stands," Nickleson said.
The letter also explained that if Banquete ISD gets three TASO strikes, TASO can refuse to officiate games. Without officials, Banquete ISD will not play the games. Riddell said there is a possibility they play games with no fans, if necessary.
Nickleson said the letter sent by Banquete ISD can go a long way to improve fan behavior, since fans represent their schools just like players and coaches do.
"You not only representing yourself, but you're representing the school that you cheering for, and if we all can get on the same page in realizing and respecting one another is what it really all about," Nickleson said.
San Diego Independent School District Athletic Director Bo Ochoa said the District Executive Committee, comprised of local 3A school districts, met last Thursday in response to the fight.
He said a plan was put in place for consequences for verbal abuse toward officials and fan behavior. He also mentioned there was no TASO strike counted against San Diego ISD after the incident.