Parents erupt into massive brawl during Catholic youth basketball game in Staten Island
By Bonny Chu, Fox News
Published Jan. 15, 2026
Updated Jan. 15, 2026, 7:21 a.m. ET
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Spectators ejected by a referee for disruptive behavior at a CYO basketball game will now face a one-year ban.
“The mission was about the kids,” Fossella, whose children reportedly played CYO basketball, said during a press conference.
“The mission was about teaching them responsibility. The mission was about them having a good time: the kids. The kids are the center of this universe here. And every once in a while some spectators get out of control and ruin it for the kids and ruin it for everybody else.”
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Hard to imagine that could occur.
When my sainted wife was coaching 6-8 grade girls basketball, she had ONE instance where ONE parent was getting “too EXCITED with the refs”. She immediately called a (valuable) time out, left the team with her assistant and me, stomped across the court, and QUIETLY read the parent the riot act. That was the last we ever heard him do that at a game. The Old Lady didn’t want any <synonym for excrement> distracting “her” girls.
Hopefully all involved are properly “instructed in the error of their ways”. For Catholics to behave like common street thugs is a terrible example to set for their children, other children, and the world in general.
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Reinke Faces Life 