MARION, OH—The City of Marion Parks Department deeply regrets the recent acts of violence that recently occurred at Lincoln Park.

As a provider of youth sports, we recognize the urgent need for bold action to address unsportsmanlike conduct and behavior that occurred during a recent youth softball game and are committed to driving positive change.

Our goal is to always provide a safe and fun environment for the kids to get physical exercise and experience the joy and satisfaction of being a member of an athletic team. Youth sports provide an opportunity to help physical fitness, develop social skills, create self-discipline, and teach about dealing with adversity.

We are committed to continuing to provide a safe outlet for our children. The recent incident occurred because of the actions of a few overzealous parents watching a youth softball game and escalated quickly. This situation has become more and more common place around the country, involving all youth sports.

To try and prevent any future issues we will continue our zero-tolerance policy. Any player or spectator using foul language or showing poor sportsmanship will be ejected immediately. We hate to punish an innocent child or children, but when a parent or guardian is ejected, they will be required to leave the facility along with their child. This is done in the hope that the parent will see that their actions are not only hurting themselves but also the ones that they love. The 1 offense is a two-game suspension, the 2d offense is a season long ban, and a 3rd violation is a lifelong ban. After each offense the offender will have to meet with the facility director before being allowed to continue participating.

We sincerely regret this incident and would like to apologize to all the players and spectators who had to witness this embarrassing situation. We greatly appreciate all the participants who show up and participate in a civilized and respectful way. It is a kid’s game, and we are trying to provide good lifelong memories.