OK, this is not RO, but a question. There already seems like there are some strong emotions about the kicker.
But when I watched the video, I couldn’t help but think ‘that may have been an accident’.
What do you think? Deliberate? Accidental? Is there something I am missing?
Difficult to say.
#7 in the blue is obscuring much of the down player. The video’s caption asserting that “He’s not looking at the ball, he’s looking at the head” is bullshit, and that couldn’t possibly be discerned from that footage. #2’s foot does just pass over the ball, and he misses because the ball is still rolling. Granted, he was playing the ball unnecessarily aggressively IMO, but from what I saw in that video alone I cannot definitively determine if it was an intentional, malicious attack or just a poorly timed, poorly judged attempt to kick the ball.
Given the age of these kids, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and call it accidental. Definitely poor judgement, but accidental nonetheless.
The person people who need to be arrested are the referee and the coach of the blue team. Part of the referee’s job is the safety of the competitors, and it is obvious that #2 was out to hurt people. I don’t agree with the “he missed the ball” and kicked the other kid defense either. The ball was moving too slowly to miss that bad. The only question was whether or not that was intentionally coached behavior or not. I think the other kids on the blue team may have been mimicking #2’s behavior, but as a children’s coach, you have to set an example from a young age that dirty play is not to be tolerated and bench the kid.
In conclusion, the kid got kicked in the head because the ref and the blue team’s coach were negligent in their jobs, which caused harm to a child…
Either way that is instant dismissal. If the referee didn’t immediately produce a red card and send the kid off, he isn’t doing his job.
Ever accidentally kick somebody in the head? Or accidentally kick anyone? What is your immediate response? Mine’s usually something along the lines of “OHMYGODI’MSOSORRY! AREYOUOKAY?”.
Look at the kicker’s body language after the kick. To me, it really does not look like he’s upset or feels bad. He looks like he’s checking the damage he’s done and is satisfied.
Because they’re young? When my son was eight and playing football, after one play was ovwr he was lying on his back. A lineman for the other team intentionally stomped on his chest while walking back to his side of the line of scrimmage.
Some people really are malicious, callous pieces of shit from an early age.
I am also going with up till and during the kicking it could well be an accident. The kids behavior immediately afterwards is a bit questionable.
If I had to guess, I say the kick WAS accidential, but the kicker is an agressive little ass and was thinking “awww, too bad, thats gotta hurt (and I am glad I accidentally did it)”.
I hear the Saints are looking for a new kicker.
Looks deliberate to me.
I know this is “Recreational Outrage”, but even as RO, this is fucking pathetic. It’s a red card in little league soccer match. That’s it.
I’m still tweaked that Holland sent their kick boxing team to the last world cup final and not their good soccer players, maybe the Netherlands will take this kid. 
If it was accidental, and the player missed the ball and kicked the other kid in the face what was he intending to do with the ball? I can only assume he was trying to kick the ball into the kids face.
To me, it looked like he was trying to kick the ball, but hit the kid in the head. Doesn’t this kind of thing happen every weekend on fields all over the world?
Watch where the kicker plants his right foot to begin the kick. His right foot is easily a foot past the ball and possibly more. You can see the orange tip of his right shoe planted right below the kids head.
There is just about zero chance he was trying to kick the ball.
Totally agree with this observation. Plus this kid already commited a clear ‘foul’ before, when he pushed another kid over and another ‘agressive tackle’ where he wasn’t playing the ball.
Thank you for your observation.
You’re welcome. I hear a 9 year old in East Lansing got hit in the face with a fastball during a little league game. Let’s examine that, too.
Agreed.
I remember getting dropkicked in the chest for asking to play football when I was eleven. Granted I wasn’t any good at it, but I’d go as far as to say most people are callous malicious shits given the right circumstances.
Good idea. Report back whatever you find out.