One of the coaches on the football field during a brawl between two Montgomery County high schools in September is speaking out after the fight resulted in strict new safety rules for spectators at games and left him in limbo during the season.
On Sept. 16, a fight on the field between Gaithersburg and Northwestern high schools led to the forfeiting of two games for both teams. After the game was called off, another clash among police and spectators led to assault charges against six juveniles and a 19-year-old man.
Travis Hawkins, the head coach of Northwest High School, was placed on a 24-day suspension while the school system conducts an investigation. He said he was drawn to coaching football after he played the sport at the high school, college and professional levels, and wanted to positively direct young lives the way many of his coaches did for him.
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The investigation has led to much soul searching, he said.
"I feel like everything that I've been working to build has just been thrown away," Hawkins said. "I want to apologize to my school. I want to apologize to my community. I want to apologize to the admin. My kids know that I don't condone violence. I don't condone myself with unsportsmanlike conduct."
He added that the game was being played with only three referees instead of the usual five before the fight broke out. The shortage is a documented problem at high schools across the U.S.
"My guy was doing the best he could to block another player, and next thing you know, his helmet is ripped off," Hawkins said.
What ensued was absolute chaos, as both teams began fighting while coaches and officials tried to restore order. At one point, Hawkins said he felt a hand on his neck.
"I felt like my name needed to be cleared. It's been a long time with me just sitting around waiting on answers that I felt like were never going to come," he said.
Hawkins cannot talk about the misdemeanor assault charge filed against him by a member of the Gaithersburg High School athletic staff. He does want to talk about how much he misses his players and feels guilty about not being there for them.
He said a supportive text from a former player - a kid he reluctantly cut for bad grades - has kept him going and kept his faith that coaching was the right choice.
“For him to text me and show me that he has straight As, and say, 'Coach, I know you can't respond, but I just want you to know, I'm making you proud,'" Hawkins said.
Events of that night led to new restrictions for spectators at Montgomery County high school football games, and a spokesperson for the school system said an update is expected sometime later this week on its investigation into the on-field fight.
