"Parent Rage" at Youth Hockey Game Ends in Death
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=2308
General Information
Source:
Creator:
Event Date:
Air/Publish Date:
NBC Nightly News
Tom Brokaw/Kelly
O'Donnell
07/10/2000
07/10/2000
Resource Type:
Copyright:
Copyright Date:
Clip Length
Video News Report
NBCUniversal Media,
LLC.
2000
00:02:39
Description
Two fathers at their sons' pick-up hockey game in Boston got into an argument, which escalated to blows
-- and ended with one man beating the other to death. Youth sports leaders say more parents are
becoming too aggressive.
Keywords
Parents, Anger, Rage, Sports, Youth, Game, Children, Fight, Violence, Manslaughter, Beating, Hockey,
Crime, Remorse, Temper, Behavior, Aggressive, Psychology, Contract, Pledge, Sportsmanship, Safety,
National Alliance for Youth Sports, Boston, Jupiter, Florida
Citation
MLA
© 2008-2015 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1 of 3
""Parent Rage" at Youth Hockey Game Ends in Death." Kelly O'Donnell, correspondent. NBC Nightly
News. NBCUniversal Media. 10 July 2000. NBC Learn. Web. 4 May 2015
APA
O'Donnell, K. (Reporter), & Brokaw, T. (Anchor). 2000, July 10. "Parent Rage" at Youth Hockey Game
Ends in Death. [Television series episode]. NBC Nightly News. Retrieved from
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=2308
CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE
""Parent Rage" at Youth Hockey Game Ends in Death" NBC Nightly News, New York, NY: NBC
Universal, 07/10/2000. Accessed Mon May 4 2015 from NBC Learn:
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=2308
Transcript
"Parent Rage" at Youth Hockey Game Ends in Death
TOM BROKAW, anchor:
NBC News IN DEPTH tonight, it's happened again, violence between parents at a children's sporting
event, this time leading to a tragedy of the worst kind. It happened at a kids' hockey game, the setting for a
disastrous argument that is now a criminal case. More tonight from NBC's Kelly O'Donnell.
KELLY O'DONNELL reporting:
Today in suburban Boston, a 42-year-old father surrenders to police. The charge, manslaughter. The
incident, rage at an ice rink where his son skates. According to witnesses, a deadly fight between parents
over a pick-up hockey game. Police say truck driver, Thomas Junta, loses control, beating another hockey
father to death. Today, pleading not guilty in court.
Mr. THOMAS ORLANDI (Defense Attorney): He's terribly remorseful. His family is very upset.
O'DONNELL: The victim remembered today as flowers and mourners arrive at the funeral home for his
wake. Forty-year-old Michael Costin, a single parent with four children. His three sons were part of that
pick-up hockey game that set off the tragedy. It all started with rough play between grade-school-age
boys on the ice. Authorities say one dad got angry when the other didn't do enough to break it up. Their
fight heated up from words to blows. Witnesses say Michael Costin was beaten unconscious while his
own children watched.
Sports psychologist Rick Wolff says parent scuffles have become increasingly more violent in the last five
years. One survey finds that more than half of adults questioned, 56 percent, say they have witnessed
aggressive parents at youth sports.
Mr. WOLFF: The problems begin when the parents sort of check their intellectual reactions at the door
and let their emotions run wild.
O'DONNELL: One solution, a contract to keep heads cool. Parents here in Jupiter, Florida, and in 150
communities around the country, now take a pledge of good sportsmanship.
© 2008-2015 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 2 of 3
Crowd: (Taking pledge in unison) I will insist that my child play in a safe and a healthy environment.
O'DONNELL: Fifteen of those communities make it mandatory--parents must sign before kids suit up.
Mr. FRED ENGH: This is a wake-up call. This is a stop sign where somebody got killed.
O'DONNELL: Fred Engh, president of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, says he believes Michael
Costin's death is the first tied to parent rage. Tonight, two families devastated by angry emotions, fueled
by child's play. Thomas Junta, free on bond, facing the possibility of 20 years behind bars, while the loved
ones of Michael Costin prepare to bury him tomorrow.
Kelly O'Donnell, NBC News, Reading, Massachusetts.
© 2008-2015 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 3 of 3