South Florida high school coach urges grace for Texas players after handshake refusal at coin toss
A video from a nationally televised high school football game is sparking significant backlash on social media after members of the DeSoto High School football team refused to shake hands with their opponents.
The incident occurred during the coin toss over the weekend as DeSoto High traveled from Texas to Fort Lauderdale to face St. Thomas Aquinas High School in their season opener. As the St. Thomas Aquinas players lined up to offer handshakes, several DeSoto captains refused and walked away.
The moment, captured and shared widely online, has drawn sharp criticism from parents and observers.
"I pretty much blame the coach for that because it was tasteless for them to come out there and St. Thomas actually extended their hand and they didn't take it," said one concerned parent.
Another parent, Patricia Miller, echoed those sentiments regarding sportsmanship.
"Sports didn't use to be like that, shake your hand whether you lose or win," Miller said. "Somebody got to lose, and somebody got to win — so shake your hand."
St. Thomas Aquinas Athletic Director Twan Russell, however, urged the public to offer grace to the visiting team.
"Everyone is making a big deal out of it, you know, they got to understand, these are kids," Russell said. "Kids make mistakes, and they're being very hard on a really good team."
Russell said he spoke with the DeSoto coach, who apologized personally for the incident. Russell noted that there is no lingering animosity and believes the experience serves as a lesson for everyone involved.
"As adults, we have to be very careful about how we judge people, because if we look in the mirror long enough, you're going to know you're going to make a mistake as well," Russell added.
In a statement provided to CBS News, DeSoto football officials addressed the controversy: "We view this as an opportunity for our young men to learn and grow from their mistakes."
St. Thomas Aquinas won the game with a final score of 38-14.