Oklahoma Youth Baseball Coach Banned for Life for Allegedly Telling Pitcher to Throw at Opposing Dugout

An Oklahoma youth baseball coach received a lifetime ban for allegedly telling his son to throw a ball at the opposing team’s dugout during a game. | Screengrab on Twitter/ @JomboyMedia

A nasty incident unfolded during a youth baseball game in Kansas City when a coach allegedly told his 12-year-old son to throw a ball into the opposing team’s dugout. In the now-viral video, the 12-year-old son, who was the Oklahoma team’s pitcher, was seen hurling the ball into the Nebraska team’s dugout at the end of the game before walking off the mound.

The incident took place during a Memorial Day tournament game between 11-and-under baseball teams from Oklahoma and Nebraska, respectively. The Oklahoma coach was identified as Michael Ryals, and he received a lifetime ban from the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), according to USA Today. The coach’s son who threw the ball was suspended five years; his name was not published because he is a minor.

Here’s a look at the video showing the 12-year-old pitcher throwing into the opposing team’s dugout:

An Oklahoma youth baseball coach has received a lifetime suspension for allegedly instructing his 12-year-old son, the team's pitcher, to throw at the opposing dugout, per @USATODAY pic.twitter.com/tjyY4gxRFB

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 30, 2026

Two people associated with the team from Oklahoma told USA Today that the incident occurred after the Nebraska players became “loud and boisterous” when the 12-year-old pitcher took the mound in the final inning. Those two people said parents of the Oklahoma players thought Ryals instructed his son to hurl the ball at the opposing dugout. One parent allegedly sent a letter of apology to the Nebraska team’s coach, Brandon Magni, that read: “Our athletes and our parents were 100 percent blindsided when Michael instructed his son to do what he did. We left the park immediately after the game and we are no longer associated with the coach and we never will be again.”

The Nebraska team ended up winning the game, 8-6.

Ryals, for his part, responded to the buzz over the viral incident in a recent interview with USA Today. Ryals said the Nebraska players were verbally abusing his son before the incident took place.

“Just kids being ruthless kids,” Ryals said. “I don't think any kid should be in trouble for what they said, but he (Ryals’s son) reached his breaking point. He told me he was going to throw the ball in between innings and I said, ‘There's consequences for it. You should really think that through, but there is consequences for it.’”

Ryals’s personal account of events made it sound like his son made the decision to throw at the opposing team, not him. When probed further about who was responsible for the act, Ryals said, “If they want to put the blame on me, I’ve let it ride on my shoulders. I’m his dad. I’m a grown man. I’m not going to answer that question because I don't want people thinking he's any worse than he is.”

The 38-year-old coach also noted that he could have told his son not to commit the offense in the moment.

“Man, I don't want to be seen as the bad guy,” Ryals said. “… I don't want to be hated. I don't want my kid to be hated.”

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