The Esquire Network's Friday Night Tykes is raising concern with some parents over youth football. INSIDE EDITION explains.
Friday Night Tykes is the controversial new reality TV show about youth football. Scenes show eight and nine-year-old kids taking blows to the head. Some kids were forced to practice in 99-degree heat for in-your-face coaches.
Friday Night Tykes premieres Tuesday night on cable's Esquire network. The reality series zeroes in on the Texas Youth Football Association, an independent league in San Antonio.
Online reaction to the show has reached fever pitch, with comments like: "this is sick,” and "I gotta wonder who would let their kids play for these coaches."
Former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley tweeted: “So disgusting.”
INSIDE EDITION’s Les Trent spoke via Skype to Brooke de Lench, Executive Director of Moms Team, a non-profit group that promotes safety in youth sports.
Trent asked, "I can't imagine, considering what you advocate, what your reaction was?"
She said, "My reaction was being totally appalled. I physically wanted to jump into the screen and throttle the coaches."
In the show, one youngster was left crying and disoriented after a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit.
One eight-year-old named Colby fought back tears during a gruelling practice in the intense Texas heat. Now get this—he was actually encouraged by his coach to throw up so he can continue the workout.
A spokesman for the NFL calls Friday Night Tykes "troubling to watch."
