A Catholic youth basketball game in Staten Island descended into chaos last month after multiple parents erupted into a violent courtside brawl, prompting indefinite bans and new spectator rules aimed at preventing similar incidents, as reported by The New York Post.

The fight occurred on Dec. 20 at St. Teresa School in the Castleton Corners neighborhood during a sixth-grade boys basketball game between the host school and Saint Clare School, according to reporting by SILive.

The game was held under the oversight of the Catholic Youth Organization, which manages parish-based youth sports across the borough.

Parents erupt into massive brawl during Catholic youth basketball game in Staten Island https://t.co/ueBVuwJwGu pic.twitter.com/35k1S9kLCx

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Video footage obtained by the Staten Island Advance shows the incident beginning with a heated verbal exchange between two mothers seated courtside.

The confrontation escalated rapidly when one woman shoved the other, triggering a physical fight that included punching and hair-pulling.

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As the altercation intensified, other spectators, parents, and school staff rushed onto the court in an attempt to separate the women.

The video shows one of the mothers delivering repeated punches to the other’s head while several adults struggled to intervene. After several men eventually pulled the women apart, a second fight broke out nearby amid the confusion.

The chaos continued as the original combatants broke free and returned to each other, resuming the physical struggle while others attempted to regain control of the situation.

Michael Neely, the county director for CYO, confirmed that the two women involved were parents of players and said additional individuals who joined the fight were family members. According to Neely, the consequences were swift and severe.

“Two families got involved and, in the end, their families have been banned from CYO indefinitely,” Neely said.

Neely added that the two women and the family members who became involved in the fight have been suspended indefinitely from attending any CYO games.

He noted that incidents at CYO events are typically addressed on a case-by-case basis, but said the severity of this altercation required decisive action.

The brawl has now prompted broader changes to spectator policies across Staten Island CYO basketball games. On Tuesday, officials announced new rules aimed at curbing disruptive behavior from adults attending youth sporting events.

Under the new policy, any spectator ejected by a referee for disruptive conduct at a CYO basketball game will face a one-year ban from attending future games.

Vito Fossella announced the changes alongside CYO officials and emphasized that youth sports must remain focused on the children, not adults.

“The mission was about the kids,” Fossella said during a press conference.

“The mission was about teaching them responsibility. The mission was about them having a good time: the kids. The kids are the center of this universe here. And every once in a while, some spectators get out of control and ruin it for the kids and ruin it for everybody else.”

Fossella, whose children reportedly played CYO basketball, said the new enforcement measures are designed to protect young athletes and ensure games remain safe and sportsmanlike.

No criminal charges related to the incident have been publicly announced. CYO officials said they hope the new rules will prevent future disruptions and reinforce expectations for adult behavior at youth sporting events.

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