Wayzata assistant basketball coach resigns after contacting opponent during game
FILE - Detail view of a Wilson basketball during the National Championship game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Baylor Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 05, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
MINNEAPOLIS - An assistant coach for the Wayzata boys basketball team has resigned from his position after apparently making contact with an opposing player during a game last Friday.
Officials with Wayzata Public Schools say Ryan Freeberg is no longer on the Trojans’ coaching staff. Freeberg has also "ended his employment" with Wayzata Public Schools after the incident. According to his LinkedIn page, Freeberg was most recently a physical education teacher with Bloomington Public Schools.
Minnetonka was hosting Wayzata in boys basketball last Friday night when the incident took place. Video posted to social media shows Freeberg, during a stoppage in play, throwing a basketball at or in the direction of Skippers’ guard Ibrahim El-Amin. Freeberg then gives El-Amin a light shove with his right arm.
A game official quickly steps in between the two, and the video cuts away. Wayzata eventually won the game 72-57.
Monday night, El-Amin’s father and brother each went to social media and posted about the incident.
"We demand Coach Freeberg from Wayzata High School be held accountable! Throwing the ball and pushing my son during the game!" Khalid El-Amin wrote.
"There is NEVER a time where a coach should throw a basketball at a player and/or touch/push a player. Below you will see Coach Freeberg do all 3." Ishmael El-Amin wrote.
Fox 9 reached out to Minnetonka coach Bryce Tesdahl for his perspective on the matter.
"We’re supporting our student athlete and his family. I don’t have any comment on the situation as my focus as the head coach is on our own student athletes and team as we move forward into February and March," Tesdahl said.
It’s not known if Wayzata officials are investigating the incident further.