Brinley Stephens is an 11-year-old student athlete in Astoria, May 2025 (Tracy Burchfield)
Share this @internewscast.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Brinley Stephens, 11, plays softball for the Astoria Future Fish. On Sunday, the team was playing a weekend tournament in Newberg, Oregon, when Brinley hit a hard line drive.

What happened next stunned parents and players.

The assistant coaches for the St. Helens team stormed the field, yelled at the umpire and accused Brinley of being too old and too big – and they demanded to see her birth certificate.

Brinley Stephens is an 11-year-old student athlete in Astoria, May 2025 (Tracy Burchfield)
Brinley Stephens is an 11-year-old student athlete in Astoria, May 2025 (Tracy Burchfield)

“She was in tears,” Brinley’s mom, Tracy Burchfield, told affiliate KOIN. “Like, ‘What did I do wrong?’ She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Brinley is nearly 5-feet-10. Her mom said Brinley is used to comments about her age and her height. But, Burchfield said, cursing and taking photos of her daughter crosses the line, no matter how old you are.

“It’s competitive,” Burchfield said. “However, you also have to be role models and good examples.”

As Astoria's Brinley Stephens stands on first base, a St. Helens coach storms the field after she hit a hard line drive, May 11, 2025 (Tracy Burchfield)
As Astoria’s Brinley Stephens stands on first base, a St. Helens coach storms the field after she hit a hard line drive, May 11, 2025 (Tracy Burchfield)

Despite the chaos, the game continued, and no immediate ejections were made. Critics now say that was a major failure.

“I still think that they should not be coaching,” Burchfield said.

Astoria won the game. But she said the final insult came when the St. Helens assistant coach was caught on camera flipping off the Astoria parents during the handshake.

“It was very poor sportsmanship,” she said.

In response, the tournament organizer, North American Fastpitch Association, suspended two St. Helens assistant coaches – one man and one woman – and called their behavior “indefensible.”

“We’re trying to do the best we can so that the team can continue but address the bad and inappropriate behavior,” said NAFA’s Benjie Hedgecock.

The male coach was suspended for the rest of the year. The female coach was suspended for 10 days and is on probation for the rest of the year.

Currently, there is no evidence that the St. Helens head coach was involved, but NAFA will review the evidence and meet later this week on next steps, if any.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Tragic Birthday Celebration Turns Fatal: Smyrna Police Investigate Deadly Shooting

A tragic shooting unfolded at a birthday celebration in Smyrna late Saturday…

Former Sheriff to Testify in Letcher County Inmate Exploitation Case

A former sheriff, implicated in the shooting death of a judge from…

Kingsport Families Receive Holiday Meal Boxes from Second Harvest

The Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee opened its doors on…

Unveiling the Mystery: Banksy’s Latest London Murals Spark Stargazing Fascination

Renowned street artist Banksy has seemingly confirmed that a new mural in…

Denmark Emphasizes Territorial Integrity Following Trump’s Greenland Envoy Appointment

COPENHAGEN – Denmark’s foreign minister emphasized on Monday that the United States,…

US Reverses Deportation of Chinese Whistleblower Exposing Xinjiang Human Rights Violations, Activists Confirm

WASHINGTON – In a recent development, the Department of Homeland Security has…

Lawmakers Demand Answers from DOJ on Epstein Document Disclosure

In a rare display of bipartisan unity, lawmakers from both the Democratic…

Democratic States Unite: Legal Battle Against White House Over Consumer Protection Funding Escalates

NEW YORK – A group of 21 Democratic state attorneys general launched…

Sudan’s Leader Presents Peace Proposal at UN; US Calls for Immediate Humanitarian Ceasefire

TANZANIA – In a bid to quell a devastating conflict that has…

Radiothon Triumph: Over $10K Raised in 36 Hours for Isaiah 117 House!

In an inspiring show of community spirit, a dedicated 36-hour radiothon held…

Colorado Risks Losing $24M in Federal Funds Due to Unlawful CDL Practices

DENVER – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s chief issued a stern warning…

From Hula Hoops to Hearing Aids: The Oldest Baby Boomers Set to Turn 80 in 2026, Shaping America’s Aging Demographic

The year 2026 marks a significant milestone as the oldest members of…