ALTOONA -- The Central Blair Recreation and Park Commission is seeing an increase in bad behavior from parents, coaches and fans at elementary school basketball games.

Officials are trying to figure out how to stop it.

Kara Gates has been coaching her basketball team of sixth-grade boys for three years.

And she says she's seen a drastic change in the behavior from parents and coaches.

"I've seen coaches thrown out of games,” Gates said. “And it's not something that we want to see at the elementary school level."

She says it's unfortunate for the kids, who are still learning the game.

"If the community and the parents and the coaches can't be held accountable, what are we saying to our children?” Gates asked. “So we need to set the example. And unfortunately it's not being portrayed as such."

Monday night, Gates was screamed at by the other coach because he said she was in the way of his player who went out of bounds.

"It was not a pretty scene by any means. And I was not in his area,” she said. “It was completely uncalled for. And again, the game stopped because of it."

And it's not just the coaches, but the fans causing a disturbance.

Coaches and fans who didn't want to go on camera say they blame their outbursts on inconsistencies from referees.

"There needs to be more roles set and in place. There can't be these outbursts," Gates said.

And that's why program coordinator Dave Salome says there will be more presence from staff members at the games.

"We're just trying to keep staff in the building, make sure everybody's doing their part, what they're supposed to be doing,” Salome said. “Coaches coach. Parents, they cheer their kids on."

He says they're trying to be proactive after a season with an extraordinary amount of trouble.

"We don't want anybody getting hurt. We don't want anybody getting thrown out," Salome said.

"I saw a coach that was thrown out last week that came running back into the gym, screaming at one of the directors for the CBRC," Gates said.

Salome says coaches are asked to leave after two technical fouls and then suspended for one game.

Officials say most games are done this week, except for champion games in the next week or two, and in the off season, they plan to get together to come up with solutions to the problems they've been having this season.

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