Girls high school sports announcer fired after caught on hot mic degrading players, ‘soccer moms’ at game

By Eli Higgins

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    WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — A high school sports announcer is banned from broadcasting in Kansas postseason games after getting caught on an open mic making crude remarks during the High School Girls State Soccer Tournament in Wichita.

I mean, it’s just such a disrespect to these girls,” said Kara Hackney.

Hackney’s daughter plays for the Rose Hill High School soccer team. After putting their all into the season, Hackney says the girls made state for the first time in thirteen years.

“As a Rose Hill community, we’re so proud of the girls and how far they came this year. And so I think it just kind of leaves a little bit of a sour taste,” Hackney said.

Hackney is talking about what she later heard during halftime.

On the National Federation of State High School Associations Network broadcast of the Rose Hill vs McPherson game, announcer Toby Moore didn’t know the mic was hot and started saying horrible things about the teams.

“From the video that I watched, he didn’t particularly say either McPherson or Rose Hill, but in general that he thought that the playing wasn’t good. And I just thought it was really disrespectful. These girls have worked really hard,” said Hackney.

In the video first posted by awfulannouncing.com, you hear Moore say: “My mind kind of flipped the ‘kill me now switch’ at about 30 minutes in. If they’re just gonna keep kicking the damn ball out of bounds and missing passes all day, I might as well just go home.”

Later, you hear the person next to Moore talk about “soccer moms” being the benefit of covering high school girls games.

Moore responds: “F*** yeah. Up top baby… The one that’s facing us? See if she can tear it the f*** off.”

“She’s got nice curves,” the other person added.

“I can’t see the legs, but I can feel the a** hit from here,” Moore responded.

But it was what Moore said next that Hackney says bothered her the most.

“The fact that they said, and quoted, that ‘if somebody heard this, they would get in trouble, and let’s pretend this conversation didn’t happen,’ just shows that they knew what they were saying was inappropriate, they just got caught,” Hackney said.

Moore did not return KAKE News requests for comment, but he sent the following statement to awfulannouncing.com:

“I would like to apologize to the Rose Hill and McPherson schools, players, coaches, families, and communities for my remarks last Saturday,” Moore said in a statement to Awful Announcing. “They were tasteless, stupid, and inexcusable. Those comments did not reflect the tremendous season and hard work both sides had during the year. Thank you to KSHSAA and NFHS for allowing me the privilege to call games on their network. I sincerely and deeply apologize for my tasteless and hurtful remarks and ask forgiveness from those that were hurt by my words.”

NFHS also apologized for the incident, sending KAKE News the following statement Tuesday:

“Atlanta, GA — The NFHS Network sincerely apologizes for the inappropriate comments made by an announcer contracted by our local production affiliate during halftime of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) 4-1A Girls Soccer Consolation game on Saturday, May 25th. These comments do not reflect the values or standards of the NFHS Network. We immediately removed the audio containing these comments from the on-demand broadcast. Additionally, our production affiliate has terminated its relationship with the announcer. We regret that this incident detracted from the incredible achievement of the players, coaches, and fans involved in the championship. The NFHS Network is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of student-athletes and high schools across the country and we do not tolerate any behavior that undermines this mission.”

The Kansas State High Schools Activities Association also apologized, saying:

“During halftime of the 4-1A Girls State Soccer Consolation game on Saturday, May 25th, inappropriate comments were made by the webcast commentator and press box personnel. The KSHSAA does not tolerate the degrading comments about the teams nor the inappropriate comments relative to referenced spectators. These comments do not reflect the values or standards of the KSHSAA or the NFHS Network. In conversations with the NFHS Network, the KSHSAA is confident they understand and agree with the KSHSAA perspective on this issue and the unacceptable behavior. The NFHS Network and site host administration has assured us the individual and other press box personnel will no longer be affiliated with any Kansas postseason games for the NFHS Network. The KSHSAA sincerely apologizes to the students, coaches and communities of McPherson, Rose Hill and the viewers of the broadcast.”

Hackney says her biggest hope is that neither of the two teams get discouraged by what happened.

“I just hope that our girls don’t listen to, you know, people that are trying to put them down, and just take pride in all their work.”

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