Rec Sports
Ky. coach accused of shoving child to the ground during youth soccer game
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WKYT) – A Lexington man is facing an assault charge after parents say he shoved their child during a soccer game. Robert McKinnis says his 13-year-old son Joseph has been playing soccer since he was just 4 years old. “It’s the only sport he’s played. It’s the only sport he wants to play. […]

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WKYT) – A Lexington man is facing an assault charge after parents say he shoved their child during a soccer game.
Robert McKinnis says his 13-year-old son Joseph has been playing soccer since he was just 4 years old.
“It’s the only sport he’s played. It’s the only sport he wants to play. Totally in love with the game,” said McKinnis.
Joseph, who goes by JK, has spent countless hours on the field, many of those moments captured by Robert’s camera.
“I’ve got thousands of pictures of him,” said McKinnis.
Sunday’s game in Elizabethtown was like any other. Robert had his camera out, taking photos of JK on the field, as his team faced a visiting team, Tiburones F.C., from Lexington.
However, it was a moment captured by another parent’s camera that made the game different.
Robert says a coach from the opposing team shoved JK to the ground.

“I hear a bunch of yelling and then I realize that that’s my kid,” said McKinnis. “He’s sitting on the ground. He’s crying, and he’s holding the back of his neck. I go up to him and I said, ‘Did he hit you?’ And he said, ‘Yes, Dad.’”
Robert and others who were at the game have identified the man in the video as Tim Jenkins, the head coach of the opposing team.
An article on Lexington Sporting Club’s website from 2022 announced Jenkins’ hiring as one of their youth phase directors.
WKYT reached out to Lexington SC to ask about Jenkins. They said Jenkins no longer works there, but they did not have any information about his departure.
“I started screaming, ‘Don’t let him, don’t let him leave, because I’m calling the cops,’” said McKinnis.
Elizabethtown Police tell WKYT Tim Jenkins was charged with fourth-degree assault at the game, after he was accused of assaulting a child at the soccer complex.
Jenkins was cited, but not arrested.
“I hope that it just never happens to any other kid,” said McKinnis.
WKYT has attempted to reach out to Tim Jenkins for comment on this story. As of its publishing, we have not heard back.
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