‘Bleacher bums’ and Notre Dame soccer

Sanctions have been placed against Peoria Notre Dame’s soccer program following racially charged behavior at the October Regional game against rival Normal Community, and the most troubling actions came from the stands and staff, not the players, according to documents the Community Word obtained through a Freedom of Information request.

People who’ve coached amateur Little League, JFL, volleyball, etc., know that fans can get unruly, but rarely does it extend to racist slurs and uncooperative coaches.

Coming into the 6 p.m. Class 3A Regional Final Oct. 24, the high school teams were co-champions of the Big 12 conference, both with 9-0-1 records, although overall, the Normal Community Ironmen were 19-4-4, and the Notre Dame Irish were 15-4-3. Head-to-head, Normal had won once and they tied once.

But on that cool, cloudy evening at the historic “Soule Bowl” in East Moline, the atmosphere turned hot.

In the first half, Normal Community (NC) scored a goal and celebrated, and Notre Dame spectators – parents as well as students – erupted and called one NC player “a f**king [N-word]” and also directed the insult to an official, according to a report with the IHSA (the Illinois High School Association, which regulates, supervises, and develops interscholastic sports and activities).

One of the referees said, “I heard slurs,” and added that players from both teams confirmed it.

Later, when the crowd’s volume and vulgarities got worse, a Notre Dame administrator was asked to try to calm the situation but he refused to help, according to a post-game report. An on-site IHSA representative, Moline High School Athletic Director Todd Thompson, intervened to request the team remove the offending crowd from sight and sound of the game, but Notre Dame staff only reluctantly moved their crowd a short distance, still within players’ and officials’ eyes and ears.

“Throughout the rest of the game, the Peoria Notre Dame spectators continued to taunt and heckle [the] crew, Normal Community players and even some Peoria Notre Dame players,” the report said. “The spectators were shouting comments [such as] “We need a center official who isn’t a female,” “Referee, the game isn’t about you; let the boys play” and “Referee, you suck; how did you get this game?”

In the second half, an official called a foul against Notre Dame for a play that injured a Normal Community athlete, and Peoria fans slammed the player, screaming to “Get his ass up!”

An official had enough, reporting, “I made the decision to clear all spectators from the field/stands. I let both [teams] know that we would not be restarting the match until the spectators were up the hill and behind the premises gate. Again, the Peoria ND AD refused to assist in getting his spectators under control. The Peoria ND head coach [also] refused to assist in the matter until I gave two options: clear the spectators or abandon the match. Both were still hesitant to assist, so I gave a two-minute time limit.”

Before police helped clear spectators, an official said, Thompson and his helpers were cursed during the removal.

The match ended with Normal Community winning 4-3, the school’s third straight Regional title. But the consequences didn’t end with a whistle.

Obviously, it’s been months since the episode, but it’s gone unreported by sports media and it shocked some soccer devotees.

Brandon Knauss is uniquely qualified to comment. An alum of Notre Dame, he played soccer there and in college before becoming a licensed referee.

“I know what I’m talking about,” Knauss said after watching the game. “Heckling has gotten beyond fun. It has become personal and often times hateful. I do not stand for referee abuse.”

After the game, Thompson separately reported, “PND was an absolute mess on the fan side. I have never witnessed or been a part of a situation like this, but it all falls back to the fact there are no consequences for the way PND coaching staff, fans and administration act towards anyone with authority. The issues we are having … are continuously growing, and individuals need to be held accountable.”

Knauss, when asked if such turmoil from fans is unusual, told the Community Word, “For most, yes. For that program, absolutely not. Who wants to go against the rich and privileged?”

Maybe this polarized time somehow makes hooliganism and racism acceptable, but the IHSA couldn’t ignore the blatant violation of its Code of Conduct. IHSA’s Boys Soccer “Manual for Schools and Managers” lists unacceptable behavior, including “disrespectful or derogatory yells, chants, songs or gestures; booing or heckling an official’s decision; criticizing officials in any way [and] displays of temper with an official’s call; yells that antagonize opponents; and use of profanity or displays of anger that draw attention away from the game”). Also, its “Schools’ Responsibility to An Official” states, “Insist coaches display good sportsmanship and are proper examples for players and crowd, prevent any disturbances that may occur” [and] work with officials regarding crowd control.”

IHSA Associate Executive Director Matt Troha told the Community Word, “There was an investigation into this incident following a Special Report being filed with our office. After talking to the game officials and schools involved, sanctions were implemented on the Peoria Notre Dame soccer program for the 2026 boys soccer season.”

Past IHSA sanctions against schools in similar incidents have included suspensions of players and coaches, the inability to host post-season events for periods of time, or a probationary status, but Troha declined to provide details on the sanctions against Notre Dame.

“We are confident that the school is taking this situation very seriously and is working to ensure a similar situation does not occur again,” he said.

Peoria Notre Dame coaches and administrators did not respond to multiple requests for a comment.