DALLAS — Local leaders, coaches and parents gathered Saturday in Oak Cliff to talk about the issues plaguing youth sports in North Texas and how to prevent violence from happening on and off the field.
This gathering comes one week after a shooting at a Lancaster youth football game left coach Mike Hickmon dead.
According to the arrest affidavit, police said it started over an argument about the score of the game.
Saturday's town hall was called "Call of Action" and had a panel made up of local leaders from many different fields and organizations. The panel discussed how coaches and organizations can better come together along with conflict resolution alternatives. There was also time for parents to ask the panel questions.
Panelist Karen Reese created a sports talk show called "Can We Talk" that is hosted by moms of athletes. She said the first type of action that should be taken is more involved parenting in the home.
"The parents are the ones who are choosing which team, which sports, which coach is teaching our kids," Reese said. "I think, as parents, we need to take a more active role in who we're allowing to mentor and teach our kids."
RELATED: Arrest warrant reveals what allegedly led to deadly shooting of North Texas youth football coach
Panelist Kevin Bennett has been a registered football referee for nine years. He said there needs to be more respect for one another across the board. Panelist Tony X, who said he is an ex-convict, echoed Bennet's message.
"Love is a verb that shows action," Tony X said. "When we love our children and when we love our community, then we can do better for ourselves and our people and our community. Look beyond yourself and think about your brother and your sister."
Community leader and panelist Terrence Randolph said there shouldn't be any smoking or drinking at any of these games. He also said there needs to be more of a police presence and more protective steps taken.
"We need more safety," Randolph said. "Metal detectors. Of course, we need police officers patrolling the games and not just being at the games."
Panelist Gary Cochran leads a ministry called "Cover Dallas with Love." He focused more on the need for different groups and organizations to establish better relationships with each other before tragedies happen.
"Showing up and being present," Cochran said. "That's so we can build relationships, learn and grow together. We can do that. But also when bad things happen or tragedy happens, we don't show up as strangers. We show up as friends. Sisters and brothers. People that already know each other. And connect together."
RELATED: Referee attacked at youth basketball game says he heard coach tell players 'we're going to get him'
Panelist Raymond Alford is the owner of the Big 12 Youth Sports League, which the organization says provides a college-like experience for the teams, coaches and players. He said he has talked with the league's leaders, and that the rules and laws on school grounds and at football fields need to be better understood and better enforced.
"So, if I know that you are not allowed to have your gun on the school grounds, I don't care if you have a license or not — you have to go," Alford said, as an example. "I'm going to go find an officer. We want to give our children a safe place to be. We want to give them a safe environment to be in. When people bring street environments in what's supposed to be a safe place for children, they don't need to be a part of what we do."
Many of the panelists brought up the idea of creating a coalition of local youth leaders from different sports and organizations.
Panelist Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan, who runs the non-profit Village Bridge Center, said once parents and local leaders can hash out the details of what this would look like and who would be involved, she wants to take it to the Dallas City Council and have them officially approve the coalition.
"We can no longer wait until something tragic happens," Wheeler-Reagan said. "The tragedy is any time there is something unpure around our children. Our children lead by example. We are responsible for every child we come in contact with."
After more questions from parents, panelist Terry Mayo X, who is a former professional baseball and football player, said he would like this potential coalition to start setting up events and gatherings for the city's young athletes to spend more time with one another off the field so that they create connections beyond the teammates on each player's respective team.
"What if we were to pull together and collaborate with different events and different organizations in the different leagues?" Terry Mayo X said. "With different organizations that don't look like you so we can do more things together. It's because unity is more powerful than anything in this world. It's more powerful than the atomic bomb itself. So if we came together and unified more knowing just because your logo or your name is different, we still play on the same team. We're playing on the same team of life ."