Girls’ Soccer Coach Accused of Threatening Rival With Gun

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The Vanderburgh County prosecutor said Friday that he will investigate reports that a high school girls’ soccer coach pointed a gun at a rival coach during a match between their schools.

“I don’t know much about the details other than what I’ve heard and read,” prosecutor Robert Pigman said. “But I will be looking into it next week.”

Mike Malone, coach at Evansville Harrison High School, allegedly pointed a handgun at Mater Dei assistant coach Dan Gossman Wednesday.

Malone resigned his position but defended his actions. He told the Evansville Press he “might do the same thing in the same situation.”

The incident occurred near the end of a junior varsity game between Harrison and Mater Dei.

Gossman said the incident began over a play in which two girls’ feet “got tangled up.” He said a foul was called on Mater Dei.

“That was OK with me, but apparently not with Malone,” Gossman said. “We met face-to-face on the sideline. I just told him to leave our girls alone, because he started yelling at our girls.

“Malone said, ‘If you want a fight, we’ll give you a fight.’ I said that if there’s going to be a fight, it will be between the two of us,” Gossman said.

Gossman said the disagreement “was over as far as I was concerned.” He said he went back to coaching the game. About two minutes later, Gossman said, Malone came back with the gun, pointed it and verbally threatened him.

Gossman said he asked Malone if he would have a gun the next time the two met. Gossman said that Malone said, ‘Yes,’ and added, ‘If you ever get in my face again, you’d better be ready.’ ”

Malone said he was confronted by Gossman.

“I went to my car and got my gun,” Malone said. “It wasn’t loaded and it was in its holster. I didn’t hit him or take the gun out of the holster. I did pull it out of my pocket and hold it up, but I didn’t put it in his face.”