Staples girls basketball coach arrested after police say he choked referee during game over foul call

Thomas Sparks was arrested after police say he choked a basketball referee during a youth game in Shelton on Oct. 24, 2026. (Courtesy of Shelton Police Department ) The Staples High School girls basketball coach has resigned after being arrested for allegedly tripping and choking a referee over a disputed call during a youth game in Shelton last week, officials said.Thomas Sparks, 37, was arrested Oct. 24 and charged with third-degree assault, second-degree strangulation and risk of injury to a child after a referee at a youth basketball game at the Boys and Girls Club in Shelton filed a complaint, a police report said. Sparks resigned Thursday as Staples girls basketball coach."Tommy resigned for personal and family considerations," Staples High School Athletic Director said in a text message on Friday.Sparks was coaching a team for the Connecticut Elite youth basketball league on Oct. 24 when he confronted the referee about what he perceived to be a bad foul call, the police report said. Officials at Connecticut Elite declined to discuss the incident on Friday, but said Sparks no longer worked for them. During a verbal exchange, the referee told police Sparks called him a "dickhead," and then seconds later tripped and shoved him to the ground, according to the report. Before the referee could get up, Sparks put his arm around the man's neck at which point others in the crowd stepped in to intervene, the police report said. Sparks was ejected from the building and the referee later showed up at the police station to file a report. He told police that he felt like he might pass out while Sparks had his arm was around his neck, the report said. Sparks told police that he took physical action because he didn't know what the referee would do after their verbal exchange, the report said. Witnesses, including some of the players, confirmed the referee's version of events, police said. Sparks was released on $10,000 bond and is due back in court Nov. 12. Sign up for the Connecticut Briefing from CT Insider. Get the biggest headlines of the day from our network of journalists around the state.This article originally published at Staples girls basketball coach arrested after police say he choked referee during game over foul call.