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Lake County Gazette

Monday, July 14, 2025

Scornavacco on Lake Bluff youth baseball coach streaking incident: ‘This cannot be ignored. I will not let it be’

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A Lake Bluff Youth Baseball coach walks sheepishly up the first base line, hands covering his genitals, after streaking on the field in front of young players at a Cooperstown tournament. | YouTube / Lake Forest Podcast

A Lake Bluff Youth Baseball coach walks sheepishly up the first base line, hands covering his genitals, after streaking on the field in front of young players at a Cooperstown tournament. | YouTube / Lake Forest Podcast

Mike Scornavacco, an Antioch Township Republican committeeman, has called for investigations and systemic reforms following an incident at Cooperstown All-Star Village in Oneonta, New York, where two volunteer coaches from the Lake Bluff Youth Baseball Association (LBYBA) were fired after stripping naked and streaking on a field during a tournament, leading to the disqualification of their 12-and-under team.

Video footage circulating online shows the coaches, reportedly intoxicated, running naked across the field, with one sliding headfirst into home plate as children watched, some exclaiming, “Oh my God!” and “What the hell?”

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office reported no charges were filed, as the coaches had left the state before deputies could interview witnesses. The district attorney declined to prosecute, citing the “level of criminality involved” and their out-of-state status.


A Lake Bluff Youth Baseball coach slides naked into home plate during a tournament at Cooperstown All-Star Village, an act that led to the team’s disqualification and sparked widespread outrage. | YouTube / Lake Forest Podcast

“This cannot be ignored. I will not let it be,” Scornavacco told the Lake County Gazette.

He condemned the lack of legal consequences.

“The failure to prosecute this by District Attorney John Muehl in Otsego County is nothing short of shameful,” Scornavacco said. “His refusal to act sends a dangerous message that misconduct involving minors can be dismissed as a joke if you’re out of town by the time deputies arrive.”

Scornavacco also criticized local leadership.

“Equally disturbing is the silence from Lake Bluff Mayor Regis Charlot, Sheriff John Idleburg, and State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart here in Lake County,” he said. “These men were representing your community, your families, and your children—and no one has lifted a finger to hold them accountable.”

Scornavacco further pressed for local accountability, emphasizing that the coaches' ties to Lake County demand a response from Illinois authorities despite the incident's location in New York.

“Local officials should investigate this immediately,” he said. “Just because the event happened in New York doesn’t absolve Illinois authorities of responsibility. These were Lake County residents representing a Lake County team. The law doesn’t stop at the state line when children are involved.” 

Expressing frustration over the lack of legal consequences, Scornavacco demanded action from local authorities to address the coaches’ misconduct and ensure justice for the affected children.

“I am calling on Sheriff Idleburg and State’s Attorney Rinehart to open a formal investigation under Illinois law. If public exposure, endangering minors, or any other applicable statute was violated, then prosecution should follow,” Scornavacco said. “We must not let jurisdiction become an excuse for inaction.”

A recorded conversation after the incident features the coaches mocking their distraught players, who were disqualified from the tournament due to the incident. One sarcastically called their reactions a “joke” and a “funny little act.”

One 12-year-old player confronted the coaches, labeling their behavior “disgraceful” and highlighting a teammate’s emotional distress.

Scornavacco praised the boy.

“I also want to publicly recognize the brave young player who reported what happened,” he said. “He showed more integrity and moral clarity than many adults in charge.”

The LBYBA, a 70-year-old institution, terminated the coaches and released a statement reiterating its commitment to player safety and distancing itself from the coaches’ actions.

"The LBYBA board is deeply distressed to learn about the recent situation involving the Lake Bluff 12U Blue Cooperstown team," the statement reads. "We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and have contacted relevant authorities. We will continue to support those authorities in their investigations of this matter. We have also taken immediate and decisive action by terminating the assistant coaches involved." 

Scornavacco proposed reforms for youth leagues.

“Full background checks for all coaches and volunteers,” he said. “Signed moral conduct policies. Annual training on appropriate behavior and child safety. A zero-tolerance standard for indecency, intoxication or misconduct.” 

The incident was discussed on the Lake Forest Podcast, where host Pete Jansons expressed outrage. 

“This is men being idiots in front of boys,” Jansons said. 

He criticized the coaches’ judgment. 

“These guys passed the background check, but they didn’t pass the common sense check.” 

Podcast guest John Chandler called the act “disgusting.” 

“This is not a reflection on Lake Bluff baseball as a community,” he said. 

Chandler also highlighted the emotional toll on the players. 

“You stole the moment from these kids,” he said. 

Jansons also advocated for stricter policies. 

“There should be a no alcohol policy,” he said.  

Parents expressed fury online. 

“This is a tourney that costs each player over $1200 just to enter, plus the costs of travel, hotel/Airbnb for families,” Laura Bein said in a comment on the Lake Forest Podcast YouTube video. “For the kids to get cut halfway through, I’d want Lake Bluff to give me my money back.” 

Others called for legal consequences. 

“How is two adult male coaches getting naked and running around kids funny?” Greg Thomas posted. “They should be arrested.”

Scornavacco linked the incident to broader societal issues. 

“This isn’t about one tournament or two coaches,” he said. “It’s about the cultural unraveling we’re witnessing in real time. If we don’t start drawing lines—clear, moral lines—we’re going to lose what it means to be a civilized society. The longer we pretend this isn’t happening, the more damage we do to the next generation.”

He rejected normalizing public nudity. 

“Events involving nudity don’t belong in public spaces—especially not around children,” Scornavacco said. “This isn’t about restricting freedom. It’s about upholding community standards that keep kids safe. If we allow indecency to be rebranded as ‘expression,’ we’re inviting exactly the kind of chaos that happened in Cooperstown.” 

Urging the community to take action, Scornavacco called for parents to actively advocate for higher standards and accountability to prevent future incidents and protect children.

“Speak out—clearly and unapologetically. Parents should attend school board meetings, contact their park districts, and demand high standards,” he said. “Modesty isn’t outdated. It’s essential. And silence is what allows this garbage to spread unchecked.” 

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