Mother and Son Kicked Off of Soccer Field During Thunderstorm

By Gilbert Falso :: 2:44 PM

Most people who live in areas where frequent thunderstorms occur learn early on about how to avoid lightning strikes. The most important one, is to avoid being a conductor of electricity for the lightning.

Zita Oliveria, an Ottawa, Canada mother was trying to do just that for herself and her son Noa last week, as a thunderstorm approached the park where Noa was playing soccer. When thunderstorms came upon them and lightning strikes were seen, coaches for the soccer teams at the park attempted to herd all of the children underneath some nearby trees.

That’s when Zita grabbed her son and instructed him not to follow the rest of the team under the trees.

“I learned that in school, I think we all kind of did,” Zita told the Ottawa Sun. “The tree is the highest point, it conducts electricity.”

Officials with the soccer league, however, weren’t keen on Zita and Noa ignoring their orders to join the rest of the group under the stand of trees.

They said, “You have to leave if you’re not going to do what you’re told,” according to Zita. Several parents also approached Zita and reprimanded her for ignoring the coaches’ orders.

She was told again to take her son and leave, as the coaches alleged she was trespassing on the public park’s land by ignoring their orders. The reason the coaches gave for the trespass was, Zita explained, because the soccer league had rented the fields from the city.

Zita is unsure whether she or her son will be allowed to participate in future games with the soccer league, run by the South Keys Greenboro Community Association.

“I was ganged up on because I refused to stand under the trees for my own safety reasons,” she told the Sun.