Ky. mother upset by football player son's baptism

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The parents of a 16-year-old Kentucky football player who was baptized along with some teammates during a trip organized by their coach said Tuesday they believe their son may have felt some pressure to go through with the ceremony.

Parents said the voluntary trip was organized by Breckinridge County High School football coach Scott Mooney, who is a member of the Baptist church where the revival was held Aug. 26.

Dannie Ammons told The Associated Press he had no idea his son, Robert Coffey, was being taken to a church in another county on a school bus. The teen told them he was going to see a motivational speaker. Eight or nine other players were baptized at Franklin Crossroads Baptist Church, he said.

"There wasn't supposed to be anything religious," said Ammons, who is Catholic.

Robert Coffey said the furor surrounding his visit to the church is "kind of stupid" and that he decided to go through with the baptism because some of his friends were doing it.

Now, Coffey said he wishes he would have just stayed home.

"I don't want any part of this."

The teen's mother, Michelle Ammons, said her son told her he was using his iPod during the sermon and didn't remember what was discussed.

Forty-seven people at the Southern Baptist service were submerged in water, an act of obedience symbolizing one's acceptance of Jesus Christ as savior and "rebirth" in faith.

"No, it's not sticking," Michelle Ammons, who says she is a Baptist, said about the baptism. "We're just quiet about it. It's not like a topic we talk about."

She said she has heard from other parents who were upset that they didn't get to attend the baptisms.

Parents of at least two other team members told The Courier-Journal newspaper that their children told them the trip would include the church event. Because no permission slips were required, it was up to the children to tell their parents about the trip. Michelle Ammons said her son probably should have been more forthcoming about the trip but no one was told baptisms would be performed.

The church's pastor, Ron Davis, said Mooney had asked him if he could bring his players. Davis said the baptisms were "spontaneous" and had not been planned by a guest speaker giving a sermon that night.