Tumwater High School (WA) running back Ronnie Hastie was flagged for 'excessive celebration' after pointing up to heaven following a touchdown run on Monday.
According to KOMO News, pointing to the sky is something that Hastie has been doing throughout his whole career as a high school football player. Hastie explained to KOMO that he has never been flagged for thanking God before.
When Hastie asked the referee why he had been flagged, the referee explained that Hastie wasn’t supposed to bring attention to himself.
"That wasn't the point [of the gesture], so I guess I was a little confused," Hastie told KOMO News. "I do that to give glory to my Heavenly Father, Jesus. He gives me the strength. He's the one who gives me these abilities in the first place."
According to Hastie, thanking God has become a tradition after scoring each touchdown.
"It's usually one or two seconds long," he explained. "It's something I've done as a tradition."
Until the referee's association looks at the play in its full context, the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association will not be able to determine whether or not the celebration was excessive. But according to the WIAA, Hastie could have received the penalty regardless of excessive celebration due to the running back not giving the ball immediately to the referee.
"The point is to make sure the game goes on, that something that happens after a score or after a spectacular play or whatever doesn't slow down play itself," WIAA executive director Mike Colbrese told KOMO.
For future games, Hastie told reporters he would not celebrate on the field, and will wait to gesture to the sky when he gets back to the sidelines.
