FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2000


Northwest Christian Academy boys basketball team removed from playoffs for using ineligible player

GAINESVILLE – Northwest Christian Academy has been removed from competition in the 2000 FHSAA State Boys Basketball Series for playing an ineligible student-athlete in last week's Class 2A District 15 Tournament, Florida High School Activities Association Commissioner Robert W. Hughes ruled today.

Northwest Christian, a private school located in Miami, was found to have played a student-athlete who had exceeded his permissible number of years of athletic eligibility. The school has been directed to forfeit all games won during the regular season and in the district tournament in which the student participated. The school's berth in the Class 2A Region 4 Tournament Quarterfinals scheduled to be played Thursday has been vacated. Additional penalties will be forthcoming.

Westminster Christian School of Miami, which was scheduled to be Northwest Christian's opponent in the regional quarterfinals, has been notified that it will automatically advance to the regional semifinals next Tuesday by way of a bye.

"FHSAA Bylaw 11.5.1 states that a student is limited to three consecutive years of eligibility once he or she enters the 10th grade," Hughes said. "Our investigation found that this student entered the 10th grade at the beginning of the 1996-97 school year. Therefore, he became ineligible for further interscholastic competition at the end of the 1998-99 school year."

Northwest Christian Academy has been notified in writing of Hughes' decision.

The Florida High School Activities Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida. It has a membership of 615 middle schools, junior high schools and high schools.

Contact:
Jack Watford
Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
jwatford@fhsaa.org