FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2006
Tarpon Springs High School reprimanded, fined for violations in football program
GAINESVILLE – Tarpon Springs High School has been reprimanded and fined $450 for violations committed by its football program.
The case involved a Dunedin High School student-athlete who was allowed to participate in spring football practice at Tarpon Springs and represent Tarpon Springs in a spring classic game against Palm Harbor University High School, both in violation of FHSAA Bylaw 11.1.1, which states that a student-athlete must be enrolled in and attend a school to participate in its practices and competitions. The violations were self-reported by the Tarpon Springs administration.
The school was officially notified of the findings and penalties on August 16.
"These are serious violations of FHSAA rules and normally would result in severe penalties," said Commissioner John A. Stewart. "We, however, commend the Tarpon Springs administration for notifying this office of the violations as soon as they were discovered, and for taking appropriate disclipinary action against their head coach. We took both of those acts into account in mitigating the penalties."
In addition to the violations of Bylaw 11.1.1, the investigation determined that the following related violations were committed:
• The school did not have on file in its office a parental consent form for the student-athlete. FHSAA Bylaw 11.7.1 requires a certificate of consent and release, signed by both th student-athlete and his or her parents or guardians be on file in the school's office before practice or competition at or with the school is permitted.
• The school did not have on file in its office a physical evaluation form for the student-athlete. FHSAA Bylaw 11.8.1 requires a student-athlete to undergo a physical evaluation, which includes completion of a medical history questionnaire by the student-athlete and his or her parents or guardians and certification by one of five licensed medical professionals that the student-athlete is physically fit to participate in interscholastic athletics. The complete evaluation form, signed by the student-athlete and his or parents or guardians, as well as the appropriate licensed medical professional must be on file in the school's office before practice or competition at or with the school is permitted.
• The school did not submit the name of the student-athlete to the FHSAA Office on an annual eligibility report. FHSAA Bylaw 11.13.1 requires a school to report and certify to the FHSAA Office the eligibility of each prospective student-athlete before he or she is permitted to represent the school in interscholastic competition.
• Because the student-athlete subsequently enrolled in Tarpon Springs, the FHSAA Office also found the school and the student-athlete to be in violation of Bylaw 11.4.12, which states that a student who participates in non-school athletics on a team that is affiliated with any school other than the school that the student attends, or attended the prior year, followed by enrollment by that student in the affilated school is considered prima facie evidence that the school recruited the student or that the student enrolled in that school in whole or in part for athletic reasons. The student is ineligible to represent the school in interscholastic competition for 365 consecutive days from the date of enrollment in that school.
The following penalties were imposed in this case:
• Reprimand.
• The school’s football program is placed on administrative probation for the 2006-07 school year. The probation is a period of warning during which time additional violations may result in an extension of the probationary period, or the imposition of more severe penalties.
• The school is fined a total of $450 – $100 for violation of Bylaw 11.1.1, $100 for violation of Bylaw 11.7.1, $100 for violation of Bylaw 11.8.1, $50 for violation of Bylaw 11.13.1 and $100 for violation of Bylaw 11.4.12. All fines are the minimums that may be imposed for the violations found to have been committed.
• The student-athlete who participated in the spring practice and spring classic game is ineligible to represent Tarpon Springs for 365 days from the date of his enrollment in the school.
FHSAA bylaws ensure the school’s right to appeal the Commissioner’s findings, as well as the penalties assessed. The school has 10 business days to notify the FHSAA Office in writing if it intends to file such an appeal. Any such appeal will be heard by the Association's Section 3 Appeals Committee.
About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletic competition in Florida. It has a membership of more than 700 middle, junior and senior high schools.
Contacts:
Jack Watford
Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
jwatford@fhsaa.org
