FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2006


FHSAA penalizes John I. Leonard High School for violations in football program

GAINESVILLE – John I. Leonard High School has been reprimanded, fined $750 and banned from participation in a spring football classic game or jamboree for violations committed by its football program.

The case involved a student-athlete who attended South Tech Academy but was allowed to participate in spring football practice at John I. Leonard and represent John I. Leonard in a spring classic game against Fort Lauderdale 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 John I. Leonard administration.

The school was officially notified of the findings and penalties on August 17.

It was the second self-reported violation of this nature by the school. The first, which involved an eighth-grade student who was allowed to in the same spring classic game, resulted in the imposition of administrative probation for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years and a $100 fine.

"In both situations we took into account that John I. Leonard's administration reported the violations to this office as soon as they were discovered and took appropriate disciplinary action against their head coach," Commissioner John A. Stewart. "The penalties, which could have been much more severe, reflect that forthrightness. The penalties for the first violation were minimal. The penalties for the second self-reported violation were increased above the minimums."

In the case of the South Tech Academy student-athlete the investigation determined that the following violations in addition to the violation of Bylaw 11.1.1 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 John I. Leonard, 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 administrative probation already imposed on the school’s football program in the 2006-07 school year was increased to restrictive probation, and the school was banned from participation in a spring classic game or jamboree in Spring 2007. The administrative probation for the 2007-08 school year remains in place. 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 $750 – $250 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 $250 for violation of Bylaw 11.4.12.

• The student-athlete who participated in the spring practice and spring classic game is ineligible to represent John I. Leonard 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 appeals of the findings resulting in the imposition of administrative probation and the ineligibility of the two student-athletes will be heard by the Association's Section 4 Appeals Committee. Any appeal of the findings resulting in the imposition of restrictive probation must be heard by the Association's Board of Directors.

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