FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2007


FHSAA penalizes Potter's House Christian Academy for violations in girls basketball program

GAINESVILLE – Potter's House Christian Academy of Jacksonville has been fined $5,000 and its girls basketball program placed on restrictive probation through the conclusion of the 2008-09 school year for violations of an FHSAA rule prohibiting student-athletes from following a coach from one school to another. The restrictive probation includes an immediate ban on participate in the FHSAA State Girls Basketball Series, which begins with district tournament competition this week.

The school was informed of the penalties by letter on Jan. 26, 2007.

The violations center around former Shekinah Christian Academy head girls basketball coach Tony Bannister and five student-athletes who were former members of the Shekinah Christian Academy girls basketball team. Bannister left Shekinah Christian Academy and accepted a position on the staff at Potter's House Christian Academy. The five Shekinah Christian Academy student-athletes enrolled at Potter's House Christian Academy at the beginning of the current school year. They have participated as members of the Potter's House Christian Academy girls basketball team throughout the current season.

FHSAA Bylaw 11.4.3 states that a student who transfers to a new school within one calendar year of the relocation of his/her coach to that school without a corresponding change in residence is considered to have transferred for athletic reasons and is not eligible to participate in sports coached by that coach for one calendar year from the date of enrollment in the new school.

Although Potter's House Christian Academy does not list Bannister as a girls basketball coach, two member school athletic directors provided written statements regarding Bannister's involvement with the school's girls basketball program. One of the athletic directors stated that when he called Potter's House Christian Academy and asked to speak with the girls basketball coach, " I was directed to Tony Bannister."

FHSAA Associate Director of Athletics Shanell Young, who administers the Association's girls basketball program, made an unannounced visit to a girls basketball practice at Potter's House Christian Academy on Jan. 17. Young wrote that she observed Bannister "around the 3-point line with ball in hand demonstrating a shooting move. After he demonstrated the jump shot, he then motioned for the girls to pair off and repeat the sequence he had just shown them." Young added that she observed head coach Pamela Sealy "at the baseline no more than 5 feet from me talking to one of the students in the gym about homework. After she finished her conversation, she walked back over to the far side of the court and stood on the opposite side of the 3-point line, away from Mr. Bannister."

Young also wrote in her report that when she Bannister recognized her he asked to speak with her outside. Young wrote that Bannister, when asked if he was coaching the girls team, told her "he was not coaching and that this was the only time that he had ever been on the court with the girls and I (Young) just happened to be there to witness it."

Based on the statements of the two member school athletic directors, Young's personal observations and information provided by Potter's House Christian Academy, the FHSAA Office finds the following:

1. Tony Bannister, who was the head girls basketball coach at Shekinah Christian Academy during the 2005-06 school year, is now employed at Potter's House Christian Academy. Although Bannister is not listed as a girls basketball coach and does not act in that capacity during interscholastic contests, he is involved with the girls basketball program and, at least on one occasion, has provided instruction to team members during practice.

2. Five members of the Shekinah Christian Academy 2005-06 girls basketball team enrolled in Potter's House Christian Academy at the beginning of the current 2006-07 school year. All five are members of the Potter's House Christian Academy girls basketball team.

3. The change of school by the five student-athletes from Shekinah Christian Academy to Potter's House Christian Academy occurred within one year of Bannister's relocation from Shekinah Christian Academy to Potter's House Christian Academy. Consequently, the five student-athletes are ineligible to represent Potter's House Christian Academy during the current girls basketball season.

In his letter to Potter's House Christian Academy, FHSAA Commissioner John A. Stewart reminded the school that it currently is on administration probation resulting from a violation committed during the 2005-06 school year in which a student-athlete attending a public charter school participated as a member of Potter's House Christian Academy's football team. A school placed on administration probation is served notice that it is in a period of warning and that additional violations during this period may result in an extension of the probationary period, or in the school being placed on restrictive or suspension probation, or in the school being expelled from membership in the Association.

Accordingly, the following penalties were imposed in this case:

1. Reprimand.

2. The five student-athletes are declared ineligible for competition at Potter's House Christian Academy in the sport of girls basketball for a period of one calendar beginning on the date of their enrollment at Potter's House Christian Academy. FHSAA Bylaw 12.2.1 requires that Potter's House Christian School must forfeit all interscholastic contests in which the student-athletes participated.

3. Potter's House Christian Academy's girls basketball program is placed on restrictive probation for three years, beginning immediately and continuing through the conclusion of the 2008-09 school year. During this three-year period the school's girls basketball program is restricted as follows:
• Prohibition on participation in the FHSAA State Girls Basketball Series;
• Prohibition on participation in games against out-of-state opponents; and
• Prohibition on participation in preseason classic tournaments.

4. The school is fined $5,000.

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 in writing the FHSAA Office if it intends to file an appeal.

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 750 middle and senior public and private high schools. More information is available at www.fhsaa.org.

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