FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 22, 2007


Trinity Christian Academy (Lake Worth) reprimanded, fined for violations in girls volleyball program

GAINESVILLE – Trinity Christian Academy of Lake Worth has been penalized by the FHSAA for violations in the sport of girls volleyball.

The investigation, which was initiated following allegations made by another FHSAA member school, centered on three student-athletes who attended the other school that were invited to and participated in tryouts at Trinity Christian.

The FHSAA investigation found the following:

1. Trinity Christian girls volleyball coaches invited students who attended another FHSAA member school to participate in tryouts at Trinity Christian.

2. Three of those student-athletes also participated in tryouts with a non-school volleyball team associated with Trinity Christian. One of them subsequently transferred to Trinity Christian.

3. The school allowed girls volleyball tryouts to take place during the offseason in violation of FHSAA guidelines.

The following penalties were imposed in this case:

1. Reprimand.

2. Trinity Christian's girls volleyball program is placed on restrictive probation, and banned from FHSAA state series competition for the 2007-08 school year. The school also is placed on administrative probation for a period of two years following the year of restricted probation. All probation will end at the conclusion of the 2009-10 school year. Administrative probation is a period of warning during which additional violations committed by the school could result in more severe penalties than would normally be imposed.

3. Three student-athletes are ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics at Trinity Christian Academy for a period of 365 days from the date of their enrollment in the school.

3. The school is fined $7,500.

4. The school must reimburse the Association for its expenses incurred during the investigation once they have been compiled.

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.

» click here to download the public report (PDF, 329 K)

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.

Contact:
Robert Hernberger
Assistant Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 190
rhernberger@fhsaa.org