FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 15, 2007


Montverde Academy penalized for athletic recruiting in its baseball program

GAINESVILLE – Montverde Academy has been penalized by the FHSAA for athletic recruiting in its baseball program.

The investigation was initiated in a May 22, 2007 letter to the school, following publication of a newspaper article entitled "Montverde builds with 17 players from Puerto Rico" in the May 16, 2007 edition of the Orlando Sentinel.

The investigation centered around travel by the school's admissions director and head baseball coach, who is also a dean of students, to Puerto Rico in Summer 2005 to hold an admissions open house at a hotel. The investigation found that:
   • Both school administrators were in attendance at a two-day exposure camp held at the Olympic Sports Complex in Salinas, Puerto Rico;
   • They observed and talked with baseball players who were working out;
   • The head baseball coach actively participated in player evaluations through the use of a timing device; and
   • Both school administrators were housed and fed in the same dormitory facilities and cafeteria as the players for one night.
Five students who were in attendance at the camp subsequently enrolled at Montverde.

Montverde took the following proactive measures, including proposed consequences, for the violation of FHSAA regulations:
   • The head baseball coach is reprimanded and prohibited from travel to Puerto Rico for any admissions open houses in the future and being present for or participating in any camps held in Puerto Rico;
   • The school will distance its relationship with a third-party source in Puerto Rico and encourage all prospective students to inquire directly through the admissions office without third-party assistance;
   • The school will create a position of FHSAA Compliance Officer on staff who will work collaboratively with the athletic director to ensure that eligibility requirements are being met;
   • The school will voluntarily withdraw from FHSAA state series competition in baseball for the 2008 season; and
   • The school will pay a fine deemed appropriate by the FHSAA.

Considering the cooperation and proactive measures taken by the school balanced with the significance of the violations, the following penalties were imposed in this case:

1. Reprimand.

2. Montverde's baseball program is placed on restrictive probation for a period of two years beginning immediately and ending at the conclusion of the 2008-09 school year. For the two-year period, the following restrictions are imposed:
   • The school cannot participate in FHSAA State Baseball Series competition;
   • The school can only participate in 20 regular season baseball games; and
   • The school cannot participate against any out-of-state or out-of-country baseball teams.

3. The school is fined $10,000.

In an Oct. 15, 2007 letter to FHSAA Executive Director/Commissioner John A. Stewart, Montverde Academy headmaster Kasey Kesselring noted that the school "has accepted the determinations contained in the Oct. 11th letter and does not plan to appeal the decision."

» click here to download the public report (42 ppg., PDF, 2.36 MB)

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
Director of Media Relations, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 190
rhernberger@fhsaa.org