“Fairborn High School’s football staff violated General Sports Regulation 7.5.1, Coaching Football Squad Members, when they coached members of the Fairborn football team on one date prior to June 1. In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner’s Office has restricted the coaching staff (paid and volunteer) to nine days of permissible instruction during the period of June 1-July 31.”
High school football programs are allowed 10 coaching days from June 1-July 31. None of the Skyhawks coaches were identified.
Other schools that also violated various OHSAA bylaws in a release from the OHSAA:
1. Bellaire St. John Central High School had numerous staff members violate Bylaw 4-9-7, #7, Recruiting, when it provided financial assistance to student-athletes on the basis of athletic ability. In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner's Office has publically reprimanded the school, placed the school on probation for the next two years and a fine of $1,000 has been imposed for the violation. It should be noted that because of the collaboration and cooperation exhibited during the investigation and some of the changes made in personnel at the school, including a new coach, athletic administrator, and a new finance director, the OHSAA decided not to enact more punitive consequences.
2. Fairborn High School's football staff violated General Sports Regulation 7.5.1, Coaching Football Squad Members, when they coached members of the Fairborn football team on one date prior to June 1. In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner's Office has restricted the coaching staff (paid and volunteer) to nine days of permissible instruction during the period of June 1-July 31.
3. Castilia Margaretta High School's head boys basketball coach violated Bylaw 4-9-7, Recruiting, when he gave registration forms to Margaretta Board members to disseminate to players "if they were interested in our summer league" and these Board members, in turn, distributed these forms to "specific individuals by name." In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner's Office has reprimanded the coach and a fine of $250 has been imposed for the violation
4. Ada High School's volleyball staff violated General Sports Regulation 8.2.1.c, Permissible Individual Skill Instruction, when they conducted a team volleyball camp which exceeded the four player individual instruction prohibition during a period in which such instruction is not permissible, i.e. prior to June 1. In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner's Office has restricted the coaching staff (paid and volunteer) to eight days of permissible instruction during the period of June 1-July 31.
5. Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School had a student-athlete in boys varsity bowling violate Bylaw 4-8-1, International and Exchange Students. However, the student met Exception 2 to the Bylaw (International and Exchange Students) but the school permitted the student to participate in a bowling contest prior to receiving an eligibility ruling from the Commissioner's Office. The OHSAA has restored eligibility for the student retroactively and no forfeitures were required but, in accordance with Bylaw 4-1-1, Administrative Error, the school has been fined $100.
6. Cin. St. Bernard Roger Bacon High School violated Bylaw 4-9, Recruiting, when an individual affiliated with the school made inappropriate contact with an individual by attempting to influence a student's matriculation to Roger Bacon as an incoming ninth grader. In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner's Office has placed the school on probation for the next two years and a fine of $1,000 has been imposed for the violation, $500 of which shall be rescinded based upon the submission and OHSAA approval of the school's educational program that targets alumni who have a direct affiliation with the school's athletic programs. If the student does matriculate at Roger Bacon High school, the student shall be ineligible for all sports for one year from the student's date of enrollment in accordance with Bylaw 4-9-7.
7. Cin. Clark Montessori High School UPDATE FROM APRIL 16 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING HANDOUT: had a student-athlete in varsity boys basketball violate Bylaw 4-6-3, Residency and Bylaw 4-7-2, Transfer, and, in accordance with Bylaw 4-1-2, Eligibility, the student shall remain ineligible for interscholastic athletic participation in Ohio until further notice from the Commissioner's Office. Based upon the facts that were in evidence as this case unfolded and the failure of the administrators at Clark Montessori High School to perform their duties in regards to this transfer, the Commissioner's Office has assessed the following penalties in accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties: the school has been publically reprimanded for failure of institutional control, the school shall be placed on probation for the next three years, and a fine of $10,000 has been imposed for the violation, $2,500 of which shall be rescinded if the school has no transfer or residency violations for the probationary period.
8. Cin. Aiken High School UPDATE FROM APRIL 16 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING HANDOUT: had a student-athlete in varsity boys basketball violate Bylaw 4-7-3, In-Season Transfer and Bylaw 4-1-2, Falsification, and, in accordance with Bylaw 4-1-2 the student shall remain ineligible for interscholastic athletic participation in Ohio until further notice from the Commissioner's Office. Based upon the facts that were in evidence as this case unfolded and the failure of the administrators at Aiken High School to perform their duties in regards to this transfer, the Commissioner's Office has assessed the following penalties in accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties: the school has been publically reprimanded for failure of institutional control, the school shall be placed on probation for the next three years, and a fine of $5,000 has been imposed for the violation, $2,500 of which shall be rescinded if the school has no transfer or residency violations for the probationary period.
9. Columbus Africentric Early College had two student-athletes in varsity football violate Bylaw 4-6-3, Residency, and, in accordance with Bylaw 10-2-1, Forfeitures, the school must forfeit any victorious contests in which the ineligible students participated. However, no such forfeitures were required since the school did not win the five contests in which the ineligible students participated. Furthermore, since the students do not meet any exception to Bylaw 4-6-3, they will have no eligibility at Africentric or any member high school for the duration of their high school careers.
10. Cin. Anderson and Cin. Turpin High Schools had numerous school coaches engage in direct contact with students at Nagel Middle School in violation of Bylaw 4-9 Exception 1, that permits high school coaches to speak only to those whose entire grade level is assigned to a specific high school. Students at Nagel Middle School are not assigned to one specific high school, but to two separate high schools- Anderson High School or Turpin High School. In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner's Office has fined each school $250, for a $500 fine assessed to the Forest Hills Local School District. It should be noted that the fine could have been more but was lessened as a result of the cooperation shown during the investigation.
11. Gahanna Lincoln High School's football staff violated General Sports Regulation 7.5.1, Coaching Football Squad Members, and General Sports Regulation 8.2.1, Individual Skill/Coaching Instruction, when they conducted a team football camp which exceeded the four-player individual instruction prohibition during a period in which such instruction is not permissible, i.e. prior to June 1, and also coached more than four athletes on several occasions in April and May. In accordance with Bylaw 11, Penalties, the Commissioner's Office has restricted the coaching staff (paid and volunteer) to six days of permissible instruction during the period of June 1-July 31, 2017. The Commissioner's Office also agrees with the self-imposed penalty of suspending the head football coach for two regular season contests during the 2016 season.
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