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Mr. Charles Phillips, frIDc~pal Episcopal High School

445.5 Atlantic Blvd. Jaekso!nviUe,FL 32287

Dear Mr., Phillips:

. ,~ble Player Participation ~, _

I

This office has addressed several Episoop\aJ High School students' eligibility status since May of '20 I 0 to present day. Information alleging students were ineligible was either received through anonymous communications or directly from Episcopal representatives in the form of selfreporting the use of an ineligible student,

Eagle's View. . S, an member schoel, representative reported to this office that these students began. atte],rlding EMS afte:1r havsng ,attended ,mother school during the previous school year. Both students participated on the previous. school's baseball team coached by Mr. Bernie HUrley. The students began the 2009-10 school year attending EHs..1\il]r. Hurley 'was hired by EMS and began. the school year EI!S a groundskeeper, Sometime after the school year began, November 2(]109, Mr, Hurley began assisting coaching baseball for EHS.

EHS reportedl_palticipated in twenty-seven (27) baseball contests and _ participated in sixteen (16) basebal] contests during the 2009-10 scI1QoI year.

EHS reported corrective actions takenpdol' to the. 20 ill O~ 11 school year whiclll included, termination of its athletic director, resulting in the hiring of an. interim athletic director beginning in August of 20 I 0..

receivee an anonymous communication aUeghlg EHS allowed the aforementioned student to perticlpete while ineligible. The Association forwarded the information to EHS for response and determined the studentparticipated while ineligible during the 2010-1.1 school year .. The student participated on anon-school team affiliated with Episcopal High and. began attending Episcopalafter such paludpanon. E!l:IS.~·s appeal to the, Board of Directors to' reinstate the student's eligibility f-or the remainder of the 2010-11 school year was denied.

)801 NW80lih Blvd· Gaille~"'ille, FL 32:606--9176 .. , vr.v.,.,Jhsaa.org • :fI,h: 35213;72~9S!Hii' Admli'll r;o:; 35.2 .• 37'3. [52,8. AfhleUc 'Ops Fx:: 35:2 .. 372,9QiI!!6 BUilding Jeodef:S I.flro.ug/~ leo'fflwolk, sporfsmanshjp clnd cilizensnip.

EUS report,ed _ Qat1icipB:ted In tenJt OJ interschglastilc vqUeybaH andlor s_o'ccer contests rlepresenting dm:ing t~e 20! 0 .. 1J school year..

• Bylaw 9 .2..5 Relocation ofa Coach

• Bylaw 9.5.3 MidcUe School Student Attending a, Combination School

• Bylaw 10.2 Forfeiaire of Contest .' Poliey 41 'Penalty Code

l~)lO~,ll Scbool Yea.'"

'. Bylaw 9.2..4 Participation in Non-School Athletic ,Activities Affiliated with a. School .' Bylaw'10.,,2 forfeiture of Contest

• Policy 5 ... 1 Athletic Participation Defined ,.P:oHcy 4.~ Penalty Code

Sum~:arv~9f Violation

Based on the' information received, the following summarizes the violetionfs) as reported to this office:

1. EHSa11owed. two students. to participate in a. toted of forty-three (43) baseball contests while ineligible. {Reference 2009 .. .)'0 Bylaw 9,2. 5).

2. EHS allowed an ineligible student to participate ill four (4) middle school volleyball contests during the 2009E 10 school year. (Reference 2010~ 11 Bylaw 9.2.4)..

3.. EI;'IS allowed an ineligible student to participate in six (6) varsity girls, soccer matches during the 2010-11 school year .. (Reference Bylaw 9.2.4).

This office notes the following actions that have been taken as corrective actions:

1.. EHS terminated its AD from the 2:009-10 school year and named an interim AD for the

20 i 0- .im school year; .

2. EHS held a "Sportsmanship and Compliance Seminar" requiring all head, coaches to attend a three (3)hour workshop pt"esentced[ by FHSAA staff during the 2010ft·ll schoo] year'.

The, Association acknowledges the efforts made by EHS 11'.0 deter such actions from happening in the future and considered these actions when assessing the appropriate 'penalties.

Whereas Bylaw 10.2 allows for the Executive Director's office to determine 'if the student was all owed to participate intentionally or unintentienally, the member school is expected to 'review

. . -

the eligibility of each student-athlete prior to participation. For this reason, EllS is held in

accordance with the applicable penalues to be assessed as failure to follow poUciesand procedures (Policy 41 ),. However, this office considered the fact that EMS self-reported some of the infractions"

Penalties Assessed

In accordance with FHSAA Policies Episcopal High School is assessed the following:

1. EHS shall forfeit all contests in which the aforementioned students participated.

EHS shall notify its opponents of forfeited contests in accordance with FHSAA Bylaw 10.2.3 and provide a copy of the communications to the FHSAA Office. (This office has received copies of the forfeited contests for volleyball and soccer. Please forward a copy of the communications for baseball, inclusive of any awards received for state series participation which resulted from an ineligible student's participation.)

2. EHS shall have a minimum of two (2) representatives attend the 2011 FHSAA Compliance Seminar.

3. EHS is fined in the amount of $5,300. (invoice included). This fine reflects the following assessment:

i. $100 per contest as a result of corrective actions taken for baseball infraction (totaling $4,300).

ii. $100 per contest in which Pillsbury participated, as a result of EHS conducting an internal investigation and providing accurate information relative to the student's participation in interscholastic contests while ineligible.

4. ERS athletic program is placed on administrative probation concluding June 1, 2012. Administrative probation is a period of warning for one or more calendar years during which time any additional violations committed by the school may result in more severe penalties being assessed This is the least severe of probations that may be issued by this office.

5. EHS is reprimanded. A reprimand results in an official tetter of censure to the member school regarding the violationis) becoming a permanent part of the school's membership record

This office may reconsider the actions taken upon receipt of additional information for reconsideration. Any additional information to be reconsidered must be received in the FHSAA Office within ten (10) business days.

If no additional information submitted for reconsideration, the decision by this office may be appealed to the FHSAA Sectional Appeals Committee as directed under Bylaws 10.4.6 and 10.6.4 - Appeals of Executive Director's Findings (pages 35 & 38 of the 2010-2011 FHSAA Handbook). The principal of a member school or his/her designee, or any other individual, who isfound to be in violation of the rules of this Association by the Executive Director, whether or not such finding results in the imposition of penalty, may appeal the finding of the Executive Director if he/she takes issue with it, or may appeal the penalty imposed, if any, if he/she, while not disagreeing with the finding, believes the penalty to be too severe. To appeal the finding of the Executive Director, the appeal must be filed so that it is received in the office of the Association within ten (lO) business days of the receipt of the Executive Director's finding and/or notification of the imposition of penalty. Failure to file an appeal so that it is received in the office of this Association within the ten (/0) business days allowed shall be deemed a waiver of the right to appeal as granted herein.

Sincerely,

~~

Roger Dearing Executive Director FHSAA

Cc: M. Denarvise Thornton, Jr. Associate Executive Director for Compliance & Eligibility Sonny Hester, Associate Executive Director for Administrative Services

Peggy Jones, Assistant Executive Director for Athletic Administration

Sheryl Watson, Fiscal Assistant

FL High School Athletic Assn. Inc. 1801 N.W. 80th Blvd.

Gainesville, FL 32606-9176

(352) 372-9551

Billing Address Episcopal High Schoo! Attn: Bookkeeper

4455 Atlantic Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32207

No Personal Checks Accepted

Charge Date

Description

5f9/2011 Eligibility Violation - Baseball

5f9/2011 Eligibility Violation - Volleyball

5/9f2011 Eligibility Violation - Soccer

Please reference invoice # with payment

Invoice #

87007

5/9/2011

Payment Terms: 30 Days Customer Number: ID0135

PO#

Quantity Unit Price Amount
0.00 $0.00 $4,300.00
0.00 $0.00 $400.00
0.00 $0.00 $600.00 Total:

$5,300.00