March 8, 2021

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Mr. Tim Bible, Principal

South Pittsburg High School
717 Elm Avenue
South Pittsburg, TN 37380

Dear Mr. Bible:

This is in regard to our inquiry into possible violations of Article II, Section 17 (Recruiting Rule)
of the TSSAA Bylaws by the football program at South Pittsburg High School. According to the
information we received, there are a couple of families living in South Pittsburg whose rent has
been paid by the Booster Club. One of the student’s we had questions about transferred from
Hixson High School and the other transferred from East Ridge High School. Both participated at
South Pittsburgh High School during the 2020-21 school season.

Article II, Section 17 of the TSSAA Bylaws states the following:

Athletic recruiting is prohibited. Athletic recruiting is the use of influence on a

student or the parents or guardians of a student, by any person(s) directly or
indirectly associated with the school, to secure or retain a student for athletic
purposes. In the event that there is a violation of this rule, there shall be a penalty
against the school, and the student(s) who was the subject of the violation shall be
ineligible for a minimum of one year.

The penalty and any additional period of ineligibility beyond the one-year
minimum will be determined by the Executive Director based on a consideration
of the number of violations involved, the number of student-athletes involved, the
nature of the violation(s), the individual(s) responsible for the violation(s), and
the extent to which the violation may have been knowing, deliberate, or in
reckless disregard of the provisions of this rule and the commentary that
accompanies this rule.
TSSAA requested that the administration address the allegations and report their findings to the
state office with any action they planned to take if the violations did indeed occur. That written
report was submitted on March 5, 2021.

The South Pittsburg High School administration looked into each allegation and found that the
rent for one of the families in question had been paid by the Booster Club in order to keep them
in South Pittsburg because they were about to get evicted. Documentation which verified this
claim also accompanied the information we originally received in our office. The administration
at South Pittsburg High School provided documentation debunking the allegations about the
second family.

It was alleged that one of the families is living in an apartment owned by a South Pittsburg
assistant coach. The South Pittsburg High School administration provided documentation
debunking this allegation.

The academic eligibility of the student from East Ridge High School was also being questioned.
It was reported to our office that the student earned zero credits at East Ridge before transferring
but became academically eligible over the summer after transferring to South Pittsburg. The
South Pittsburg High School administration provided documentation debunking this allegation.

The administration of South Pittsburg High School proposed the following action:

1. South Pittsburg High School will dissolve the South Pittsburg High Quarterback club
beginning on April 1, 2021, through April 1, 2022. The club can apply for reinstatement
on April 2, 2022.

2. South Pittsburg High School will require all funds in the South Pittsburg High
Quarterback club account to be turned over to South Pittsburg High School. This money
will go into a restricted account for football only and will be subject to the accounting
rules of South Pittsburg High School.

3. South Pittsburg High School will place the football program on probation for two
calendar years beginning April 1, 2021, and continuing through April 1, 2023. In
addition, the SPHS football program will pay a $1000.00 fine according to Article V,
Section 4(1) of the TSSAA constitution.

Article V, Section 4(1) of the TSSAA Constitution states:

Probation to an individual sport in an athletic program shall result in a

fine of $500.00 annually.

TSSAA has waived the $1000 fine since the school administration placed their own
program on probation. If there are any other incidents during this time, TSSAA will be
forced to consider further sanctions.

4. South Pittsburg High School will enforce the following sanctions during the probationary
period:
 a. During the first year of probation:
i. Reduce the number of Spring Practice days from 12 within a 15-day
period to 5 within a 10-day period.
ii. No scrimmaging allowed during Spring Practice.
iii. No 7-on-7 scrimmages or competitions during the first year of probation.
iv. Conditioning and weightlifting only during the first week of summer
practice, July 5-9 of 2021.
v. Reduce the number of allowed fall 2021 scrimmages from 4 to 2.

b. During the second year of probation:

i. No scrimmaging allowed during Spring Practice.
ii. Reduce the number of fall scrimmages from 4 to 3.

5. As prescribed in the Bylaws for violation of the Recruiting Rule, the student-athlete
involved is ruled ineligible to participle in athletics at South Pittsburg High School during
the 2021-2022 school year.

South Pittsburg High School fully acknowledges the actions taken by the South Pittsburg High
School Quarterback Club were in complete violation of Article II, Section 17. South Pittsburg
High School also acknowledges that no coach, administrator, or teacher was responsible for or
had knowledge of the violation whatsoever.

After considering the facts, it has been determined that the football program at South Pittsburg
High School violated the Recruiting Rule. The case is being closed in the following manner:

1. TSSAA accepts all of the action taken by the South Pittsburg High School administration.
It must be enforced as written. Because of the action taken, we find no need to take any
further action.

If you have any questions concerning this, please feel free to contact our office.

Sincerely,

Bernard Childress
Executive Director

BC:lj