Hartfield Academy ruled ineligible for 2023 MAIS playoffs, fined $7,500, & asst. coaches banned from in-game coaching for illegal recruiting

[Washed_Up_Athlete]

I told y’all that what they are doing is illegal.

[s1nglewing]

Boom boom! Out go the lights!

 

Can their players transfer is the next question

[Washed_Up_Athlete]

For a transferring student to be eligible, the MAIS handbook implies that the player or the school to which he transfers would need to make a hardship application to the MAIS. There are a few rules that work together on this.

 

1. "One School-Year "Sit Out" Period - Any student-athlete who transfers from one member school to another member school shall be ineligible to participate for a period of one (1) year. The Director of Activities and/or Eligibility Committee must approve any hardship case."

 

2. A hardship case is "any case where extenuating circumstances concerning the eligibility of a student warrants a review by the AAC or the Eligibility Committee."

 

3. The handbook also explains that, "the Director of Activities or the Eligibility Committee may consider a hardship application from the school to which a student who is ineligible for interscholastic athletic competition and does not qualify for the standard exception. The Committee's willingness to consider a hardship application is not a guarantee that eligibility will be granted. The Committee may consider evidence presented by the school as to why the student's failure to prove he or she falls under the exception policy should, nevertheless, be granted an exemption. In weighing its decision, the Committee may also consider evidence contrary to the school's evidence. In no wise is the Committee bound by the Rules of Civil Procedure or evidentiary rules in state prosecutions during its deliberations."

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Washed_Up_Athlete

[Chunky6617]

They ain’t the only private school doing this. Heck there are multiple schools guilty of this. 

[s1nglewing]

4 minutes ago, Chunky6617 said:

They ain’t the only private school doing this. Heck there are multiple schools guilty of this. 

 

Poaching players from MAIS schools is different than getting them from non-private.

[Washed_Up_Athlete]

3 minutes ago, s1nglewing said:

 

Poaching players from MAIS schools is different than getting them from non-private.

Yeah, the recruiting ban rule only addresses recruiting from another MAIS school.

[longhorn75]

1 hour ago, Washed_Up_Athlete said:

Yeah, the recruiting ban rule only addresses recruiting from another MAIS school.

The MAIS wants quality athletes from public schools. They just want to share the wealth. Looks like the St. Joe coach pled his case. Ironic though that St. Joe ratted em out, cause of the stories of them recruiting out there. Looks like it'll be Prep and MRA in Mississippi College this year.

[s1nglewing]

5 minutes ago, longhorn75 said:

The MAIS wants quality athletes from public schools. They just want to share the wealth. Looks like the St. Joe coach pled his case. Ironic though that St. Joe ratted em out, cause of the stories of them recruiting out there. Looks like it'll be Prep and MRA in Mississippi College this year.

 

I don't think SJ was snaring athletes from other MAIS members.

[maroontide06]

9 minutes ago, s1nglewing said:

 

I don't think SJ was snaring athletes from other MAIS members.

So if the hardship application is approved are they immediately eligible at their new school?

[Washed_Up_Athlete]

30 minutes ago, maroontide06 said:

So if the hardship application is approved are they immediately eligible at their new school?

Yes they would be, but in all honesty, I can't imagine the MAIS approving hardship applications for Hartfield athletes transferring to other MAIS schools. The more likely scenario would be transfers to public schools.

 

Or they all stay, they rally around be "unfairly" punished, they try to win out, and if they do, they claim they're the real best team. If I were to bet on it, I'd bet on this.

[maroontide06]

Go to a public school, save a buck or two, or thousands.  When you po' like me, the choice is already made

[s1nglewing]

23 minutes ago, Washed_Up_Athlete said:

Yes they would be, but in all honesty, I can't imagine the MAIS approving hardship applications for Hartfield athletes transferring to other MAIS schools. The more likely scenario would be transfers to public schools.

 

Or they all stay, they rally around be "unfairly" punished, they try to win out, and if they do, they claim they're the real best team. If I were to bet on it, I'd bet on this.

 

Well the two coaches, who think rules don't apply to them, apparently get to stay.

[maroontide06]

2 minutes ago, s1nglewing said:

 

Well the two coaches, who think rules don't apply to them, apparently get to stay.

Sounds like a fireable offense and they just got a slap on the wrist with some cotton candy.

[s1nglewing]

9 minutes ago, maroontide06 said:

Sounds like a fireable offense and they just got a slap on the wrist with some cotton candy.

 

The MAIS fined the school $7500 and banned the coaches from being, I assume, on the field or in the press box, or in the locker room at games... but allows them to coach at practice.

IF Hartfield retains them. Kinda late to make changes to a coaching staff, but since the season is rather shot, it might be a thing to do.

[Dubaction]

Oh my….

[pancho]

Same thing the MHSAA busted TCPS in Tupelo for a year or so back.  

[Washed_Up_Athlete]

39 minutes ago, s1nglewing said:

 

Well the two coaches, who think rules don't apply to them, apparently get to stay.

I'm sure Hartfield will consider letting them go, but I wonder how that would impact the team morale. Lindsay coached at least 4 of the team's best players when they were with the Wolfpack. My guess is that the relationships there are pretty solid. Plus, I understand Lindsay is really well liked by most, if not all, of the other players. Letting him go could cause more harm than good to the team's psyche, not to mention the practical impact of losing two coaches within a few days of the first game.

 

Maybe the administration will believe the school has to let the coaches go. I'd understand that. This is a really bad look and the administration may think it can save some face by taking disciplinary action. 

 

But . . . it is no secret that Hartfield recruited several kids for the exclusive purpose of football whose tuition is being paid by boosters. This is also a violation of MAIS rules. It's just harder to prove. Maybe the administration will convince themselves that Hartfield was unfairly targeted and will use this as a rallying cry. 

 

It'll be interesting to see how things develop.

[Bender20]

4 hours ago, s1nglewing said:

 

Poaching players from MAIS schools is different than getting them from non-private.

St. Joe was MHSAA couple years ago and they was doing it too.

[HGB1010]

The Headmaster of Hartfield Academy just made an announcement to all Hartfield families via email. He stated that he believes that the school and its staff were falsely accused and have done nothing wrong. He also said that the sanctions are immediately going to be put in an appeal process. As a Hartfield student and athlete, I can say that this is embarrassing behavior considering the fact that this shady action was towards another MAIS school. And to make matters even worse it happened on our grounds in the same gym that Ryan Lindsay coaches PE for my class at. This is a tarnishing look on the reputation of the school and a sad look on myself and fellow students. I believe that there was no room for appeal because the school clearly violated regulations and has to be held accountable. This is all my opinion. 

[s1nglewing]

... and the motion for sanctions was passed unanimously. Not much chance for a successful appeal.

[coachfball87]

8 hours ago, s1nglewing said:

 

Poaching players from MAIS schools is different than getting them from non-private.

Yep. Was going to say it was only illegal because it was another private school under same body. Had it been a kid from Madison Central or NW Rankin, legal. 

[BrickCity]

11 hours ago, coachfball87 said:

Yep. Was going to say it was only illegal because it was another private school under same body. Had it been a kid from Madison Central or NW Rankin, legal. 

Yep. I dont feel bad for them

[s1nglewing]

Having thought more about this - I think a better solution, since the two coaches were found to be at fault by MAIS, would be to more strongly sanction them and the school's administration who allowed (and possibly encouraged) their behavior knowing beforehand that this is a violation of MAIS rules.  The players weren't a party to the violations but are paying the highest price of anyone... and they are not to blame.

[Washed_Up_Athlete]

1 hour ago, s1nglewing said:

Having thought more about this - I think a better solution, since the two coaches were found to be at fault by MAIS, would be to more strongly sanction them and the school's administration who allowed (and possibly encouraged) their behavior knowing beforehand that this is a violation of MAIS rules.  The players weren't a party to the violations but are paying the highest price of anyone... and they are not to blame.

It's a tougher call than it may seem at first thought. If you believe the administration knew or recklessly disregarded the violations (and it seems that it did, particularly given the "internal investigation" conducted), then how else can you punish the administration? Fine the board or headmaster or AD or some group of them? I doubt the MAIS has the authority to do that, and if it does, I doubt it has the stomach for it. It seems like the only way to punish the administration is to punish the school.

 

While there are "guilty" players, the overwhelming majority of the players are "innocent." It seems to me that the way to avoid punishing innocent kids and of punishing guilty adults is to allow kids to transfer to other MAIS schools without having to sit out and without having to make hardship applications. The NCAA does this when it puts a school on probation for recruiting violations - look no further than Ole Miss a few years ago.

[longhorn75]

The odds of Hartfield getting this overturned are about as slim as Twiggy. I can't see any reason how they could spin the video evidence.