IHSA

IHSA Announcements

September 18, 2006

Plainfield North Penalized for By-Law Violations

A series of sanctions involving Plainfield North High School and several staff members was announced today (September 18) by IHSA Executive Director Martin L. Hickman. The school and staff members were found in violation of several Illinois High School Association by-laws. The school has been informed of the findings and penalties.

The IHSA initiated an investigation at Plainfield North after receiving a call from the district’s Superintendent, Dr. John Harper, reporting potential violations of the Association’s rules.

Plainfield North High School was cited for its failure to enforce the requirements of IHSA By-law 3.043. Plainfield North High School has allowed participation in interscholastic activities prior to requesting eligibility rulings in cases where students transferred from one school in the Plainfield district to another without moving to a new attendance area in the district.

Personnel at Plainfield North High School were also cited for multiple violations of the IHSA By-laws 3.071, 3.072 and 3.073 (Recruiting of Athletes). The principal and two football coaches attended a junior football league practice to discuss issues related to Plainfield North High School. This presentation was made exclusively to members of a junior football league and was in an athletic environment. During the meeting, the players were informed about the Plainfield North football program and the playoff record of the coaching staff, and information was shared regarding students who had received football scholarships. The junior league football players were also told about how Plainfield North introduces its football players with fireworks and how they run through smoke that blows across the field.

The high school principal, athletic director, and head football coach were ruled to have violated the Association’s recruiting rule by allowing students who were not registered at Plainfield North High School to participate in summer contact day programs for the football team. The summer participation is addressed in part by IHSA interpretation No. 149 in the IHSA Official Handbook with Illustrations. It states: “Q. May incoming freshmen or transfer students participate in summer league programs? A. Yes, however, they must have registered at the school and paid applicable fees and/or deposits. (By-law 3.073)” Further illustrating the point that only students from member schools are to participate in contact days is IHSA By-law 3.153 which states in part: “Persons who coach a sport at a member school may have a maximum of 25 days of contact in that sport with students from that school…”

The head football coach was also cited for violations of the IHSA Recruiting By-laws for providing transportation to a student-athlete in violation of IHSA By-law 3.072. Additionally, the head coach further violated IHSA Recruiting By-laws when he met with athletes who were students at Plainfield South High School regarding the football program at Plainfield North High School. Neither student had registered to attend Plainfield North High School at that time.

Sanctions:

The head football coach has been suspended from coaching football at Plainfield North High School for the remainder of the season.
Two assistant football coaches were suspended from coaching football at Plainfield North High School until October 2, 2006.
The high school principal has been barred from acting as the school’s official representative to the Illinois High School Association.
The high school athletic director has been barred from acting as the school’s official representative to the Illinois High School Association.
Plainfield North High School has been cited for its lack of institutional control. The school is required to develop and implement a remediation plan that will include a comprehensive plan to educate coaches and other appropriate personnel regarding IHSA By-laws. The school must further develop in-house procedures to ensure compliance with IHSA By-laws.
Plainfield North High School football program will not be permitted to participate in the IHSA Football Playoffs for a period of two years. Plainfield North High School may petition to have its football program reinstated once an agreed-upon remediation plan is developed and implemented.

Comments from Executive Director Dr. Martin L. Hickman:

"The violations uncovered during the course of this investigation are serious breaches of our rules. While some of the violations may have occurred due to a lack of understanding of the Association's by-laws, they are nonetheless violations.”

“IHSA member schools are obligated to comply with the Association’s rules and policies. We believe the school district is committed to ensuring compliance in the future and we look forward to assisting them in the development of a remediation plan.”