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Hernando Today

FHSAA to NCT: 'Game Over!'

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

NCT Principal Tizzy Schoelles

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: November 19, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - The waiting game concluded Wednesday afternoon for the fifth-year Nature Coast Technical varsity football program.

The news, however, was not what the Sharks' faithful expected.

There will be no Class 3A, Region II quarterfinal playoff game Friday night against the Williston Red Devils at Shark Tank Stadium.

The memo did not address any leniency toward Head Coach Jamie Joyner's six-week suspension status. Nor did it spell out the reparations owed Central High School after its week-10 home game was forfeited by the Sharks.

Parents and students packed the school board chambers Tuesday night in a show of support for the school, the team and especially Joyner.

Several parents spoke, lauding what they described as Joyner's ability not just to create a successful team, but also to instill values in his players.

"My son is a better person for having known Coach Joyner," Susanne Dockery, whose son is a senior on the team, told the board.

Dockery also said it's inconceivable that the coach would try to strike a student.

"I believe he could never look his children or his players in the eyes if that were true," Dockery said.

Greg Jarque, whose son plays on the team, sought the board's support for a petition being circulated to get an injunction to let the team play Friday.

"We as a county now stand as a family and say we're not going to take this," Jarque said.

Ken Lucier's son Brad was suspended indefinitely after the incident. He choked up as he described how Joyner made his son "a more focused and highly confident adult."

Whatever action Brad committed last week "probably came from a decision he made from his heart, not his head," Lucier said. "I believe, as adults, we've done the same thing a time or two."

The verdict

Wednesday's two-page memo did spell out the verdict emanating from the Nov. 7 melee at Groveland-South Lake High School by the state's governing body of high school athletics — the Gainesville-based Florida High School Athletic Association.

In a letter signed by FHSAA's Executive Director John A. Stewart to NCT's Principal Tizzy Schoelles, the Sharks were fined for three violations totaling $10,400. That surpassed the Aug. 3, 2006, fine from the FSHAA estimated at $6,200 for recruiting violations.

For its part, South Lake Principal David Bordenkircher received an $8,500 fine.

Both schools were informed that the monetary amount would be given consideration to reduction upon successful completion of the FHSAA-approved sportsmanship education program.

Furthermore, the FHSAA levied three other sanctions upon both schools:

NCT is reprimanded by an official letter of censure that will remain on file.

NCT's football program is placed on administrative probation for the remainder of the 2008-09 school year and concludes at the end of 2009-10 school year (June 30, 2010). NCT's participation in the state series (playoffs) will be approved upon successful completion of an FHSAA–approved sportsmanship education program. This program must be completed by all students and coaches at any level of football. Completion by the participants must take place between Sept. 9-Oct. 9, 2009.

NCT's football program is placed on restrictive probation for the remainder of the 2008-09 school year (ending June 30, 2009). The school is notified that with any other violations it may be placed on suspension probation or the school may be expelled from membership from the FHSAA.

The memo concluded by stating, "The decision by this office may be appealed as directed under 13.2 — Appeals of Executive Director's Findings and Requests for Waivers in the 2008-09 FHSAA Handbook."

If the Sharks appeal what is the time table?

The director of media relations for the FHSAA, Cristina Alvarez, replied, "They can appeal under bylaw 13.2 (appeal to the Board, that won¹t take place until November 2009). They have 10 days to appeal according to the aforementioned bylaw."

NCT reaction

Where does NCT go from here?

Schoelles indicated the Sharks will appeal Wednesday's ruling.

"We're in the process of appealing the playoff game suspension and that's all I can say this point," said Hernando County Schools Superintendent Dr. Wayne Alexander.

Larry Dodson, chairman of NCT Football Boosters, was asked of the Sharks' legal recourse

"Right now, I don't know of any," said Dodson, whose son Lane is an offensive lineman for the team. "I don't believe there is any more recourse. It's not looking strong."

Dodson was adamant that FHSAA's ruling was extreme and incorrect.

"Based on this (ruling) the FHSAA fined every (NCT) child that was not on the field. That's 48 kids," said Larry Dodson. "I find that ignorant. Those kids did nothing wrong. The FHSAA chose not to believe anybody who was there or anything they said. They assumed all 48 of those kids left the bench. They fined every one of those kids $100 each. That's unbelievable."

Where does the program go from here?

"Nature Coast football will continue," said Dodson. "Our football season is over. It can't go anywhere; and the kids will move on to other sports and/or endeavors.

"I'll say this, nobody beat us this year," Dodson added. "The system beat us."

What about as a parent?

"As a parent, I think they (FHSAA) went way over board considering facts and circumstances involving this case," Dodson said. "I mean. We had a plan in place and the kids retreated, just did what they were told to do. They did exactly what the coaches told them to do. And yet, now we're being fined? How can that be?"

What else could have NCT done under those circumstances on Nov. 7?

The FHSAA's Associate Executive Director, Denarvise Thornton Jr., told Schoelles that if the team was attacked, "You run like punks."

"I can't believe what Thornton said," Dodson said. "But you can't question the Gods of Olympus (FHSAA). They're the biggest joke in the state. Of course, it's my personal observation, but they (FHSAA) answer to no one. They are the judge and jury."

Williston reacts

Red Devils Head Coach Jamie Baker said of Wednesday's FHSAA ruling: "This means we get to play next week. I hope the right decision was made. I was not upset at how much time it took to render a decision, as long as they got it right."

What's the biggest lesson here?

"I learned a while back in our business it's not always about wins and losses," shared Coach Baker. "Our kids are playing next week.

"I think Coach (Jamie) Joyner is a good guy; he's always been a pretty nice fella to me," he added. "I thought they were well coached when we played them a couple years ago.

"As a coach there are things you just have to do and to watch out for," he added. "We had two separate incidents this year where our kids could have retaliated too, but thank goodness we didn't. In my 18 years in the business, I've never seen what's happening to NCT before."

Local reaction

There was no comment from the three other public school athletic directors.

Hernando Christian Academy AD Mike Drummond, however, weighed in on Wednesday's proceedings.

"Believe me, I understand the importance of sportsmanship, especially at a Christian school," emphasized Drummond. "Without knowing all the facts in this particular case, the FHSAA must feel they are setting an example."

What's the end result?

"The few times I've ever spoken with Coach Joyner, he has always been very helpful and exceptionally courteous to me," said Drummond, who is in his third season as athletic director at HCA after 11 years as the school's basketball coach. "This is a black eye for the entire county. Maybe this will serve as a wakeup call for all of us in the county. Maybe this will prevent all of us from ever being in the same situation Nature Coast is in.

"Sometimes we're so concerned as coaches on getting scholarships for kids that we may lose sight of sportsmanship," added Drummond. "We'll all try to learn from this and try to improve and keep ourselves from this situation. Bottom line is: Are we doing everything we can to promote sportsmanship?"

Could the NCT situation ever happened at HCA?

"You hope you've trained your kids well enough if this ever happens," Drummond said. "But really you never know. This could have happened to anybody. What I can't imagine is just couple weeks ago we were talking about them being one of the county's best-ever teams and them being 9-0."

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at (352) 544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com. Education reporter Tony Marrero contributed to this report.

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