Scheduling snafu puts Hernando on probation

The FHSAA announced that Hernando High's volleyball program has been placed on restrictive probation through the end of the 2012-13 school year.

The sanctions stem from a self-reported violation of the state's policy on the number of matches that can be played within a week.

The Lady Leopards played a total of eight matches from Sept. 27 through Oct. 1, five of them in the Fivay Falcon Classic.

By rule, when teams play in a tournament they can also play in two dual-team matches that week, provided the total number of matches does not exceed seven.

As a result, Hernando will be limited to 23 regular-season matches in the 2012 season. The normal threshold is 25.

Kevin Bittinger, Hernando's co-athletic director in charge of fall sports, called the ruling fair.

"We'll work with our coaches so these types of things don't happen again," Bittinger said.

No internal punishments have been levied on the team. "I need to do a better job of policing that as athletic director. I make all the contracts. That falls on my shoulders," Bittinger said.

"We just want to follow the guidelines and sanctions of the state, and this one just got past us."