yoemanfan98
12-08-2005, 01:15 PM
From the November 8th edition of The Cameron Herald...
Waters clear for Hippos
Cameron won't back into semi-final game
by TIA RAE STONE
Managing Editor
Hutto will be in the semi-final round with Cuero Saturday despite charges of UIL rules violations and the Yoemen will head to the basketball court.
"At this point, it's an on-going investigation," UIL's Director of Public Relations Kim Rogers said Wednesday morning. "But from what we know now, there is nothing Hutto has done that is a violation of UIL rules."
She said that means the Hippo-Gobbler match set for Saturday night will be played as scheduled. Cameron Yoemen Coach Mike Mullins said the school was contacted by UIL on Monday and advised to continue as if their season was over.
The complaint was based on a story in the Saturday Austin American-Statesman which stated, "Hutto quarterback Jeremy Kerley said he and his teammates often receive free meals at local restaurants."
Hutto head football coach and Athletic Director Lee Penland told a reporter with the Hutto News that the student felt that he was misquoted or misunderstood by the reporter.
Hutto ISD conducted an investigation and reported its findings to UIL late Monday. In a letter, Superintendent David P. Borrer said that the newspaper and its reporter stood by the statement but that they had no recording or notes to back it up.
"Our football player states that he never said that he or his teammates receive free food from local restaurants," the letter states. "In fact, he told me (Superintendent Borrer) that his comments to [the reporter] were that, '...no we do not receive free food. I wish we did, but we don't.'"
Borrer said in the letter that the school interviewed all 38 members of its team individually and all said it did not happen. He also said they went to 10 local restaurants "asking if varsity football players received free food because they play football. All 10 restaurants said that this does not happen," the letter states.
"We made a report to the UIL and [UIL Athletic Director Charles] Breithaupt told us that he'd found that there was no evidence to support what the reporter said," Coach Penland said Tuesday. "Basically, he told us yesterday afternoon that, through a lack of evidence or knowledge, he said that they were not going to do any more investigation and that he was recommending to the state executive committee that no action be taken."
According to UIL rules, students may not receive compensation of any kind, outside of goodie bags from peers, that do not go through official school channels. UIL Constitution and Contest Rules for 2005-2006 Section 441(a) say a student is not an amateur "if that individual within the preceding 12 months received money or other valuable consideration for teaching or participating in a League sponsored school sport."
It also states that the school is responsible for teaching these rules to students.
"We as a school and coaches can't follow everyone around and make sure that someone doesn't get a free hamburger here or there," Penland said to the Hutto News. "I don't see or know of any restaurants in town that give our team free meals and things like that."
Rogers said if something new comes to light that changes the opinion of UIL or its executive committee, a range of penalties is possible from forfeiture of games in which the student played to simply removing the offending student from further competitions. She said she did not know when the investigation would be complete.
Though Rogers would not say who filed the complaint with UIL, Cameron Superintendent Maxie Morgan said Cameron ISD had not made the initial phone call.
Waters clear for Hippos
Cameron won't back into semi-final game
by TIA RAE STONE
Managing Editor
Hutto will be in the semi-final round with Cuero Saturday despite charges of UIL rules violations and the Yoemen will head to the basketball court.
"At this point, it's an on-going investigation," UIL's Director of Public Relations Kim Rogers said Wednesday morning. "But from what we know now, there is nothing Hutto has done that is a violation of UIL rules."
She said that means the Hippo-Gobbler match set for Saturday night will be played as scheduled. Cameron Yoemen Coach Mike Mullins said the school was contacted by UIL on Monday and advised to continue as if their season was over.
The complaint was based on a story in the Saturday Austin American-Statesman which stated, "Hutto quarterback Jeremy Kerley said he and his teammates often receive free meals at local restaurants."
Hutto head football coach and Athletic Director Lee Penland told a reporter with the Hutto News that the student felt that he was misquoted or misunderstood by the reporter.
Hutto ISD conducted an investigation and reported its findings to UIL late Monday. In a letter, Superintendent David P. Borrer said that the newspaper and its reporter stood by the statement but that they had no recording or notes to back it up.
"Our football player states that he never said that he or his teammates receive free food from local restaurants," the letter states. "In fact, he told me (Superintendent Borrer) that his comments to [the reporter] were that, '...no we do not receive free food. I wish we did, but we don't.'"
Borrer said in the letter that the school interviewed all 38 members of its team individually and all said it did not happen. He also said they went to 10 local restaurants "asking if varsity football players received free food because they play football. All 10 restaurants said that this does not happen," the letter states.
"We made a report to the UIL and [UIL Athletic Director Charles] Breithaupt told us that he'd found that there was no evidence to support what the reporter said," Coach Penland said Tuesday. "Basically, he told us yesterday afternoon that, through a lack of evidence or knowledge, he said that they were not going to do any more investigation and that he was recommending to the state executive committee that no action be taken."
According to UIL rules, students may not receive compensation of any kind, outside of goodie bags from peers, that do not go through official school channels. UIL Constitution and Contest Rules for 2005-2006 Section 441(a) say a student is not an amateur "if that individual within the preceding 12 months received money or other valuable consideration for teaching or participating in a League sponsored school sport."
It also states that the school is responsible for teaching these rules to students.
"We as a school and coaches can't follow everyone around and make sure that someone doesn't get a free hamburger here or there," Penland said to the Hutto News. "I don't see or know of any restaurants in town that give our team free meals and things like that."
Rogers said if something new comes to light that changes the opinion of UIL or its executive committee, a range of penalties is possible from forfeiture of games in which the student played to simply removing the offending student from further competitions. She said she did not know when the investigation would be complete.
Though Rogers would not say who filed the complaint with UIL, Cameron Superintendent Maxie Morgan said Cameron ISD had not made the initial phone call.