IHSA Announcements

November 22, 2000

Rock Island (H.S.) Basketball Program Penalized

The Rock Island (H.S.) basketball program was penalized by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Wednesday (Nov. 22) for a series of major by-law violations.

Rock Island (H.S.) has been found to have violated IHSA by-laws relating to recruiting, ethics of competition, participation in non-school competition and the basketball season limitations. In a letter dated today to Rock Island (H.S.) Principal Dawn Snyder, IHSA Executive Director Dave Fry outlined the violations, penalties and requirements for future compliance required of the school.

According to Fry, the IHSA has investigated allegations that violations of recruiting by-law 3.080 and its subsections occurred in conjunction with the transfer of Phillip Johnson from Rock Island (H.S.) to Woodhull (AlWood) High School. Specifically, it has been documented that direct contact was made with Johnson by assistant boys basketball coach, Craig Sharp, in an effort to retain his attendance at Rock Island (H.S.). On November 14, IHSA ruled that this contact was a violation of IHSA By-laws 3.081, 3/082(10) and 3.083, and that Craig Sharp was ineligible to coach at any IHSA member high school for a period of one year.

In addition, the IHSA investigation substantiated that other members of the Rock Island (H.S.) boys basketball coaching staff were aware that Mr. Sharp intended to personally visit Phillip Johnson. Furthermore, IHSA confirmed that Rock Island (H.S.) head boys basketball coach Duncan Reid knew of Mr. Sharp's plan and consented to it. Neither Head Coach Reid nor any other member of the coaching staff intervened in any way to prevent Mr. Sharp's contact with Phillip in violation of the by-laws. While there is no evidence that Head Coach Reid or coaches other than Mr. Sharp directly violated IHSA recruiting by-laws in this incident, their advance knowledge of Mr. Sharp's plan and failure to intervene to prevent it, implies complicity with his violation in direct violation of the ethics of interscholastic competition and the provisions of IHSA By-law 2.041. Therefore, Rock Island (H.S.) High School is subject to penalties for violation of IHSA By-law 2.041 and By-laws 3.081, 3.082(10) and 3.083

The IHSA investigation also addressed participation by the Rock Island (H.S.) boys basketball teams in a fall league sponsored and conducted by Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. It has been substantiated that two (2) different Rock Island (H.S.) High School teams participated in as many as eight (8) games each in this league with members of the boys basketball coaching staff organizing their participation, providing them with school equipment to use, and being present at games and even sitting on the team bench performing coaching/supervisory functions during games. Rock Island (H.S.) violated IHSA By-law 3.117 and 5.041 by its participation in the Marycrest College fall basketball league.

On the basis of all the information now available concerning both of the situations IHSA has investigated, the following penalties are assessed against Rock Island (H.S.) and its boys basketball program:

  1. Each of Rock Island (H.S.) High School's boys basketball teams are suspended from practicing or engaging in any team meeting or other basketball related activity except previously scheduled games, on Thursday, during each of the next eight weeks, commencing on Thursday, November 30, 2000.
  2. Head boys basketball coach Duncan Reid is suspended from coaching at the first eight games of the Rock Island (H.S.) High School varsity boys basketball season. This will include games scheduled on November 23, 24 and 25, and December 1, 2, 8, 9 and 15, 2000. Head Coach Reid is prohibited from having any contact with the team and even being on site during any of these games.
  3. Head Coach Reid is also suspended from coaching at one practice per week for the next eight weeks, commencing Monday, November 27, 2000. The school may exercise its discretion to determine the practice session each week in which he will not be allowed to participate or attend.
  4. Each assistant boys basketball coach at Rock Island (H.S.) High School (including Mike Reid, Tom Eagle, Randy Lincoln and Ed Veasey), along with any other boys basketball coaching staff member, if any exist, is suspended from coaching at one practice per week for the next three weeks, commencing Monday, November 27, 2000. The school may exercise its discretion to determine the practice session each week in which the assistant coaches will not be allowed to participate or attend.
  5. Rock Island (H.S.) is placed on probation in the Illinois High School Association for a period of one year, commencing today, November 22, 2000. Probation in the Illinois High School Association does not deprive the school of any of its privileges as an IHSA member school. Rather, it is a status of official warning that any further violation of IHSA By-laws or other rules or policies of the Association could bring more serious consequences.
  6. Rock Island (H.S.) is required to provide the IHSA Office with all information concerning Rock Island (H.S.) High School's Open Gym policies and practices, including but not limited to announcements, schedules, supervisory provisions, dates, activities included, participation statistics, etc.
  7. Rock Island (H.S.) is required to submit to the IHSA Office within twenty (20) days, a written plan outlining steps which Rock Island (H.S.) will take assume greater administrative control over its boys basketball program and insure that violations such as those identified and substantiated here do not recur.