December 11, 2002
The Illinois High School Association has officially reinstated Harrisburg High School to the 2002-03 IHSA Boys Baseball State Series. The school was suspended from the IHSA state series on July 24, 2002, following an investigation into the fight that took place after the school's super-sectional baseball game with Anna-Jonesboro.
IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman has concluded that the school has fully complied with the stipulations outlined to the school at the time of the suspension. The stipulations included:
1. The school must develop and conduct a sportsmanship improvement program to be presented at parent meetings during the 2002-03 school term for all interscholastic sports programs. The IHSA will provide resource material to assist in the development of the sportsmanship enhancement effort, if requested to do so by Harrisburg High School.
2. The school must develop a sportsmanship improvement program for the student body and high school coaching staff. The school may begin the development of this program by sending students and coaches to one of the IHSA Sportsmanship Summits in the Fall of 2002 or by providing comparable in-service.
3. The school must submit a written plan for IHSA approval outlining specific penalties for baseball players and/or baseball coaches who are ejected from any baseball game, or participate in conduct in violation of IHSA By-law 2.041, during the 2002-03 school term. The plan must include sanctions that are over and above the requirements of IHSA By-laws 6.011 and 6.012.
The Executive Director stated, "I am extremely pleased with the actions taken by Harrisburg High School. I felt from the beginning that Mr. Butler (high school principal) and the school accepted responsibility for the unfortunate actions of a few of their baseball players. The school has done an excellent job of addressing our concerns."