SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Does West Ashley have to forfeit?

I don't have any personal interest in this either. None of my kids play soccer but I do coach at the high school level and hate to see it happen to a team because of a technicality that had nothing to do with the outcome of this game. I do believe the coach should be dealt with in some manner. Swimmer makes a good point about rules, but a speeding ticket and hitting someone (reckless) are different penalties. My kids breaking curfew and doing something wrong carry different penalties. My guess is this will too,....after monday.

Imnot-

The whole reason this was brought up is because the two eighth graders were wearing purple jerseys(the JV jerseys that is). I am sure though that these girls were allowed on the sidelines as long as they were not wearing the team's uniform. As for you, unless you are a coach or were a JV player being brought up, I don't know if you can sit the bench... maybe you can look into that.
sh8

if they wore a purple jv jersey and the varsity wore a purple jersey - then basically they're trying to match. if they warmed up in pre-game and sat on the bench in their jv uniforms they are guilty. how simple is that. i don't think it's right to forfeit the title, but i do think they're guilty as sin. maybe the coach would like to comment. by his/her silence that must mean he/she is worried of outcome.

Hammer,
What a ridiculous assumption. Remember WA has an attorney and he has been the official spokesman.

I knew why it was started. I was just asking a question. Thanks.

I am going to state what I know about this.On Wednesday before the state final W.A. was asked to send a roster to the South Carolina Coaches Assoc. in Columbia.This request also specifically asked to please include any J.V. players that might be called up for this contest.Obviously,this is where the misunderstanding comes into play.
The 3 young ladies were put on the list but were the only 3 not assingned numbers because they were obviously not going to be in a varsity uniform and not going to play.This is bore out by the fact that the roster given to the officials by W. A. did not even have them listed.At that point these girls could never have played regardless of any situation.
The problem arose when members of th pressbox staff were trying to find out why no numbers existed for these 3 girls.The 2 eighth grade girls in question have senior sisters on the team.I am almost positive that this is why they were allowed this honor-to sit with their sisters in their final high school game.These girls have been described to me as average players who will surely play JV again next year{assuming they get over this}
If the High School League judges strictly by the letter of the law--The National Federation Handbook{which the SCHSL is pledged to uphold and enforce} clearly states that anyone defined as a team member must have a uniform with the same color,design and pattern--their JV uniform has a clearly different design and pattern.

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Thanks AP, I'm glad that there are some people who understand what is going on.

hammer-

I don't know if you've looked into the rules or anything but from what you say, "basically they're trying to match", it doesn't seem like you think the two jerseys are the same(which is what UNIFROM means right?) Well, as you probably know and have been told, the rules say that in order for two jerseys to be the same, they must be the same in color, pattern, and design. The WA team has done NOTHING wrong, correct me if you can, so please think before you accuse us of being "guilty as sin". Also, how can you assume that silence equals worry? Maybe the coach is sick of stupid rumors going around and chooses to stay off the board as an attempt to keep rumors to a minimum.

-sh8

I can not speak for the coach, but the facts will come to the forfront on Monday, i agree totally with Anthony's post, nothing on that night was done to influence the outcome of an outstanding game played by two great teams. My hope is that the decision is based on facts and not influenced by any means of so called experts. W.A worked so hard to get back to the final and to have it stripped away, well, would set back soccer in SC a few years. Voice your opinion on this, i know that rules are rules; but do not take this title from the true champions, after all the game is played on the pitch.

My final comments on this mess. The game is over. West Ashley won fair and square 3-2 in sudden death overtime. The roster issue is a technicality and the "participation" of the girls in the finals did not influence the outcome of the game.

Use common sense in this situtation and it's clear that the charges against West Ashley should be dropped and they will retain their rightful title. I really can't believe it's gotten to this point.

My punishment for West Ashley is to make sure their coaching staff and athletics administration understand the SCHSL Handbook and all of its' rules and regulations regarding soccer.

Swimmer1 wrote:
"Last yr in 2002, in the Field of Champiosn tournament, a Georgia team came to play and brought a talented 8th grader who was a starter. Coach Ferguson had to inform the team that that team couldn't use an 8th grader since tournament was being run under SCHSL jurisdiction."

I have witnessed on several occasions, as a referee and spectator, 7th and 8th graders playing on varsity SCISA teams against SCHSL varsity teams in regular season games. I have always wondered how that works. Are these regular season games not "under SCHSL jurisdiction"? How can Cardinal Newman and other SCISA teams be allowed to play 7th and 8th graders against SCHSL teams while a Georgia team is not allowed to do so?