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

Maybe I do have the facts wrong about the medals. I was there too, but seeing as how "i'mamauldinfan," I didn't look too closely at the West Ashley girls receiving the medals. I know I saw everyone get a medal that was on the field, but I guess the JV girls stayed on the bench.

Oh, and lpaf, I never said that they brought an advantage to the team. I was simply agreeing on the medals situation presented by sweeps, which I am now informed (and i'm trusting you on this one, shaiyza) was incorrect. Since you brought me into it though, I think that the girls on the field might not have been given an advantage from the eighth graders, but that the eighth graders received valuable experience on the sideline, giving them, and thus, West Ashley, an advantage in the future.

Imnot-
The eighth graders were not on the field because they are not a part of the team. As to your comment to lpaf, recognize that these girls were allowed to be on the sidelines since they were not dressed in UNIFORM. Mauldin could just as easily have had JV eighth graders on the sidelines, as well, as long as they were not in varsity jerseys.
-sh8

If there was any comment provided by the JV girls to any of their teamates regarding their play or comment of an opposition player regarding their play to an WA player by a JV girl that was advantage. That's what the players on the bench do. They may not be playing the game on the field, but if they are well coached, then they will be watching the game for any kind of help that they can provide to those on the field. Whether comments were made in this instance, I do not know, of course, but I do not believe that Mauldin was given an opportunity to dress two of their JV players to sit on the bench to scout out West Ashley. Again see my comments on page 4. I have never believed that only the 11 players out on the field affect the game's outcome. All on the bench who have opportunity for direct contact at halftime and during substitutions affect the play on the field.

Sweeps --

I understand where you are coming from. But were you at the game? Did you see the intensity the two teams played with? 8th graders on the sidelines were and are legal, for either side, the only question is what kind of clothes they were wearing . These JV players were spectators, not contributors. I know this, I was on the field for the entire game.

sh8

ps:

Nobody want to go back three pages and read what you think is important.

It is definitely a different perspective to these forums when you do not have a personal stake in the issue.
Re the whole 8th grade player issue, I have to go back to the fact that it is not that obscure a situation. The coach should have known the ramifications.5 yrs ago before the advent of JV girls soccer, Wando had a case where a talented 8th grader wanted to play varsity because she had no spring club option. Scott Ferguson advised her it was against SCHSL rules. 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. Boy, was that coach mad.
My point is - coaches are responsible for knowing
the rules for the organization of which they are a member. Just like they need to know to go to meetings to represent their team. It is part of their job. Knowing the rules also means knowing the penalties as they are written.
I personally think the Coach and Athletic Director ought to bear the punishment for screwing up - but that isn't how the rule is currently written.

I take no pleasure in seeing the West Ashley girls suffer through this. But, how do we teach our kids to respect rules and laws when we bend them or ignore them when we don't like the punishment? Most of us probably deal with teenagers and curfews, speeding tickets, etc. Is it ok to speed if you don't hit anybody? Is it ok to stay out after curfew "if I wasn't doing anything wrong!"?

Do any coaches out there think that two 8th graders sitting on the bench could or would give any kind of tactical input during the game?

I'm not- No attempt at being clever and no time either. You can suspend the coaches and lose those games but still win a state championship. If you take away this championship which was won on the field and taken away in an office it is gone for good. Find a punishment for the coaches, not the kids who earned it.

Ruling Comes Monday on Title
The News (Greenville), 5/30/03

Shaiyza-

Does that mean I could have been on the sideline since I was in street clothes?