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Sisters' mother sues over soccer....NC association rule at issue

Sisters' mother sues over soccer
N.C. association's rule at issue


By Michael Knox
mknox@independenttribune.com
Saturday, March 25, 2006


CONCORD - The mother of two Northwest Cabarrus High School athletes who were refused permission to play soccer because they had already played at another school in the fall has filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and the Board of Education for Cabarrus County.

Kathryn Goodman Simpkins, the mother of Margaret Massie “Emmy” Simpkins, 15, and Caroline Craven “Callie” Simpkins, 14, filed the lawsuit Thursday in Cabarrus County Civil Court.

The lawsuit asks the court to allow the two girls to play high school soccer during the spring 2006 season. The athletes were told they were ineligible to play soccer at Northwest because they played high school soccer in Maryland last fall before moving to North Carolina.

In Maryland, as in many other states, girls’ soccer is played in the fall, because it is the traditional season, according to the lawsuit. In the fall of 2005, the two girls played soccer in Maryland.

Margaret and Caroline Simpkins joined the Northwest High School girls’ soccer team in time for the spring 2006 season. On Feb. 28, they were notified that they were ineligible to play.

According to a letter from Charlie Adams, executive director of the NCHSAA, a student can play a particular sport only “one time per calendar year,” the lawsuit states. The letter went on to state that the girls would not be eligible to play until the fall of the 2006-07 school year.

According to the NCHSAA, the rules state that a student may play a particular sport only one season per year, regardless of moving to North Carolina or not.

This is to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage over others by playing back-to-back seasons.

But the lawsuit filed by Simpkins states the rule creates a hardship on Margaret and Caroline, because they won’t be able to play until the spring of 2007, making them unable to play for a year to a year and a half.

The lawsuit also states that officials have wrongly interpreted the rule, because track and field rules allow two seasons per year in North Carolina.

The lawsuit also states that the rule does not refer to a “school year.” It refers only to a “year.”

Margaret and Caroline Simpkins have not played soccer twice in a single calendar year, according to the lawsuit.

By scheduling North Carolina high school girls’ soccer in a “non-traditional season” the NCHSAA has caused a hardship for students moving from a state that plays in the “traditional” fall season, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit states the students should be allowed to play soccer this spring and prohibit the NCHSAA from taking any action against Northwest or its students as a result of the girls being allowed to play.

Great reply on the NC message boards regarding people taking advantage of the above situation. Some say that this could open the door to girls from the north to head down south in the spring of their senior year to win a state title.

posted on 3/27/06 at 01:04 PM

I don't mean to be naive here, but does anyone really believe that this is a plausible scenario? Gaming the system to have a shot at the NC State title? Are you kidding me?? We are not talking about driving an extra hour or two to play for an A coach that will result in significant contacts and exposure with colleges of interest (maybe a national title). Even for some overachieving, wound-too-tight classic parents, this seems pretty far fetched.

When the moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars, the following would at least be required to complete the scam

(a) a HS team that is one player (maybe two if sisters are available) short of winning a state championship (that cuts out a LOT of teams right away)

(b) a HS coach who is plugged into other states and can identify impact players at positions that he/she needs to win the brass ring (naturally, he or she drives around the southeast in the fall on recruiting missions)

(c) a player and parents that think it would be the end all / be all to come to NC and win a state championship with a team that they have never played for before, and

(d) the wherewithal to move from wherever they are into NC, considering other trivial things like other family members, making a living, etc, (or the willingness to send their daughter to live with Aint Bee and Andy for 4 months).

How, I ask, does this process begin? The telephone call from Coach Bergkamp promising Suzi Q fame and fortune if she would only move from her home, leave her current HS, and come play for him. Naturally, he would talk about the outstanding tater tots at his school's cafeteria to sweeten the deal. But, in the end, just the thought of standing in the middle of SAS stadium touching that trophy with a group of strangers is enough to compel her to come on down. Conversely, Mama Pajama turns to Suzi Q at dinner one night and says "darlin, if I had just won a state championship in NC, I wouldn't have married this meathead belching up Bud and looking over his shoulder at the bass fishing championship on TV, and my life would have turned out sooooooo much better. I don't want this to happen to you, so I am sending you to play for Coach Bergkamp to win yourself a championship ring and make something of yourself."

Honestly, as a parent, I have trouble even conceiving of something like this so my daughter could win a state title in Virginia (plus, I don't even drink Bud). Somebody suggested that the limit be 5 seasons which would seem to pretty much take care of any out of state issues that you might have with those parents who forget their medication.

If there are really concerns with equity in HS, one might look at the handful of cases where parents actually HAVE had some influence in sending their kids to a public HS outside of the one that they are districted for. This actually DOES happen. Parents in the western part of the state of already expressed their delight that a new HS in Wake County should dilute the talent pools at Apex and Green Hope. True story.

Halarious!

Anyone know some Shriners so we can have a North/South posting championship?

Que?

Let em play!!!!!!!!!!!!

In a battle of the spanish language, I will surely lose. Allow me to forfeit and bow out gracefully.

Isn't the same thing going on at West Ashley regarding one student moving to SC from another state and being declared ineligible for this season? Is it because she also played for her previous high school in the Fall?

Lucky me. After five years of spanish.. all I can do is ask what time it is.

tu madre hablamamos, no gracias solo la quenta!!! i think the girls should not be able to play, no fair to other players in the league!!!

Let them play!!!

This is such a stupid rule. I believe that most HSLs only have the 8 semester rule. What is the difference of playing club ball in the fall as compared to playing high school ball? I would consider the club ball to be more beneficial, but hey, most high school leagues are screwed up anyways. Go ahead and call them and ask them how many lawsuits are filed on an average year...it is shocking! Explain the advantage, and I might listen to that argument.

He said to "die like the rest" in espanyol.

..yo cerro me huevos in la puerta?

¡ouch! ¡ese daños mis bolas!

We have the same rule in SC and we have the same thing happening right now at West Ashley. A family moved here form Florida.. girl played in fall moved here and now wants to play for her school.. Have not heard the results( I coach the boys) but I know they had a lawyer working on it.

su mama es buena en cama!

the girls still shouldnt play!!!

you know.... I realize that my english is not as good as it should be sometimes.... but my friends....all of your spanish stinks big time...

Lo siento.

Anymore comments like this will get you banned from the Message Board.

[ April 06, 2006, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: Kyle Heise ]