INFORMATION ON LOSS OF PLAYERS TO MILTON …

It has become very apparent that a former Centennial parent has been recruiting Centennial football players to play football at other schools. Over the last four months, we have lost two players to Norcross and three more to Milton that, according to much evidence, can be tied to this parent. Also, one other Centennial football player has transferred to Milton along with two senior lacrosse players. The most recent was a sophomore football player on Wednesday, who according to witnesses in the school's front office, was pulled from Centennial by his parents against his will. This former Centennial parent was seen sitting on the visitors' side with the father of the student-athlete that left Wednesday at Milton at last Thursday's freshman/JV game. It is against GHSA rules (see below) for a parent at one school to try to recruit or influence a student-athlete to come to another school. If this parent, or any parent or coach or person connected with another school, has contacted you or your son, we need to know about it immediately. Please contact athletics director Phil Thomas (thomasp4@fulton.k12.ga.us) or head coach Jeff Measor (measorj@fulton.k12.ga.us) immediately. This is a very serious matter and one that the Georgia High School Association covers in their bylaws. It comes under bylaw 1.70 called "RECRUITING/UNDUE INFLUENCE''
 
*1.71 Recruiting and Undue Influence is defined as the use of influence by any person connected directly or
indirectly with a GHSA school to induce a student of any age to transfer from one school to another, or to enter
the ninth grade at a member school for athletic or literary competition purposes, whether or not the school
presently attended by the student is a member of the GHSA.
(a) The use of undue influence to secure OR retain a student for competitive purposes is prohibited, and shall
lead to penalties being assessed against either school. NOTE: This violation may cause the student to
forfeit eligibility for one year from the date of enrollment.
(b) Evidence of undue influence includes, but is not limited to, personal contact by coaches and sponsors
in an attempt to persuade transfer, gifts of money, jobs, supplies, clothing, free transportation, admission
to contests, invitation to attend practices and/or games, or free tuition.
(c) Complaints or reports of violations of this rule will be investigated and handled on a case-by-case basis.
If coaches are found to be in violation of the recruiting rule, a copy of the investigation will be forwarded
to the Professional Standards Commission of the Department of Education.
1.72 A student athlete transferring from one member school to another shall be ruled ineligible for one year because
of "undue influence" if it is proven that:
(a) the coach of the receiving school coached an out-of-school team on which the athlete played prior to the
transfer; OR
(b) the coach at the receiving school acted as a private athletic instructor for the transferring athlete,
regardless of whether the coach was paid for his services and/or expertise
(c) Articles (a) and (b) shall be enforced even in the event the student made a bona fide move into the receiving
school's service area.
 
If a school is found guilty recruiting/undue influence, the potential penalties are covered in Section 13 of the GHSA rulebook
 
SECTION 13
VIOLATION OF RULES
A. Each school is required to abide by all rules of the Georgia High School Association as promulgated by the State Executive Committee and interpreted by the Executive Director.
B. The Executive Director is authorized to make such investigation as may be necessary and to judge whether or not a school has violated a rule. When a school is adjudged guilty, the Executive Director is authorized to direct the penalty or penalties.
C. A school violating any rule, whether it be due to carelessness, willfulness, ignorance or any other cause, may be subject to a fine of not more than two thousand-five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) for each offense, and/or probation in the sports(s) in which the violation has been made, and/or suspension from the Association up to a full calendar year, and/or forfeiture of games and/or contests involved. (NOTE: See Appendix "P" at the end of this publication for a detailed schedule of fines)
D. PROBATION - placing a school on probation permits a school to compete in regular season games and/or contests,
but bars that school from competing for any championship during the period of probation.
E. A school which, after investigation, is adjudged guilty of violating the rules of the Georgia High School Association
shall pay the costs incidental to such investigation; such cost to be in addition to fines or penalties assessed. Failure
to pay the cost shall result in suspension or in lengthening the period of suspension.
 
Again, this is a very serious matter and one that is being investigated immediately by the school and GHSA. If you have any information, again please contract athletics director Phil Thomas or head football coach Jeff Measor.
The Centennial Knights have jumped off to a great start with their shutout win over Campbell and will travel to North Cobb this Friday. But this football program and its board refuses to sit back and allow our student-athletes to be recruited by other high schools. The No. 1 priority of our coaches and board is to help turn our players into good students and good citizens. We feel strongly we have the program moving in a very positive direction both on and off the field and will not stand for any outsider or other school to violate rules and try to derail what we have accomplished here and what we will accomplish in the future.
 
We appreciate your attention to this matter.
 

Centennial Gridiron Board

 

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