9 months ago
31
Tuscaloosa County High School's football team was forced to forfeit its recent win over Bessemer City because of a rules violation.The school system said football players were given gift cards for performing well and that head coach Adam Winegarden thought this was allowed.When they found out it violated the Alabama High School Athletic Association's rules surrounding amateur athletes, the school said the gift cards, which weren't used, were destroyed.Steven Fikes, parent of a Tuscaloosa County player, criticized this decision."It's really a bad situation, you know? You got a local business in Tuscaloosa just trying to recognize some of the athletes there in town," Fikes said. "It's not like we're giving them a hundred bucks or not like they're being rewarded with some glamorous prize, they're basically getting a free meal."A statement from the school system said they're disappointed in the ruling, but understand that the AHSAA makes and interprets its rules."We will ask AHSAA for greater clarification in this particular section of the Amateur Rule that applies to this specific issue," the statement read. "And for AHSAA to recognize that ultimately none of our students actually benefited from this program."According to the statement, the school system also wanted the forfeiture to be set aside because of confusion surrounding the rule.
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. —
Tuscaloosa County High School's football team was forced to forfeit its recent win over Bessemer City because of a rules violation.
The school system said football players were given gift cards for performing well and that head coach Adam Winegarden thought this was allowed.
When they found out it violated the Alabama High School Athletic Association's rules surrounding amateur athletes, the school said the gift cards, which weren't used, were destroyed.
Steven Fikes, parent of a Tuscaloosa County player, criticized this decision.
"It's really a bad situation, you know? You got a local business in Tuscaloosa just trying to recognize some of the athletes there in town," Fikes said. "It's not like we're giving them a hundred bucks or not like they're being rewarded with some glamorous prize, they're basically getting a free meal."
A statement from the school system said they're disappointed in the ruling, but understand that the AHSAA makes and interprets its rules.
"We will ask AHSAA for greater clarification in this particular section of the Amateur Rule that applies to this specific issue," the statement read. "And for AHSAA to recognize that ultimately none of our students actually benefited from this program."
According to the statement, the school system also wanted the forfeiture to be set aside because of confusion surrounding the rule.
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