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Ohio High School Athletic Association Fines St. John Central

Irish placed on 2 years probation

BELLAIRE — The Ohio High School Athletic Association this week officially closed the book on the months-long investigation into transgressions within the St. John Central athletic program.

The OHSAA issued a release that the Irish have been placed on two years probation, fined $1,000 and will receive a public reprimand over eligibility issues within the football program during the 2015 season, which led to the forfeiture of four victories.

According to the release, the OHSAA determined “multiple student-athletes were given improper tuition assistance based on their athletic ability.”

That determination made St. John in violation of OHSAA Bylaw 4-9-4, dealing with recruiting and scholarships.

“In addition to the OHSAA bylaw investigation, this was a very unique case because the school violated its own policies by providing financial assistance to student-athletes without having them submit an application for financial aid or reviewing their financial circumstances,” OHSAA commissioner Dr. Daniel Ross said in the release. “We believe the school has made the necessary changes to back in compliance, not only with the OHSAA, but with the Roman Catholic Diocese.”

The OHSAA pointed out that the penalties were reduced because of St. John Central’s willingness to cooperate with the investigation and the fact that personnel changes had already been made, including in positions of finance director, athletic director and head football coach.

“We were very disappointed to discover these violations within one of our schools,” Director of the Office of Christian Formation and Schools for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville Paul Ward said. “We have now made changes in our financial aid process to ensure this doesn’t happen again and we have educated the administrators of our schools on these and other OHSAA bylaws. Our goal is to be an upstanding member of the OHSAA and abide by the bylaws that the member schools have voted into place.”

In the spring, it was believed that the case had been resolved with the Irish escaping any punishment beyond the forfeits. However, SJC principal Kim Leonard was informed that Ross and the OHSAA wanted to meet with her and take a closer look at the plans the new St. John administration had put in place.

“We met with Dr. Ross in Zanesville in May,” Leonard recalled. “He had been out of the office for a while because of medical issues, which is why it look a while longer for the meeting to happen. It was a very good meeting and he felt we were doing a great job and felt that as long as we continue with the policies and procedures we’d put in place, everything would be fine.”

Leonard, new athletic director and head football coach Gary Krol and guidance counselor Carrie Ramsay have significantly upgraded the way by which eligibility is monitored. The areas being monitored are a students’ academics, residence and financial aid practices.

“I am definitely stressing the new policies and procedures to all of our coaches,” Leonard said. “They must be followed. We are all keeping a watchful eye on this. We are also checking to  make sure all of our coaches are credentialed, which OHSAA has specific requirements on, too.”

Before the meeting in May, Leonard submitted a letter with the St. John Central plan to Ross and the OHSAA. It laid out a step-by-step process of how students’ eligibility is checked once he or she enrolls in the school.

The fine levied against St. John Central will be reduced $250  if Leonard and other St. John Central administrators attend the “New Administrators Workshop” that the OHSAA hosts in Columbus on Aug. 2.

“We are definitely going to that meeting,” Leonard said.

Still, the school is responsible for $750 and, according to Leonard, the school has some “emergency funds set aside.”

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