FHSAA denies St. Petersburg Catholic appeal

ORLANDO -- For the second time in seven months, the Florida High School Athletic Association board of directors denied an appeal by St. Petersburg Catholic, leaving the school's football program ineligible for the playoffs until 2009 because of recruiting violations and illegal practices.

But SPC still has hope for potential relief of penalties by the end of the summer, thanks to some developments at Thursday's ruling.

Instead of a unanimous defeat like last October's appeal, the board voted 7-6 to deny the request by SPC principal Father John Serio, who asked for the final two years of the three-year postseason ban to be removed due to the school's "swift and serious" restructuring of personnel and policy.

FHSAA commissioner John Stewart, who said in the hearing he wanted to "commend (SPC) to the highest for what they've done," may reassess the penalty this summer, after FHSAA associate commissioner Sonny Hester makes an on-campus visit to the school in July to review the school's corrective actions.

"It seems like a middle way," Serio said of the board's ruling. "Instead of saying, 'No' completely, or saying 'Yes', completely, it's a middle way.

"We're hopeful. But it's up to them."

In May 2006, the FHSAA fined SPC $13,000 and put them on a three-year postseason ban for three counts of recruiting and four counts of illegal practices. SPC has since paid the $13,000 fine out of their general fund, conceding to illegal practices but not the recruiting charges. The school has hired a new football coach in Tod Creneti, and will have a new athletic director soon to replace Ann Marie Mancuso, who stepped down effective the end of this school year. SPC is also setting up informational workshops this fall for parents, coaches, athletes and staff; Serio asked the board to "at the very least," allow the Barons to participate in fall and spring classics starting this season.

Several other board members strongly objected to giving SPC leniency, including Roger Dearing, superintendent for Manatee County Public Schools. Dearing said it sends the "wrong message" to other schools that a program with "egregious and blatant" violations can receive relief for not doing anything "extraordinary" to fix the situation.

Dearing pointed out that SPC was a repeat offender, just coming off probation for recruiting violations when they were slapped again with the sanctions in May 2006. Dearing said the school could have sent out letters of apology to opposing schools for not abiding to "fair play," and admitting to the parents that "We were wrong."

"There's several layers of violations at this school," Dearing said. "There were people who knew who either ignored the rules, or turned their back to them. It requires surgery."

JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Comments

[John]

"" Father John Serio, who asked for the final two years of the three-year postseason ban to be removed due to the school's "swift and serious" restructuring of personnel and policy.""
--------------

What a lie/joke........

They retained the head football coach, Mancuso who was the main violator....

Father Serio needs to do some serious penence for lying big time.....

[John]

Read the TIME LINES for yourself....

SWIFT is not the word........by any stretch.....

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/27/Sports/Barons_football_coach.shtml

Enough already! The kids are the ones who are suffering. Most of the kids accused of being recruited already graduated! Keep on the school and they will continue to fix things, but let the kids at least have fall and spring games.

[Bobby]

Obvioulsy the previous poster is a liberal and hs no conception of the motivation behind the punishment of schools regarding athletic violations...

They ILLEGALLY recruited to get kids to play for them.......

The Punishments DETER athletes form signing with the school because they CANNOT PLAY in higher level games.......

Go vote for John Kerry

above, is clearly one who took too many hits without his helmet!!

what was it jesus said about "winning"?
something about loosing one's life for him and yet gaining eternal life, wasnt it?

how doest that fit on a scoreboard, father?

I agree......swift? I mean come on it took forever for the AD to 'quit'.......they really didn't want to get rid of the football coach.......and the father clearly knew this stuff was going on.

"LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT RECRUITING (CHOICE), CAST THE FIRST STONE". ALL ARE GUILTY, SOME GET CAUGHT.

"If Though Shalt Get Caught.......Then Though Must Pay The Utmost Farthing Due"

No High-End Games Till 2009.........Period.

[Biff]

It's "Thou"
Not "Though"
But point well taken from a non-bible scholar.

My guess is after reading the outcome of the FHSAA, that SPC will be reinstated come July after the Sony Hester (Jesuit), visit. It's a temporary stay to punish, but a repreive come fall. let's see what happens. Would love to see Grasso's comments on this outcome????

[Tony D]

My guess is after reading the outcome of the FHSAA, that SPC will be reinstated come July after the Sony Hester (Jesuit), visit. It's a temporary stay to punish, but a repreive come fall
----------------------------------

Must be an insider to spc and wishful thinking....

Forget it............your son isn't playing any big games next year.....that is if hey even make the cut

[Tony D]

My guess is after reading the outcome of the FHSAA, that SPC will be reinstated come July after the Sony Hester (Jesuit), visit. It's a temporary stay to punish, but a repreive come fall
----------------------------------

Must be an insider to spc and wishful thinking....

Forget it............your son isn't playing any big games next year.....that is if they even make the cut

[Tony D]

Where is Mancuso now?
Doing his and his wifes laundry and washing dishes at home?
I think I'll google his name and see if it pops up anywhere.
After all, according to the article, Shannon brooks is at Canterbury after being a part of the violations.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/27/Sports/Barons_football_coach.shtml

Someone always has an ax to grind with someone.

[richard z]

Why is it that Saint Thomas Aquinas can get caught recruiting, get a 20,0000 fine and still go to the post season as well as the championship.
I have been a football coach for fifteen years and all schools break the rules when it comes to sports, they get paid to teach and win.
let's be fair and honest about this.The penalty is way out of line.

it is obvious that both st thomas and spc recruits. Because if you look at the sidelines i have never seen that many black catholics. I have been a catholic all my life and i have always wondered how the get in at our schools. My friends who are not catholic their parents have to make a large donation to the church in order to get in. How do these kids from the poorest neighborhoods get in.

I wish the administrators would monitor these blogs....the fact the St. Pete Times allows for the amount of vial personal slanders on this site, the outright racist remarks, and the just plain ignorant lies that are perpetuated time and time again...just amazes me.

Come on guys, either do away with the blogs, or monitor what is said on these things. I would venture to say, even if they are not their words, the St. Pete Times could be held accountable for the things that are allowed to be posted on these blogs.

There is obviously an undercurrent in Pinellas County whose personal agenda is to undercut and attack specific coaches in this county. I personally think it is sad.

[ETC]

I strongly agree.

The poster above MUST be affiliated with SPC, and as a Catholic, can't take the heat about the truth.....

STOP WHINING ABOUT THE POSTS THAT SAY THE PUNISHMENT FITS THE CRIME(S)...MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS AND NOW A PRIEST WHO FABRICATES A DEFENSE IN ORDER TOG ET THE BALL ROLLING SOONER THAN THE VERDICT HANDED DOWN....

SPC, being such a small school, did bad things in order to give the tampa bay area the impression that it is a great football school.......in order to drive up the ol' supply and demand side of their tuition cost versus admittance number allowed ratio.......

I know........I went there 35 years ago and know what the alumni/football agenda has been about.......and they got caught big time, and now the head priest is being OPPOSITE of everything he should be about.......accountability for wrongdoing.....

Give me a break..

There is an easy recourse against Slander, it's called the truth..........so, take your whining somewhere else.

[ETC]

I am in no way shape or form affiliated with SPC. As a matter of fact I have never even seen the school or could care less what goes on as far as private schools in this county.

Whether they recruit or not is not my concern.... My team is still good and not affected by it anyway.

[ETC]

The truth is one thing but the verbal abuse that these players and coaches recieve is childish and immature.

[Brad]

**** ETC ****

Son't be such a "Powcer-Puff" spin doctor.

Re-Read the First 3 posts in order to see why the posters are appalled at SPC....

Their "Head Priest" used the word "swift" in describing hte actions taken initially by SPC....which is a lie to the FHSSA board....read the article below for a timeline of how many violations occurred

- In 1998, In 2000, and in 2001....
The problems surrounding the football program, fueled by the FHSAA's latest investigation, culminated in May 2006 when the organization fined SPC $13,000 and banned it from the playoffs for three years after finding the program guilty of three counts of recruiting and four counts of illegal practices.

"ILLEGAL PRACTICES" means coaches were having their young kids practice during a prohibited time frame in the school year that is designed to keep athletes from getting injured due to overtraining, etc...

If you take the time to read the article, you'll see SPC doesn't care about it's student athletes.....only winning games in order to build up it's schools reputation.

Now their reputation is shot, and the priest is lying to get footbal back.

[Brad]

**** ETC ****

Son't be such a "Powcer-Puff" spin doctor.

Re-Read the First 3 posts in order to see why the posters are appalled at SPC....

Their "Head Priest" used the word "swift" in describing hte actions taken initially by SPC....which is a lie to the FHSSA board....read the article below for a timeline of how many violations occurred

- In 1998, In 2000, and in 2001....
The problems surrounding the football program, fueled by the FHSAA's latest investigation, culminated in May 2006 when the organization fined SPC $13,000 and banned it from the playoffs for three years after finding the program guilty of three counts of recruiting and four counts of illegal practices.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/27/Sports/Barons_football_coach.shtml

"ILLEGAL PRACTICES" means coaches were having their young kids practice during a prohibited time frame in the school year that is designed to keep athletes from getting injured due to overtraining, etc...

If you take the time to read the article, you'll see SPC doesn't care about it's student athletes.....only winning games in order to build up it's schools reputation.

Now their reputation is shot, and the priest is lying to get footbal back.

[Slander This]

To May 31, 2007 at 08:56 PM
The Truth does hurt, this is a blog for Catholic's sake, Have you heard of the First Amendment?
Slander this YOU ARE A FREAKING IDIOT!

[question]

Question
If a Catholic team plays a Baptist team and the both pray before the game, who does God want to win?

[question]

Question
If a Catholic team plays a Baptist team and they both pray before the game, who does God want to win?

[rick]

It is obvious that none of you people writing these comments have ever played football. Prayer has been ysed before the game starts from youth to the pro's.
sports is a vital part of developement in our youth and teen age population. Just look around at all these kids that have no identity and are tearing our sociaty to pieces.
I am sure that at least half of you bad mouthing the school and the catholics have kids that are loosers.

[eddie]

Rick, your a joke. Please read the whole thread. I did. From the first to yours.

The main problem in the discussion is about the priest lying and covering up for not just illegal recruiting and illegal practices that harm kids health.....but also the "SWIFT" measures taken by SPC when confronted by the FSHSSA.

I lived in the athletic dorm at FSU and played sports all my life, so F-off and get the main jist of the thread complaints correct.

PS: LOOSER is spelled LOSER

[ETC]

***Brad***

What is a "powcer puff"?

I am not defending SPC. I know for a fact they are guilty as I personally know one of the kids from another school that was involved in the illegal practices. They were under the cover of "College Recruiting Combine" But there were never any Colleges present.

My only issue is about the verbal abuse of the players whom are still children. You can talk about the school, Priest, AD, fired coaches all you want but we should leave the verbal abuse of children out of it.

I don't see the big deal here anyway SPC committed a crime and they were punished end of story.

Until Pinellas County teams start challenging for state championships year after year like Hillsborough is doing we should all shut our mouths anyway. You all may not know this but people outside of P county view us as having some of if not the worst football in the state.

ETC - you are correct....Pinellas is viewed as having some of the best talent available, but never can do anything with it....this is a fact. I have personally heard other county coaches comment on Pinellas County, as well as avid HS football fans from across the state.

I dont mean to turn this into a discussion about why Pinellas is so bad, I have expressed my displeasure with the level of coaching in this county on numerous occasions...however, even with competent coaching, the county AD is pathetic, as was his predecessor. The Pinellas county coaches have their hands tied, and have very little support in trying to better the quality of their programs.

Give it time, and the baseball and basketball powerhouses Pinellas has grown accustom, will soon fade too if the county athletic department continues down the road it is currently traveling. Soon, football will not be alone in its misery!

Father must go before Hester comes to the school. Then we can play. Please help us parents.

Father must go before Hester comes to the school. Then we can play. Please help us parents.

Father must go before Hester comes to the school. Then we can play. Please help us parents.

Mt dad can beat up your dad!!!!

[ETC]

Brad...... Where did I spell Loser as Looser?? Re-check the posts buddy you must have me mistaken. Anyway, I never said you are wrong they probably are hypocrites. You should know better I guess. I really don't care to know what is going on at SPC.

How much time each day do you spend thinking about this?

[question]

How can SPC make up all that money they owe?
Double fish fry Fridays!!

[?]

For all the cheating that SPC has done when have they ever even won anything?
Oh yeah they beat Osceola in a very unimportant bowl game.
LOSERS Pray harder that the lord will give you brains so you won't get caught cheating.