Pulaski Cougars' violations called 'blatant'

The VHSL fined Pulaski County $1,000 and banned the football team from postseason play for one year after it ruled the Cougars violated the out-of-season practice rule.

By Robert Anderson

Pulaski County High School's football program was penalized by the Virginia High School League on Thursday with a one-year postseason ban, a $1,000 fine and other sanctions for violating the VHSL's out-of-season practice rule.

Pulaski County school officials appealed the 2010 postseason ban during a hearing Thursday at the VHSL offices in Charlottesville but a VHSL executive subcommittee voted 5-0 to deny the appeal.

The VHSL also imposed two further sanctions: a ban on preseason scrimmages and jamborees, and a reduction of allowable practice dates from 20 to 15 before the first game of the season.

The subcommittee deemed Pulaski County's violations as "blatant, egregious and flagrant" and the board also cited a "lack of institutional oversight and control."

"This was no minor infraction," VHSL executive director Ken Tilley said in a prepared statement. "The nature and the circumstances of the activities went far beyond what is permitted under VHSL rules. Extensive coaching and sport-specific instruction were prevalent."

Tilley said Thursday in a subsequent interview that Pulaski County's violations occurred more than once over an extended period of time.

"More than once is probably accurate," Tilley said. "There was an extended period of time."

Pulaski County superintendent of schools Robert Becker Jr. -- in his first official day on the job -- attended the hearing along with school principal Rod Reedy and athletic director Mark Hanks.

"While we are very disappointed with today's ruling by the VHSL's executive subcommittee, we are committed to moving forward in a positive direction that is the trademark of Pulaski County High School athletics," Becker said in a statement.

The VHSL also mandated that Pulaski's principal and athletic director meet annually with all the school's coaches "to review VHSL rules and regulations, coaching ethics and integrity" and submit in writing over a three-year period that the training sessions took place.

The VHSL sanctions came one week after the resignation of Pulaski County coach Jack Turner after seven seasons on the job. School officials hope to begin interviews for the opening next week.

"It would be inappropriate for me to comment," Turner said Thursday night.

Reedy had little to say.

"I will simply echo the comments Dr. Baker made," he said.

The VHSL has not divulged specifics of the violations but coaches from at least three schools on Pulaski County's schedule -- Christiansburg, Hidden Valley and Northside -- said their schools received a DVD recording from an anonymous source which showed a Pulaski County football workout inside the school's field house.

While Tilley would not confirm the VHSL's receipt of the DVD, he did say the investigation began after the league "received information" from an anonymous source.

"We received information that we shared with [Pulaski County]," Tilley said. "They reported that it was a violation."

Tilley said Pulaski County officials appealed partly on the basis that the activity in question constituted legal out-of-season conditioning.

However, Tilley said the football program had violated Section 27-8-1 of the VHSL Handbook, which stipulates that "a member school is permitted to organize and supervise conditioning programs to include weight lifting, running and exercising as long as the program is general in nature and includes only exercises designed to promote physical fitness. No school may issue equipment designed for a specific sport for this type of program. These conditioning programs must be open to all members of the student body."

Northside coach Burt Torrence viewed the video and said the content was not much different than what he often saw during legal, under VHSL rules, summer camps when he was an assistant coach in the Tidewater area.

"If it was a camp run through the rec department, there wouldn't have been anything wrong with it," Torrence said.

Tilley conceded that Pulaski County might not be the only school in violation of the VHSL's out-of-season practice rule.

"A lot of people might say, 'Everybody's doing this,' " Tilley said. "If everybody's doing this, then I'm probably the most naive person in the world.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there are other violations out there. But I'd be surprised if there's a violation as significant as this."

Tilley said he cannot recall a VHSL school receiving a postseason ban since Richlands' football program was barred from the 1993 playoffs for using illegal cleats in a 1992 playoff game against Salem.

He expects Pulaski's punishment will send a message.

"It certainly should," Tilley said. "No question it's serious.

"One thing we always hear is, 'How could you do this to the kids? The violation was committed by adults.' We ask ourselves that every time too. We've got to protect the interests of the other schools.

We're trying to provide a level playing field. This was tilted."