By Anthony Rifilato
Last week the team was forced to forfeit its four winning games after it was discovered that one of the team's players, Andrew Rose, an 18-year-old transfer student from Brooklyn, was ineligible to play because he entered high school as a freshman in September 1998. He has since been removed from the team, but the games had to be forfeited because Rose, a running back who carried the ball no more than 10 times, played in all five.
"He fell through the crack," said Coach Steve Carroll.
According to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's rules, students "shall be eligible for senior high school athletic competition in a sport during each of four consecutive seasons of such sport commencing with the pupil's entry into the ninth grade and prior to graduation..."
That means Rose had four years to play, and unless he was a member of a varsity team as a middle-school student, or if there was a medical condition or other situation that prohibited him from playing during those four years, he cannot play for a fifth year.
"The kids and parents are angry and hurt," said Howard. "And rightfully so."
The announcement last week came as a shock to the players and the school, right before a game against rival Farmingdale in a so-far stellar season. Despite one loss to Freeport, the Bruins were on a winning streak and could have moved on to the Nassau County Championships. And though they will still play their remaining games, the forfeitures mean that any hopes of reaching the playoffs have been dashed.
"Everything they've worked for has been taken away," said Howard. "These kids put in so much time and effort during the offseason."
At a meeting with parents last week, Howard said the problem was brought to his attention on Oct. 20 after a faculty member heard through the grapevine that Rose might be playing illegally.
After a check of Rose's transfer records in the guidance office, which said he had been a freshman at Midwood High School in Brooklyn for the 1998-1999 school year, Howard's fears were confirmed. "All the things we hoped weren't true were true," he said.
Howard said he immediately alerted school administrators, the team and the Section VIII Nassau County Athletic Association. And though he has yet to receive a response, he is sure that they will be forced to forfeit the games. "We know what [the answer] is going to be," Howard said. "It's pretty much black and white."
Communication gaps
When it comes to transfer students signing up for sports at Baldwin High School, it seems that the process is anything but black and white, and the problem seems to have exposed communication problems between the different departments in the high school.
Howard explained that when they first came to the district earlier this year, Rose and his father asked if he was eligible to play football when he registered. Rose was asked his age, and because he was 18, it was assumed that he was eligible. Rose went to see Carroll to sign up for football.
But instead of putting 1999/98 on the sign-up sheet that asks the year a student entered high school, Rose put down 1999/00 like all the other players. Whether Rose deliberately misrepresented his high school career remains to be seen, though coach Carroll, Howard and some players said they believe that's not the case.
"The kid didn't put 2000 because he was trying to cheat Baldwin," Howard said. "I don't think he came here knowing the rules."
Howard said the district has no system of accountability when new students come to Baldwin and try out for sports. He told parents that a number of factors led to the oversight. Despite a long career as a coach and athletic director, Howard was new to the district as interim director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, and said a discussion of transfer rules he had with the coaches wasn't thorough. The coaches said they did what they always did, trusting that students were telling the truth when signing up, and the guidance office had new staff, which may have contributed to the mistake.
Howard also said that the state's rules for eligibility are Byzantine, and while it is fair, many Baldwin coaches weren't even aware of this particular rule. Nevertheless, Howard has been shouldering most of the blame and takes responsibility for the oversight, saying it should have been picked up on Rose's transfer records.
"If someone should be held accountable, it's me," Howard said. "It was missed, and it shouldn't have been."
Despite persistent rumors around school that Rose, who looked older, was really 22, Howard said that had nothing to do with the mix-up. He said Rose was unaware of the rules and felt equally disappointed.
Howard and Carroll told parents that there was some initial acrimony toward Rose from other players, though his teammates said the ill feelings seem to have dissipated. "You can't blame it on one person," said one player, Michael Hoover.
Now the team is moving on, and Hoover and others said last week's 19-0 win over Farmingdale is vindication that the Bruins are truly a great team. "It's like 1-5 with a wink," said Carroll. "We know how good we are."
Howard said he has taken steps to prevent situations like this in the future and has sent out a memo to guidance counselors and coaches, requesting more communication between the departments and asking them to check a student's date of entry into ninth grade and birth date. He also has revised a sports questionnaire and permission slip requiring a parent's and child's signatures.
Parents commended Howard for taking responsibility and lauded Carroll as a coach, saying that the incident shouldn't tarnish his reputation.
But while Howard, Carroll and others work to ensure that this never happens again, parents and players are demanding that the district appeal to Section VIII. Any appeal would have to be done by Nov. 8, a week before the playoffs, and though Howard said that reversing the situation would be a longshot, he said he will discuss the matter with School Superintendent Kathy Weiss.
Weiss was not available for comment at press time.
"The team is devastated," said Monique Thibou, whose son Dennis is on the team. "We would like to see something done."
Other parents echoed her sentiments, and said that the possibility of an appeal still gives the players hope. "They have to appeal," said Kevin Gregory, whose son, Kevin Jr., is a linebacker. "It lets the kids know we're behind them."
And while players hope, they continue to play their best. "We're trying to get over it," Hoover said, and explaining that their win over Farmingdale gave them a needed boost, a reminder that their past wins were genuine. "Everyone's more upbeat," he added. "We're going to play our hardest."
Support your team
Although they were forced to forfeit the first five games of the season, the Bruins defeated Farmingdale 19-0 on Friday and will still square off against Uniondale at their Homecoming game on Saturday, Nov. 1, and against Hicksville on Nov. 2 at Baldwin Senior High School.
