I think this is a great learning opportunity. There are rules, whether we agree with them or not, that must be followed. I do feel bad for the girls as it was no fault of their own. It was bad judgement on the part of the coaching staff that put the team in a bad spot. If rules aren't followed there are consequences just as in life.
anothersoftball fan - 14 years ago
Really Mary, starting the name calling game & spreading rumors all over again. You people always want to blame someone else. Teaching todays' youth about passing blame are we? shows IGNORANCE!
mary - 14 years ago
Go to Google and ask Who is Roger Dearing..... Read all the damage this man does throughout the state then contact your state representative.... It was the Florida legislature who put this power hungry organization FHSAA in power and Roger Dearing the head of the group is doing nothing but suing and challenging anyone who goes against him will be sued.... The law makers have empowered this organization.... This man stalked kids in west palm beach he is viscous and out of control... Stop fighting amongst one another and start fighting for All FLorida Athletes.. Rally to get this man run out of Florida and he can take the Fletcher principal with him... Both high level educators ruining Florida childrens opportunities.... You have played into his dirty hands and he is out for vengence...
James - 14 years ago
I am curious. Why did the FHSSA drop the fine against the team but make them forfeit? Why now fine them and let the team play? I know rules are rules but the rules also include the fine. Why then make them forfeit and not pay the fine? Makes no sense to me. Sometimes kids get into the game and they make contact with each other. They do not always mean to do it to hurt someone, but it happens. I say fine the school and the coaches but let the girls play.
I think the FHSSA should be looking into other schools (Trinity C) that are recuiting. I think this is much more serious. Their basball team should win it all.
Terrible decision FHSAA - 14 years ago
This is the most bogus decision I have ever heard. The WSHS girls deserve to move on and play in this game. How can you be so strict on such a petty violation, but allow certain schools in certain sports to win state titles year after year, when everyone else but you knows they have been cheating for years. There are alot worse violators out there not being punished still winning state titles, but you crucify these young girls for such a petty offense. Wake up FHSAA, and start trying to find the real violators that are out there.
cane - 14 years ago
now
ex-coach - 14 years ago
The best thing the FHSAA could do would be to ban all parents from sporting events, they are the ones who ruin it for the kids. There are way to many parents living vicariously through your daughters and they are the worst offenders. I see quite a few of you on here, you're really easy to spot. The fact is if there were no parents at the game this situation would never have occurred.
Cat - 14 years ago
Hi WSHS Go Bears - Did you read the actual report that was handed down from the FHSSA or are you going merely by rumors? Please be careful to repeat what you hear because it could get you into trouble. The father of the FHS SS had nothing to do with this and if you think that our team wanted to go to States on a mere technicality, think again. Your team clearly won the game and should have gone to States but thanks to your AD and coaching staff, they didn't think you should be prevy to the rules and therefore, THEY and THEY alone ruined it for you. So sorry if you were called out on it but are you suppose to be special or something and exempt from being turned in for doing something that was CLEARLY against the rules?
WSHS Go Bears - 14 years ago
Hey, Brittany MacFawn (aka anothersoftball fan): why can't you get over the fact that Winter Springs has beaten you all these times in a row, fair and square? They've got your number, and you just can't stand it. And "karma" has nothing to do with it. I was at that Regional Semifianl game, and Sharde recounted it the exact way it happened. She never should have been thrown out in the first place, but the team moved on.
This entire story is one of sour grapes. Winter Springs defeated Fletcher fair and square, so the father of Fletcher's short stop and Fletcher's principal decided to exploit a mere technicality in the hope that their team would advance to the Final Four instead. And now these players and parents who were unfortunate enough to have to play against Winter Springs and lose are relishing in the fact that the dream of these hard-working girls is shattered. Real classy, people.
Mark D. - 14 years ago
This is one of the saddest threads I have ever seen. What an incredibly poor example the adults are setting for young people.
The real question here is, "Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?"
The answer is obviously NO. The suspended player did NOT appear in the game and her sitting on the bench had no impact at all on the eventual outcome. The coaches did not understand or know an obscure rule which had no bearing on the game. They were in clear violation of the rules and some sanction is of course justified. However, you are taking a group of teenage girls who have worked their butts off to get to this point and telling them that "The Letter of the Law" is more important that the "Intent of the Law."
This kind of thinking might be applicable to PERSONAL conduct within the realm of a CRIMINAL offense, but it has no legitimate application within the framework of a sporting event where Sportsmanship and general "fairness" mean a helluva lot more than naked application of a rule.
And the adults on here attempting to justify this ludicrous ruling are sending a horrible message to the kids involved. Your message is that YOU can legitimately be punished for something YOU did NOT do! This is the same kind of simplistic, semi-moronic logic that allows people to sit in self-righteous judgment of ALL members of a group who are blamed for the actions of one or more members of that group. It's how we incorrectly decide as a society that because Enron screwed people out of money, that ALL Enron executives were criminals, ignoring the fact that some may have had no knowledge of the reality of what was going on there.
Some of you, sadly many of you, may agree with this Kafkaesque view of delegating blame and responsibility, but you should be ashamed of yourselves for trying to rationalize a decision which deprives innocent young teenage girls the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of a state title.
This ruling sends the message that JUSTICE IS TRULY BLIND...blind to logic and blind to the truth. If I was a 16-year old girl negatively impacted by this decision...it would create a level of cynicism that is simply unhealthy for an individual who has the rest of her life looming on the horizon.
Shame on the people who made this ruling...and greater shame on the self-righteous enablers attempting to rationalize this decision...
Gerry Mulligan - 14 years ago
Because the coach did not know the rule and let the suspended playeer in the dugout,that is the reason for the forfeit. The coach is the one who should have known the rule. Read the rule book
Sharde Alls - 14 years ago
Hi,
First off, i would like to say how dare you blame me on this blog. That is classless and malicious in itself. Im a 16 year old girl, you people are adults;l and i did not "maliciously attack anyone". We are appealing the suspension, due to the fact that there is now video evidence showing that there was no "unsportsmanlike conduct." It was a squeeze play I was running home the catcher got the bunt ran into the baseline and we collided both standing upright, neither of us were hurt and I was called out. That should of been the end of it, the Lake Howell coach insisted that I was ejected because they had one more at bat and they did not want me on defense. In the umpires report to the FHSAA, he reported that the collusion was neither "flagrant nor malicious", the only reason i am on suspension is because there is a rule stating that when you are ejected from the game, the MINIMUM punishment is a two game suspension. Second, i would like to ask you how would you feel if your daughter was in my position with my team being disqualified, to have her read blogs on a web site with a bunch adults blaming her for the incident. I bet you would not want that to happen. Third, not once did i insist i was in the dugout during the game or wear the dry fit. It was both my coach and my sisters(team) that wanted me in the dugout to cheer them on and support them.So you have no right saying that I "caused" this. I would never wish this kind of heartbreak to my team or anyone elses. By attitude I am sure you are referring to my love and dedication to the game of softball. Bottom line this is a pointless rule, I did in no way have any influence in the outcome of the game; however i understand a rule is a rule, but the punishment does not match the crime. You don't give the kids in the backseat of a car a ticket, when their parents are the one speeding. Same in this case, they shouldn't punish the girls because the adults didnt know the rule.
I pray to God i did not offend nor disrespect anyone with my post.
No weapon formed against me shall prosper, I am more than a conquerer.
anothersoftball fan - 14 years ago
It boils down to KARMA. This is one of those teams that lacks in discipline, and it comes to me at no surprise that this happened to these girls. If you pay no attention to the unwritten rules and the actual WRITTEN rules at some point, someone will turn you in when they are just fed up. The PLAYER (Alls) put her team IN THIS position for maliciously attacking another player from another school. Then, if the coaches did not know the rules, then SHAME on THEM. When the situation presented itself, rather then be arrogant & ignorant, how about open yourself up to the knowledge of the LITTLE BOOK that other coaches follow religiously. READ THE RULE BOOK. COACHES SHOULD KNOW THE RULES & COACH THEIR TEAM ACCORDINGLY. Also Shame on Winter Springs for their excessive use of artificial noise makers (lemme guess you didn't know that rule either), also banned in the rule book in which they use in the stands and IN the dugout (they hand these out to their fans). The school AD needs to step up and get control of their coaches, and the coaches their players. Lets get real, you can only bend the rules so far until you finally break one. I feel sorry for the other girls put in this situation on the team, but Timbercreek scored in regulation play anyway; Now that team (TC) should have moved on.
kimberly - 14 years ago
Congrats to the Winter Springs girls who not only can handle the field but also are outstanding in this challenging ordeal.... The team members are showing they can handle life both on and off the fiield. It is unfortunate that they have worked this hard to get this far and the whole team is being penalized..
BigBill - 14 years ago
I wouldn’t call them cheaters. They just broke a rule in the rule book and have to pay the penalty for it, which is forfeiting the win. Too bad the coaches didn’t know the rule book, but rules are rules. And as far as WS being the best team and deserved to be there, remember this…In the game against Timber Creek the home ump blew the call at the plate for the TC girl. Video from Orlando Sentinal Sports shows she was clearly safe. In fact they showed it in slow motion and it wasn’t close. So, TC really should have been the winner of that game in regulation. So WS was lucky to even be in the situation to get to the game against Fletcher. Bottom line is Alls with her attitude got suspended for her unsportsmanlike conduct and then broke the rules by being in the dugout. Part of the blame should be on her. She let her team down and cost them a chance at a title.
Steve N. - 14 years ago
The player in question committed an aggregious act that resulted in a two game suspension. The Principal, Athletic Director and coaching staff all know the rules. Since the player in question was suspended, why did the school permit her to make the trip to Neptune Beach. Had the school properly administered the enforcement of the suspension by keeping her home, none of this would have happened. It was likely that Winter Springs would have won their semifianl game and she could have played in the championship game. Because the administration had disregard for the rules, the entire team suffered. Do not blame the FHSAA. They, like the umpires, only enforce the rules. School administrators need to take responsibility for their actions. Had they done so in the first place, this controversy would not have occurred.
Bill - 14 years ago
I believe the ruling has nothing to do with the outcome of the game in question. It has to do with enforcing proper athletic behavior during High School competition. The player in question was properly given a suspension for agressive and improper play that could have resulted in unwarranted injury to the other player. To allow this player to be in the dugout during a suspension would in fact be the fault of the Principal, Athletic Director and entire coaching staff of Winter Springs High School and says to the public that they condoned her actions on the field that got her the suspension. This is once again is an example of how adults have created a problem that the students that did not violate rules have to pay the price. The Coaches and Athletic Director should be given a suspension and letter of reprimand amd the player that violated her suspension should recieve a letter and additional suspension. We seem to loose sight that it all started by a player that deserved the suspension if this was College or Professional sports we would not be having this discussion we would say they deserved to be punished for violating the rules. To allow Winter Springs High School to play would be sending a message that improper and agressive violent play should be allowed and it is okay to do the wrong thing as long as your winning.
Ariana Figueroa - 14 years ago
LET WINTER SPRINGS PLAY!
They have worked so hard to get to the top and its horrible that something so simple can tear them down. They won fair and square!
Barbara - 14 years ago
Isnt the developing of athelets the development of leaders..... Why are these future leaders who worked so hard being penalized... the coaching staff should be penalized and not the players.... FHSAA director quotes on his site..."It is amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who receives the credit""" I say to FHSAA "It is amazing what destruction can be accomplished when the wrong people are penalized" Let's play ball so these girls can be profiled for college.... Isn't college what this is all about... These are your girls too..
I think this is a great learning opportunity. There are rules, whether we agree with them or not, that must be followed. I do feel bad for the girls as it was no fault of their own. It was bad judgement on the part of the coaching staff that put the team in a bad spot. If rules aren't followed there are consequences just as in life.
Really Mary, starting the name calling game & spreading rumors all over again. You people always want to blame someone else. Teaching todays' youth about passing blame are we? shows IGNORANCE!
Go to Google and ask Who is Roger Dearing..... Read all the damage this man does throughout the state then contact your state representative.... It was the Florida legislature who put this power hungry organization FHSAA in power and Roger Dearing the head of the group is doing nothing but suing and challenging anyone who goes against him will be sued.... The law makers have empowered this organization.... This man stalked kids in west palm beach he is viscous and out of control... Stop fighting amongst one another and start fighting for All FLorida Athletes.. Rally to get this man run out of Florida and he can take the Fletcher principal with him... Both high level educators ruining Florida childrens opportunities.... You have played into his dirty hands and he is out for vengence...
I am curious. Why did the FHSSA drop the fine against the team but make them forfeit? Why now fine them and let the team play? I know rules are rules but the rules also include the fine. Why then make them forfeit and not pay the fine? Makes no sense to me. Sometimes kids get into the game and they make contact with each other. They do not always mean to do it to hurt someone, but it happens. I say fine the school and the coaches but let the girls play.
I think the FHSSA should be looking into other schools (Trinity C) that are recuiting. I think this is much more serious. Their basball team should win it all.
This is the most bogus decision I have ever heard. The WSHS girls deserve to move on and play in this game. How can you be so strict on such a petty violation, but allow certain schools in certain sports to win state titles year after year, when everyone else but you knows they have been cheating for years. There are alot worse violators out there not being punished still winning state titles, but you crucify these young girls for such a petty offense. Wake up FHSAA, and start trying to find the real violators that are out there.
now
The best thing the FHSAA could do would be to ban all parents from sporting events, they are the ones who ruin it for the kids. There are way to many parents living vicariously through your daughters and they are the worst offenders. I see quite a few of you on here, you're really easy to spot. The fact is if there were no parents at the game this situation would never have occurred.
Hi WSHS Go Bears - Did you read the actual report that was handed down from the FHSSA or are you going merely by rumors? Please be careful to repeat what you hear because it could get you into trouble. The father of the FHS SS had nothing to do with this and if you think that our team wanted to go to States on a mere technicality, think again. Your team clearly won the game and should have gone to States but thanks to your AD and coaching staff, they didn't think you should be prevy to the rules and therefore, THEY and THEY alone ruined it for you. So sorry if you were called out on it but are you suppose to be special or something and exempt from being turned in for doing something that was CLEARLY against the rules?
Hey, Brittany MacFawn (aka anothersoftball fan): why can't you get over the fact that Winter Springs has beaten you all these times in a row, fair and square? They've got your number, and you just can't stand it. And "karma" has nothing to do with it. I was at that Regional Semifianl game, and Sharde recounted it the exact way it happened. She never should have been thrown out in the first place, but the team moved on.
This entire story is one of sour grapes. Winter Springs defeated Fletcher fair and square, so the father of Fletcher's short stop and Fletcher's principal decided to exploit a mere technicality in the hope that their team would advance to the Final Four instead. And now these players and parents who were unfortunate enough to have to play against Winter Springs and lose are relishing in the fact that the dream of these hard-working girls is shattered. Real classy, people.
This is one of the saddest threads I have ever seen. What an incredibly poor example the adults are setting for young people.
The real question here is, "Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?"
The answer is obviously NO. The suspended player did NOT appear in the game and her sitting on the bench had no impact at all on the eventual outcome. The coaches did not understand or know an obscure rule which had no bearing on the game. They were in clear violation of the rules and some sanction is of course justified. However, you are taking a group of teenage girls who have worked their butts off to get to this point and telling them that "The Letter of the Law" is more important that the "Intent of the Law."
This kind of thinking might be applicable to PERSONAL conduct within the realm of a CRIMINAL offense, but it has no legitimate application within the framework of a sporting event where Sportsmanship and general "fairness" mean a helluva lot more than naked application of a rule.
And the adults on here attempting to justify this ludicrous ruling are sending a horrible message to the kids involved. Your message is that YOU can legitimately be punished for something YOU did NOT do! This is the same kind of simplistic, semi-moronic logic that allows people to sit in self-righteous judgment of ALL members of a group who are blamed for the actions of one or more members of that group. It's how we incorrectly decide as a society that because Enron screwed people out of money, that ALL Enron executives were criminals, ignoring the fact that some may have had no knowledge of the reality of what was going on there.
Some of you, sadly many of you, may agree with this Kafkaesque view of delegating blame and responsibility, but you should be ashamed of yourselves for trying to rationalize a decision which deprives innocent young teenage girls the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of a state title.
This ruling sends the message that JUSTICE IS TRULY BLIND...blind to logic and blind to the truth. If I was a 16-year old girl negatively impacted by this decision...it would create a level of cynicism that is simply unhealthy for an individual who has the rest of her life looming on the horizon.
Shame on the people who made this ruling...and greater shame on the self-righteous enablers attempting to rationalize this decision...
Because the coach did not know the rule and let the suspended playeer in the dugout,that is the reason for the forfeit. The coach is the one who should have known the rule. Read the rule book
Hi,
First off, i would like to say how dare you blame me on this blog. That is classless and malicious in itself. Im a 16 year old girl, you people are adults;l and i did not "maliciously attack anyone". We are appealing the suspension, due to the fact that there is now video evidence showing that there was no "unsportsmanlike conduct." It was a squeeze play I was running home the catcher got the bunt ran into the baseline and we collided both standing upright, neither of us were hurt and I was called out. That should of been the end of it, the Lake Howell coach insisted that I was ejected because they had one more at bat and they did not want me on defense. In the umpires report to the FHSAA, he reported that the collusion was neither "flagrant nor malicious", the only reason i am on suspension is because there is a rule stating that when you are ejected from the game, the MINIMUM punishment is a two game suspension. Second, i would like to ask you how would you feel if your daughter was in my position with my team being disqualified, to have her read blogs on a web site with a bunch adults blaming her for the incident. I bet you would not want that to happen. Third, not once did i insist i was in the dugout during the game or wear the dry fit. It was both my coach and my sisters(team) that wanted me in the dugout to cheer them on and support them.So you have no right saying that I "caused" this. I would never wish this kind of heartbreak to my team or anyone elses. By attitude I am sure you are referring to my love and dedication to the game of softball. Bottom line this is a pointless rule, I did in no way have any influence in the outcome of the game; however i understand a rule is a rule, but the punishment does not match the crime. You don't give the kids in the backseat of a car a ticket, when their parents are the one speeding. Same in this case, they shouldn't punish the girls because the adults didnt know the rule.
I pray to God i did not offend nor disrespect anyone with my post.
No weapon formed against me shall prosper, I am more than a conquerer.
It boils down to KARMA. This is one of those teams that lacks in discipline, and it comes to me at no surprise that this happened to these girls. If you pay no attention to the unwritten rules and the actual WRITTEN rules at some point, someone will turn you in when they are just fed up. The PLAYER (Alls) put her team IN THIS position for maliciously attacking another player from another school. Then, if the coaches did not know the rules, then SHAME on THEM. When the situation presented itself, rather then be arrogant & ignorant, how about open yourself up to the knowledge of the LITTLE BOOK that other coaches follow religiously. READ THE RULE BOOK. COACHES SHOULD KNOW THE RULES & COACH THEIR TEAM ACCORDINGLY. Also Shame on Winter Springs for their excessive use of artificial noise makers (lemme guess you didn't know that rule either), also banned in the rule book in which they use in the stands and IN the dugout (they hand these out to their fans). The school AD needs to step up and get control of their coaches, and the coaches their players. Lets get real, you can only bend the rules so far until you finally break one. I feel sorry for the other girls put in this situation on the team, but Timbercreek scored in regulation play anyway; Now that team (TC) should have moved on.
Congrats to the Winter Springs girls who not only can handle the field but also are outstanding in this challenging ordeal.... The team members are showing they can handle life both on and off the fiield. It is unfortunate that they have worked this hard to get this far and the whole team is being penalized..
I wouldn’t call them cheaters. They just broke a rule in the rule book and have to pay the penalty for it, which is forfeiting the win. Too bad the coaches didn’t know the rule book, but rules are rules. And as far as WS being the best team and deserved to be there, remember this…In the game against Timber Creek the home ump blew the call at the plate for the TC girl. Video from Orlando Sentinal Sports shows she was clearly safe. In fact they showed it in slow motion and it wasn’t close. So, TC really should have been the winner of that game in regulation. So WS was lucky to even be in the situation to get to the game against Fletcher. Bottom line is Alls with her attitude got suspended for her unsportsmanlike conduct and then broke the rules by being in the dugout. Part of the blame should be on her. She let her team down and cost them a chance at a title.
The player in question committed an aggregious act that resulted in a two game suspension. The Principal, Athletic Director and coaching staff all know the rules. Since the player in question was suspended, why did the school permit her to make the trip to Neptune Beach. Had the school properly administered the enforcement of the suspension by keeping her home, none of this would have happened. It was likely that Winter Springs would have won their semifianl game and she could have played in the championship game. Because the administration had disregard for the rules, the entire team suffered. Do not blame the FHSAA. They, like the umpires, only enforce the rules. School administrators need to take responsibility for their actions. Had they done so in the first place, this controversy would not have occurred.
I believe the ruling has nothing to do with the outcome of the game in question. It has to do with enforcing proper athletic behavior during High School competition. The player in question was properly given a suspension for agressive and improper play that could have resulted in unwarranted injury to the other player. To allow this player to be in the dugout during a suspension would in fact be the fault of the Principal, Athletic Director and entire coaching staff of Winter Springs High School and says to the public that they condoned her actions on the field that got her the suspension. This is once again is an example of how adults have created a problem that the students that did not violate rules have to pay the price. The Coaches and Athletic Director should be given a suspension and letter of reprimand amd the player that violated her suspension should recieve a letter and additional suspension. We seem to loose sight that it all started by a player that deserved the suspension if this was College or Professional sports we would not be having this discussion we would say they deserved to be punished for violating the rules. To allow Winter Springs High School to play would be sending a message that improper and agressive violent play should be allowed and it is okay to do the wrong thing as long as your winning.
LET WINTER SPRINGS PLAY!
They have worked so hard to get to the top and its horrible that something so simple can tear them down. They won fair and square!
Isnt the developing of athelets the development of leaders..... Why are these future leaders who worked so hard being penalized... the coaching staff should be penalized and not the players.... FHSAA director quotes on his site..."It is amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who receives the credit""" I say to FHSAA "It is amazing what destruction can be accomplished when the wrong people are penalized" Let's play ball so these girls can be profiled for college.... Isn't college what this is all about... These are your girls too..