Harvest prep is slapped by OHSAA

[Kerinon]

Postseason ban and forfeited wins among penalties for school
Monday, May 16, 2011 03:08 AM
By Mark Znidar
The Columbus Dispatch


Harvest Preparatory School's athletic teams will be banned from postseason play for the rest of this school year through 2012-13 as part of its punishment for using ineligible players and coaches, changing grades and recruiting athletes, the Ohio High School Athletic Association says.

The Dispatch obtained the email that the OHSAA recently sent the school that details the results of its nine-month investigation and subsequent penalties.

"I can confirm that the OHSAA has sent the letter of its findings to Harvest Prep and is waiting to hear if Harvest Prep will comply or if there are other steps to be taken," OHSAA assistant commissioner Bob Goldring said. "Other than that, I cannot comment because we have not yet heard from Harvest Prep."

Contacted last night, Harvest Prep spokesman Mark Youngkin said: "HPS is surprised at any suggestion that the Ohio High School Athletic Association has determined final penalties against Harvest Preparatory School.

"Our understanding of the situation as of 8 p.m. tonight, from conversations between our attorneys and officials at the highest level of the OHSAA, is that no decisions on possible sanctions have been made to this point, and that these discussions are ongoing.

"HPS continues to provide information to the OHSAA at its request, and is committed to fully and transparently cooperating with the association in its investigation."

The school, located just north of Canal Winchester and owned and operated by televangelist Rod Parsley, also will be fined $2,500 and must pay $30,000 for the investigation conducted by outside investigators Stanley Evans and James Thompson.

The OHSAA said it is giving Harvest Prep the opportunity to "right its ship'' during the next two years with the aid of an administrator hired by the OHSAA and paid for by the school. That person is to work inside the school, overseeing day-to-day athletic operations and having access to all financial records and student files.

Once the school completes the postseason ban, it is to be placed on three years' probation, through 2015-16.

The OHSAA spelled out a number of other penalties, with the football and boys and girls basketball teams hit particularly hard:

• All football games from the 2010 season must be forfeited because two players who should have been academically ineligible had their grades changed. The football team went 6-4 last season.

• All boys basketball games in 2010-11 must be forfeited, and the Division IV basketball state runner-up trophy and regional and district championship trophies surrendered, for playing a transfer who was ineligible.

• All girls basketball games in 2008-09 must be forfeited, and the Division IV district championship trophy relinquished, for allowing two ineligible players to compete.

The names of the ineligible players were not in the email.

The girls basketball teams that won the last two Division IV state championships were not mentioned in the report.

Harvest Prep participates in the Mid-State League's Cardinal Division.

The investigation paints the Harvest Prep administration and coaches as having a rogue mentality in ignoring OHSAA rules.

In 2010, 13 fall coaches did not have the required "pupil activity/coaching permit" required by the OHSAA. School superintendent and head football coach Jack Johnson was among them.

Boys basketball coach Mike Thornton, who was coach at Africentric when it forfeited its 2005 Division IV state championship for using an ineligible player, was listed in the report as having visited prospective athletes, possibly helping one write a required entrance essay, and waiving application, enrollment and testing fees for at least one student-athlete.

This spring, Harvest Prep failed to complete eligibility forms for athletes competing in track, baseball and softball and did not hold required preseason meetings involving coaches, athletes and parents, the OHSAA said. In addition, Harvest Prep reportedly did not cooperate with an investigator on

April 8 and April 19 and 20 when he visited the school. The investigator asked to see financial records of the "Blessing Fund," reportedly an athletic scholarship fund, and was refused.

"The Association has determined that Harvest Preparatory School is in violation of numerous bylaws in the student eligibility section, specifically scholarship, enrollment and attendance transfer and recruiting, and has failed to exert even a minute of administrative oversight and institutional control,'' the OHSSA wrote.

mznidar@dispatch.com

[1987chieftains]

to bad "Rockin Rod" didnt get banned for good!

[moonshine]

Not yet offical, according to Dan Ross of the OHSAA, per this mornings Dispatch!