Pine Creek sports goes under restriction

The Colorado Springs school must present a corrective action plan.

Pine Creek High School’s athletic department is under restriction for violations of the Colorado High School Activities Association bylaws.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reported that all 22 of Pine Creek’s sports programs are under restriction.

Pine Creek is known for its football program, which won Class 4A state titles in 2013 and 2014 and went 12- 1 last fall.

Pine Creek, in Colorado Springs, must present CHSAA with a corrective action plan.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that our student- athletes’ postseason play will not be affected by the current restriction status related to recruiting violations,” school athletic director Matt Mahan said in an emailed statement Wednesday. “CHSAA has strict bylaws regarding overt or implied recruiting of athletes by coaches, volunteer coaches, and parent volunteers ….”

CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann said restriction is a harsher punishment than probation, with programs at risk of being banned from the postseason. Once the restriction has been lifted and the corrective action program has been taken care of, a yearlong probation will be implemented.

The CHSAA bylaws state coaches responsible for programs placed on restriction must miss a specified number of contests. Wrestling coach Billy Gabel served a one- match suspension last Thursday against Coronado.

Mahan’s release said he and school principal Kolette Back “met with ( CHSAAleadership) personally last week to present an initial plan to demonstrate fidelity to immediate and corrective action.”

The school has been referring questions to District 20 public information officer Nanette Anderson, who did not return multiple interview requests.