3 Memphis schools ask TSSAA to remove ban
NASHVILLE — Should a high school basketball program be punished for the actions of its fans?
That is the underlying question facing TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress after principals from three Shelby County Schools met Thursday at the state association office at a hearing with all four Board of Control members from the West Tennessee grand division.
The boys basketball programs from Melrose, Westwood and Wooddale received two years of restrictive probation after their programs were involved in fights on Jan. 25.
The restrictive probation bans them from competing in the postseason in 2019 and 2020.
Administrators from all three schools asked the TSSAA to lift their restrictive probation.
TSSAA bylaws state that member schools are responsible for the conduct of their own fans and students at every athletic contest, regardless of where it may be held.
"We want fans to come to our games," said Board of Control member Ricky Catlett, the principal at Chester County. "We want our kids to play in front of as many kids as they can. But they have to understand the impact (fans) make when they do something negative.
"It seems like it's getting worse and worse and worse."
No decision was announced after the hearing. Board members advised Childress after the hearing, and he said a decision could be sent to schools as early as Friday. He declined any further comment because a decision had not been announced.
A quick decision is needed as district tournaments tip off next week.
Wooddale's fight occurred at Melrose at its homecoming. Westwood was involved in a fight with Fairley in Westwood's homecoming game. Fairley also has been given two years of restrictive probation.
Both games were described as rivalry games.
Fairley, which is a green dot school and not a member of Shelby County Schools, has not appealed the punishment. But Childress said he believes the school will at some point.
Principals and legal counsel for each school spoke at length of the incidents, breaking down video that had been provided. However, that amounted to less than 10 seconds of video for the Fairleywestwood game.
"You think about what the TSSAA stands for — you look at the ethics, integrity, citizenship and sportsmanship," said Board of Control member Kevin Starks, the athletic director at Harding Academy. "That's for all of us.
"That's really what it boils down to. When you walk into an arena or onto a field where the kids play, it's not just the kids we're focused on. We're focused on the safety of everyone that is involved at a sanctioned event.
"You have adults watching games. You have little kids watching games. You have athletes playing. It's for the safety and sportsmanship of everyone involved."
According to the TSSAA letter to Melrose and Wooddale officials, a fight broke out with 1:13 left after a Wooddale player was fouled. As he was headed to the free throw line, the Wooddale player tossed the ball at a Melrose player. In turn, the Melrose player threw the ball at the head of the Wooddale player. A different Wooddale player then grabbed the ball and hit the Melrose player in the head with the ball.
A fight then ensued with fans from both sides coming to the floor. Police used mace to regain control.
"They reacted in a way that is not acceptable at Melrose," Melrose principal Mark Neal said.
Wooddale principal Otis Clayton was able to point out that his basketball team quickly exited the court when the initial punch was thrown. The team was led off the court into the cafeteria away from the activity. Fans, though, entered the floor.
And an incident occurred behind Melrose's bench that led to mace being used. Clayton said he believed that incident involved Melrose fans. But Neal said he believed it was a combination of fans from both schools.
The TSSAA letter to Westwood and Fairley stated that the fight at Westwood began after the game when the teams were in the handshake line. An official blew a whistle to indicate a potential fight was about to occur after a player from Westwood and Fairley squared up. A Fairley coach jumped between the players.
Fans then came onto the floor. The brawl took place at multiple places in the gym, and security officers were also hit by fans.
Four people were arrested later after police responded to a call of about 300 to 400 people fighting in the Westwood parking lot, according to a Memphis police report.
Punishment not new
A year ago the boys basketball teams from Chattanooga Brainerd and Austineast in Knoxville were involved in a fight that resulted in both schools receiving two years of restrictive probation.
Both programs were banned from the 2018 postseason. But the second year was lifted before this season when the administration from both schools showed they took measures to improve sportsmanship.
"We all make mistakes," Childress said during the hearing. "We are dealing with kids. We need to give them a chance to redeem themselves."
More recently, the Antioch and Overton football teams were involved in a brawl after their regular-season finale. Both received two-year postseason bans, which kept Overton out of the 2018 postseason. The schools are working on improving their sportsmanship and will return to the board in June to ask that their postseason bans be lifted for 2019.
Reach Tom Kreager at tkreager@gannett.com or on Twitter @Kreager.