Skaneateles Football Coach in Hot Water

Tim Green article

*The results of the investigation will be revealed in the next 48 hours.

Former Syracuse University All-American Lineman and NFL Atlanta Falcon defensive tackle Tim Green is under investigation by the Board of Education at the Skaneateles School District, according to the Post-Standard. Green, who's had a successful career as a sports commentator, sports author, and is currently in his second year as head coach of the Skaneateles High School Lakers Varsity football team is facing allegations of breaking recruiting regulations this off-season.

Four players who transferred into the program this off-season attracted the attention of people in Section III who then sent a letter to SHS, according to the Post-Standard. They suggested that Green is recruiting players. The players in question include an incoming sophomore from Chicago and three seniors, two from the Syracuse area and one from as far as Kent County, Virginia, according to the P-S. The players who have transferred into the district have met residency requirements by the Skaneateles High School, and have been cleared to play for the Lakers, according to the P-S.

However, the investigation has been going on since the start of the 2011 football season, and was just concluded on Oct. 5. Eric Ormond, head coach of the Jamesville-Dewitt Varsity Football team says, “Its a difficult situation that is not new to high school sports and allegations of school districts. The challenge for Section III is that they have very little responsibility to conduct investigation and enforce their policies; the school itself usually conducts it. On the positive sign, the school is concerned with the integrity of the program,” said Mr. Ormond. Athletic Director of J-D School District John Goodson said, "it's an internal issue that the school has to take care of, and it's unfortunate on the other hand."

According to the P-S, there are rules set by Section III High School athletics regarding the recruiting process in high school sports. The high school sports rulebook states "the use of undue influence to secure a student for competitive purposes in a sport is prohibited,” according to the P-S. If Green were violating the recruiting process rules, the school would be charged with many consequences, according to the P-S.
Has J-DHS ever experienced anything like this? “We have a successful basketball program, and when you see how talented our players are as a team, it brings attention.,” said Mr. Goodson. "The problem with it is how do you prove undue influence?” he asks. Jim Tuck, assistant coach of the Jamesville-Dewitt junior varsity football team says, "The rules are there for a reason, you must obey them. If you decide to play outside the boundaries of the rulebook, you're forgetting what high school sports is all about. It's about teaching the life process, getting young kids to prepare for the higher levels," says Mr. Tuck.

There is another, more troublesome aspect to this situation. Because all four players are African-American, and there had been only one African American in the school in the 2009-10 year, and in the last decade there were six years where no African-American students were in the district, a “storm” has been created around Green, says the P-S. “It's sad the color of one's skin has to play a role in the investigation of Green,” says Mr. Ormond. “Race shouldn't ever be a factor regarding this whole investigation; I think its a bit sad people would turn to this as being a factor," he said.

Another explanation for the transfer of players is the fact that Green is known around the Syracuse area as someone who could give kids a great opportunity. "Any parent looking for an opportunity would find it appealing,” says Mr. Ormond. “He is for sure drawing kids in. The question becomes whether or not Green has been contacting these kids into moving to the district to play for the team,” he says.

What would be the punishment? "My guess would be that they would have to forfeit all the games the students played in,” says Mr. Ormond. “All the games shall be forfeited and they should have no shot at making the playoffs,” says Tuck; “of course it will hurt those who are apart of the team and had nothing to do with the incident, but then again the school should have investigated the allegations sooner."

Goodson says, “I believe they aren't guilty, or the school would have reported it. The school has been winning ball games and coaches are seeing this after the team had a 3-5 record the previous years and are getting upset.”