State Punts Decision into October by Nicky Arja

     Last season, the GJHS football team finished with a 3-7 record.  Among the efforts used to try to improve the program, 23 eighth graders participated in strength and conditioning training with the varsity last spring.

     However, the team coaches were unaware they were violating Colorado High School Athletic Association’s by-law 2310.1, which states that eighth graders may not practice or compete on the varsity team until they have finished their eighth-grade year.

     “We went to the athletic director, (Greg) King, to make sure allowing (the eighth graders) to do some weights activities with us was OK,” head coach Robbie Owens said.  “King gave us permission.”

     After permission was granted, eighth graders participated in afterschool weightroom activities with Owens for about five weeks.

     However, someone registered a complaint to Paul Cain, Mesa County Valley School District 51 Athletic/Activities Director.

     “I don’t know who reported us,” Principal Jon Bilbo said.  “We made a mistake, and we want to make sure we don’t do it again.”

     Owens and Bilbo self-reported the mistake to CHSAA, and the team was put on a CHSAA restricted list.

     “The restricted list is a sanction that says that the school will not go to the (state) playoffs until such time they are taken off,” Bert Borgmann, CHSAA assistant commissioner, said. “Our expectations are that if (a team) breaks a rule, they self-report.  We have what we believe to be an appropriate penalty that we have to apply.”

     After being put on the restricted list, school officials were told that they would not be allowed to play in any postseason games.

     “Initially, when we got the letter of restriction, I was very concerned.  We had a conference call with CHSAA.  If we didn’t have their assurance that it would be lifted, obviously it would be a downer,” Owens said.

     For the team to be taken off the list, they had to go through an appeal process.  The appeal packet was put together by the new GJHS athletic director Ned Pollert, who filled King’s position after his retirement last spring. The packet was sent to the commissioner of CHSAA.

     “The plan of correction was split between myself, Mr. Cain, Mr. Bilbo and Coach Owens,” Pollert said. 

     The team is hoping the CHSAA executive committee will look at their appeal and remove them from the restricted list.

     “We are hoping they’ll honor our request.  We’re hoping they’ll look and pull us off,” Bilbo said.

     Owens and Bilbo are sure that the team will be taken off the list.

     “I’m confident that it will be lifted.  We went through the appeal process for CHSAA,” Owens said.

     Cain was disappointed with the incident.

     “The coaches did what they should. They talked to their athletic director.  That is what’s so disappointing because Robbie did go talk to Mr. King,” Cain said.

     King was unavailable for a comment, failing to return phone messages.

     To make sure an incident like this does not happen again, preventive measures are being taken in the school.

     “We need our coaches to be aware of the CHSAA rules.  We are putting out a coach’s handbook with by-laws to reinforce it,” Bilbo said.

     The commissioner looked over the appeal packet at the executive committee meeting on Aug. 12-14 and decided they would make a final decision at the October meeting.

     “They want to watch the school for the next seven weeks,” Cain said. “We’ve been assured they will be taken off, but they are waiting until the October meeting.”

     As for the players, they are practicing and gearing up for the season ahead of them.

     “We keep up our intensity. Nothing slows us down,” junior linebacker Aaron Minnick said.

     Senior lineman Cody Cottrell agreed, saying, “Nothing really (changed in the team’s spirits). We knew Owens would take care of it.”

     As the team and the school await an answer from CHSAA, they are being open to the public.

“We have nothing to hide,” Bilbo said.  “We want to do it the right way.”