IHSA: Larkin on probation, forfeits basketball wins
Larkin High School in Elgin has been placed on probation and will forfeit its wins in varsity boys and girls basketball, Illinois High School Association Executive Director Marty Hickman ruled Friday.
The ruling comes as a result of the school allowing its head varsity boys and girls basketball coaches to coach without being properly certified, a violation of IHSA bylaws.
Girls basketball coach Alphonso Lott and boys basketball coach Deryn Carter, neither of whom are teachers, will not be allowed to coach anymore this season. The girls' season ended earlier this week in regional play but the boys' season has at least two weeks remaining.
"It's an official warning," Hickman said, noting that the probation extends to all IHSA-regulated interscholastic sports and activities at the school. "We are going to schedule a meeting with (Larkin officials) to review a number of things and to be sure they are in compliance with IHSA rules."
Hickman said the probation period is one calendar year. He also noted that Friday's ruling actually extends Larkin's probationary status. The school was placed on probation in December, Hickman said, for two instances of using an ineligible player in a varsity girls basketball game.
The boys basketball team must forfeit the 7 wins it had this season under Carter. The girls basketball team won only one game and that was against a sophomore team from Joliet in a Christmas tournament.
Lott and Carter are both in their first seasons at Larkin.
High school sports coaches in Illinois who are not teachers are required to be certified. The most common form of certification is through the American Sport Education Program. The IHSA requires coaches pass courses in coaching principles, first aid and IHSA bylaws.
Lott completed the coaching principles course in 1996 but had not completed the other two courses. Carter completed the coaching principles and first aid courses last fall but had not completed the IHSA bylaws course.
"The most significant part of this is that we're going to meet with them to review their procedures," Hickman said. "We're largely a self-policing organization and our concern in this situation is a lack of institutional control and we want to make sure they are in compliance with our rules."
Larkin Athletic Director John Young, the school's official representative to the IHSA, referred the Daily Herald to Elgin Area School District U-46 spokesman Tony Sanders for official comment.
"We should use this as emphasis to following regulations and doing things the right way," Sanders said. "Our goal for the future is to do things the right way. Hopefully we'll use this as a lesson."
Larkin Principal Jon Tuin said: "We're interested in following the rules and I feel badly for the students and for Deryn."
Hickman said that while it is rare for schools to be sanctioned beyond probation, continued violations could cause Larkin to be suspended from IHSA membership.
"It would have to be a total disregard for the rules and an attitude of not wanting to comply for that to happen," Hickman said.
Carter is a Larkin graduate who coached at the University of Missouri-St. Louis the past six years.
"The fact of the matter is I wasn't certified and I coached," Carter told the Daily Herald last week. "It's my name on it and I'll own up to it."
The boys' varsity team is currently being coached by Carter's assistant, Steve Knapp, who is a teacher at the school.
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