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FARMINGTON – Mt. Blue Regional School District may be facing a violation of Maine Principals’ Association athletic policy, after members of the Mt. Blue High School basketball team held a fundraising activity over the weekend.
Members of the team dribbled basketballs to Wilton, in order to take part in the Blueberry Festival parade. In addition to collecting donations, team members attempted to raise pledges in order to provide funding for the freshman basketball team’s expenses. The school board had cut that money out of the budget earlier this year, in an attempt to compensate for large losses in state subsidies, and the students had expressed a desire to support what they saw as a key aspect of MBHS’ basketball team.
However, the Maine Principals’ Association, which regulates interscholastic activity in Maine, has informed the district that the fundraiser violates the MPA’s Sport Season Policy. Specifically, the policy requires that students not participate in team activities during the two weeks that preceed the fall season, which is scheduled to begin on August 16 this year. The district ran into this issue three years ago, when members of the girls’ soccer team participated in a camp run by a private company.
The rule exists to provide “a window of personal time,” according to Section 1 of the MPA’s Sport Season Policy. Fund raising is allowable by booster clubs, which are considered extensions of the athletic program by the MPA, but not by athletes or coaches.
Superintendent Michael Cormier alerted board members to the MPA’s concerns at Tuesday’s board meeting.
“We’ll have to see where it goes,” he said.
“Violations of [the MPA Sport Season Policy] may result in sanctions against the school,” the policy reads, “in no case will violations of this policy affect a student’s eligibility.”
The basketball players have cancelled another planned fundraiser: the car wash event on Aug. 12 will not be happening.
This is such B.S…good kids having fun and helping the School. Sports and Art = collage.. No Sports no Arts = prison…
Oh puh-leeze!! These kids were trying to raise funds needed that had been taken away by the powers that be. This almost reeks of sour grapes! Give these kids a break.
The Maine Principals’ Association must have some more important problems to ponder.
Way to go for the MPA. When we have people out their thinking outside the box to fund programs instead of using taxpayer dollars, you go and say it violates policy. Maybe in this time and age we should look at certain policies and amend them. Maybe we could get some of the principals that belong to the MPA to give back some salary money to help fund programs that have been cut.
If the students planned the fundraiser it shouldnt be an issue. They wanted to use their “personal time” to raise money for their team. No one forced them to do so. The school shouldnt be punished for it.
its not even basketball season, they have SEVERAL weeks before they get together and practice for their sport. Way to knock some kids down and show them that problem solving for themselves, and not letting budget cuts affect their sport is the wrong thing to do. Maine Principals Association should be awarding these kids for their go getting attitudes and drive to keep their team together, not punishing them. Why dont they cut the MPA budget and see what they do, im sure it wouldnt be make the best of a bad situation and work things out, they would sit on their butts and groan and grumble. Keep up the wonderful work Mt. Blue Boys Basketball, your community is behind you! Keep looking forward and go for your goals. MPA, get a life, why dont you concentrate on the drugs in the schools, focus your efforts there!
Bureaucratic lunacy. Give me a break.
It was the students/players choice to participate in the event… Nobody made them do it, so there for to me, it shouldnt be a violation of the rules. The students know how important the sports at Mt. Blue are, and that the funding was cut, so they did what any person would do, to try to keep something that they like and enjoyed themselves. I think the MPA should find something a little bigger to worry about… Just my thought. I could understand if the coachs MADE the players do this but it was their own choice…
Mt. Blue Sports Boosters should get on this story and set up a web site so people can show the MPA how dumb they are. Have an address where people can donate money because the kids “aren’t allowed” to help the sports team becaue they “need personal time”. Give me a break MPA.
Good job kids!
OK, so I agree that the kids did this on thier own, no coaches were involved etc, but where was the coach on AD with all of this? The MPA rules are not new. Everyone who plays sports knows that this two week period is totally “hands off” where the players and coaches are concerned. This event was written up in the local paper and on this site before it happened so why didn’t the coach and Athletic Director step in and see if any rules would be violated because of it? The thought and intentions for this fundraiser were great, but let’s not slam the MPA for sticking to rules that are laid out in black and white.
If these kids had been out smoking pot or raising hell, a fine would be justified but!!! Where in this society
does “common sence” come into play? Yup, “rules are rules” but sometimes kids earn the right to have fun ,and if this type of activity happens to be fun “and” a way to raise money for a Bastetball program, I say good job. I’ll bet that there were very few people at the parade that day that wasn’t willing to make a donation to a good cause. The Maine Prinicipls Association is a good program and watching High School Basketball every March shows the dedication these folks have toward Maine High School Sports. I would hope that once they recognize this situation with trying to maintain quality in sports programs, espically with the shortage in funds coming out of Augusta, They’ll think twice about taking this any further.
I THINK IF IT IS AN ISSUE FOR THESE KIDS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE SPORT THEY LIKE MAYBE WE SHOULD LET THE MPA DONATE THIER PAYCHECKS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CUT THAT WAS MADE.
THEN MAYBE THEY WILL LOOK AT IT DIFFERENT IF THEY GET SOMETHING TAKEN THAT THEY LIKE.
sure lets kick the ambition right out of those bad kids for trying to do something good…..
mpa@mpa.cc. People should consider writing to them, the Mt. Blue basketball players took initiative and did a wonderful thing, and I highly enjoyed seeing them in the Blueberry Festival Parade, and they need to be stood up for.
Hey ‘community member’…… I agree with everyone’s comments except for yours!
This rule may be in black and white but I think we all agree it needs to be revised especially now that fundraising is more important than ever. If the MPA feels they need to repromand these kids and/or school for their creativity and drive to do something they love (thats actually good for them), then shame on the MPA! Please don’t stick up for the bullies for upholding a BS rule that absolutely needs a ‘slight’ adjustment!
It’s my understanding that the basket ball program had been cut because lack of funds ? If that’s the case that means there could of not been a violation since there was no team . So is that the case ? MPA should worry about keeping sports not punishing kids who are trying to help there school and keep kids off the street !!!! Way to go Mt. Blue players
As you can see, majority agrees, how ridiculous to even have a 2 week rule. Leave it be and let these kids raise the money for a worthy cause. Perhaps some rules need changing!
Actually, the two week rule is an excellent policy that allows families to have a window of personal time where their student athletes can have a break from sports, particularly during summer vacation, without fear of falling behind other athletes or being perceived as “less committed.”
Summer sports start immediately after school ends in June and often continues until the day before the “window” begins. Pre-season for fall sports begins immediately after the two week window. Athletes participating in fall sports are, as far as I know, required to attend sports practices, usually every weekday (in some school districts it’s twice a day), from the time the two week window ends. That two week period is the athlete and family’s only guaranteed time when they can schedule out of town activities or just plain have some down time.
Not participating in summer sports definitely puts an athlete at a disadvantage with regard to other athletes. If it weren’t for the two week window there would be no break time for families to go on vacation together without their student needing to be concerned about “falling behind” or considered to be less committed than other athletes.
This voluntary fund raising activity may have been for a good cause, and it might have been inadvertent that it was scheduled during the two week window, but that doesn’t mean that the policy isn’t a very valuable rule for athletes and families. To be balanced, you can call an activity “voluntary”, but for an athlete who chooses not to participate there can be a very real concern that they won’t be considered to be fully committed and that that will impact their making the team or receiving play time during the season. There’s plenty of time to have voluntary activities such as fund raisers, sports camps, parent meetings, and “captain’s practices” at other times.
I hope the MPA doesn’t sanction the school for this event, but I think that it’s a good reminder that student athletes deserve some time that’s strictly their own. By the way, does it matter to the MPA whether it was the students or coaches who organized the event? The coaches would conceivably have been more aware of the window whereas the students would have less awareness of the particulars of the policy.
I’m disappointed to see this situation exists and even more disappointed to see so much finger pointing and blame gaming by people unwilling to own their commentary by using their names.
My immediate question would be, “How black and white can a rule be if a WINTER sports team is not allowed to participate in an activity two weeks prior to the FALL season?” If this were soccer, cross country, field hockey, football, etc. I’d understand the MPAA’s position. I’d disagree with it, but I’d understand it.
Additionally, how was the MPAA so out of the loop on activities of sports teams in Maine that are highly publicized in local and regional papers? How was the issue not raised prior to the event? There are only so many news agencies in Maine — it would seem relatively routine to check the major daily papers for high school athletics news.
MBHS Basketball used a creative solution to a challenging problem and has found themselves mired in that classic case of “the rules that protect can be the same ones that harm.” Hopefully the parties involved can find some middle ground and the MPAA can recognize the spirit of this effort was not to create unfair or unsafe conditions for our scholastic athletes.
It was to keep scholastic athletes a reality for ninth grade boys basketball at MBHS.
I sent this email to MPA
What planet do you people spend most of your time on?
Some players from Mt. Blue spend their own time trying to help out the Freshman program for which funds have been cut – showing community spirit, initiative, etc., etc. and a bunch of administrative “codgers” try to find a violation of their policy and punish them.
Is this America or some Middle Eastern state? Maybe they should be stoned for such a serious transgression?
Why don’t you use your time working on real issues rather than trying to rule some kind of kingdom?
I’d suggest some of your budget be taken and given to the Mt. Blue Freshmen basketball program.
Thanks for listening and think about how silly you look.
I understand the ‘hands – off” period during the summer but these kids were not forced to attend this activity. I know that the students that participate in basketball do spend a lot of their time practicing but being part of the Blueberry Festival was not a practice, it was nothing that was manditory, it was an event that some of the players thought would be a good bonding experience. The players informed all of the kids on the team about the idea and let them know that they all were more than welcome to attend but never once did they say that they all had to be there, it was optional.
I also find it very sad that these kids are getting such bad publicity about this when all they were trying to do was fundraise in order to give the soon to be freshmen the same opportunities that they all had at the start of high school. I know how many people are upset about this, one person in particular said to me “I hope that I never forget what it felt like to be a teenager” and that really stuck with me. I don’t think that the MPA is really thinking outside of the box with this and thinking about what these kids really are doing and what THEY would have done if they were in their shoes. If the MPA could just stop and think for a moment about what they are doing to the confidence, ambition, and self initiative of these students maybe they would realize that these kids have something special, they are caring and selfless, just doing something to better the sport for the kids to come.
My heart goes out to all of them.
It seems to me that the majority of parents work. By the last month of vacation, the kids are bored. So if they
take time to ponder ideas to keep their team going and have fun doing the project, seems like a good idea to me. Keep em busy. I must say they were a joy to watch! GO TEAM GO!!!!!!!!
As a recent graduate of MBHS, an athlete, and an active community member, this matter truly hits home with me. Our school has had so many budget cuts recently, and it with the money problems the school is facing it will show to you the programs that mean the most to the kids and the parents — because they’ll be the ones fighting for it. The boys basketball team is fighting for this for a reason – and being completely selfless about it. They had the opportunity to play basketball as a freshman, and for some of them it’s the reason they’re still playing, and they want to give the opportunity back to the upcoming freshman. Why would anyone try to take that away from them? — A rule book is a rule book, and I completely understand the two week hands off period, but this isn’t a fall sport, this is for winter basketball. This doesn’t have to do with the coaches, this has to do with players, and most importantly opportunity. If you don’t have people being active to try and save a program, then what is MBHS going to come too? There isn’t the money from the state to fund these programs, and any kid that has the initiative to fundraise for themselves, shouldn’t that be praised instead of punished. I have spent the many years as a huge MBHS boys basketball fan, and I see absolutely no reason to punish a wonderful group of kids who aren’t doing something for themselves, they are doing it for the other people who have the desire to play basketball — not everyone can play JV or Varsity basketball, there’s a limit of how many people to take on a team, and by having these kids try to save a program that starts so many freshman off playing basketball in high school, it gives them opportunity. Why take this opportunity away from them? — Mount Blue Boys Basketball — Keep doing what you’re doing, because in the eyes of the community, you are amazing people with a wonderful amount of drive to help save this program. Thank you for everything you’ve done , and I truly will help fight for this, because it’s something I do believe in.
Good points by all in this blog. All I have to say as a parent of one of these kids… I could not be more proud of them. They saw a problem, planned a strategy and got the job done… TOGETHER. I think it’s a shame that there may be a bitter taste in some of the kids mouths because of this “violation.” I can tell you exactly what I have told my son when he was frustrated about this whole thing; “are you proud of who you see in the mirror?” I wonder how the MPA can answer that question.
I agree that the athletes on the team did a great thing in taking the initiative to fund raise for their team in these extremely trying financial times. I hope that, since the kids did this on their own without realizing that they were violating any rules, the school won’t be penalized by the MPA.
For those who are critical of the rule, you might want to read it if you haven’t already done so:
http://www.mpa.cc/id_seasonpolicy.html
Best of luck to the MBHS Basketball Team — I hope your fundraising is successful and you’re able to finance a freshman team for this year. Perhaps the publicity this issue has generated will encourage some donations by those who support the team!
How many times in past years has the MPA been on the “wrong side” of what most would consider “the right thing to do”. When will the MPA evaluate and adjust their mission and rules to assist children in meeting the challenges of these times?
I have now read through those rules multiple times and I see a tremendous amount of gray area. The Bulldog article cites Section 1 so I’ll limit my comments to that portion, even though I see a lack of clarity throughout the policy.
Are these athletes ineligible for fall sport participation because of a winter sport event? The two week period in August is specifically cited as “a window of personal time similar to the time available prior to the winter and spring sports seasons.” If that is the case, how can the MPA criticize members of a basketball team for participating in a non-practice, non-competitive, non-mandatory fundraising event? There is already a two week personal time window there for the winter sport athletes and the MPA recognizes such.
My understanding is that the spirit of these policies is to protect student athletes, to keep overzealous coaches and an increasingly hypercompetitive world from exploiting adolescents. These are noble and important goals.
Still, they allow student athletes to attend camps designed to enhance performance and competitive edges, but not to hold events designed to enable participation at all?
I applaud efforts to protect our student athletes. Those protections should be characterized by clarity and transparency and I do not believe this policy, as written, meets those standards.
Section 4 says, “in no case will violations of this policy affect a student’s eligibility.” So we shouldn’t be looking at any students becoming ineligible to participate because of this.
But it also says (Section 1), “It is understood that fund raising is exempt from this restriction for boosters clubs but not athletes and coaches.”
It repeatedly says that “individuals” may choose to participate in outside sports activities during this period; it’s organized team activities that are forbidden. Activities are prohibited from being organized not only by coaches but also by “school affiliated organizations and their members, captains, and players.”
I don’t see anything in any of the news reports that says that the MPA is actually going to penalize the school, just that they’re advised the district that they are in violation. I think the fact that the school did the right thing by self-reported the violation, and the that this was done by students who obviously weren’t aware of the rule regarding fundraising, will help. I think it’s also possible that the students didn’t realize that captains and players aren’t allowed to organize events. This was clearly a well intentioned (not to mention highly admirable) event with absolutely no intent to violate any policies.
In the meantime, team members, feel good about what you’ve done and what you’ll continue to accomplish. You’ve got a lot to be proud of. Your families, school and community have thrown their support behind you, and I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic season. Best of luck!