2008 Woodie Awards
Commissioner Reduces Football Probation
Jon Dustin Brooks
Issue date: 10/13/04 Section: News
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Dr. Aviva Kamin, commissioner of the Western State Conference, modified her previously imposed two-year ban from post-season play after Citrus officials submitted an appeal letter to the WSC on Sept 22.
Kamin subsequently sent an email to Citrus stating that she had made a mistake and was reducing the penalty from two years to one.
"I stand corrected regarding the sanction of the two-year probation and have corrected my mistake to make the sanction one year," Kamin said. "I am sorry I have caused you and the college undue work in rectifying my mistake."
The original ruling, handed down by Kamin on Sept 4, called for Citrus to be banned from post-season play through 2005 because of illegal recruitment of out-of-district players.
That ruling was too harsh, according to the Commission on Athletics Constitution.
Under section 7.4.3 of the COA Constitution, a sanction may include placing the violating college's athletic department on a one-year probation for the sport that was involved, but a two-year ban clearly exceeds that which is authorized.
"We saw one section that said the conference commissioner should not ever award more than a one-year probation," said Jody Wise, dean of physical education and athletics at Citrus College, "and that was the basis of our appeal."
In Sept. Citrus was found in violation of the first contact rule, which states that a school may recruit players only within its recruiting area.
Any student outside of a college's recruiting area must make "first contact" with the school before being recruited.
Citrus is the defending 2003 WSC co-champion. Thus far, the Owls are 4-1, 2-1 in conference play.
Despite the impossibility of competing in the playoffs this year, Citrus head coach Kevin Emerson is still focused on winning a conference championship.