WHS on probation after state violation

The Watertown City School District athletic department has been placed on probation by the Frontier League for violating a state rule that prohibits alumni from practicing with school sports teams.

After reading a Dec. 1 Times story about a scrimmage between the Watertown High School boys basketball team and a group of alumni, someone from another school district sent e-mails to Frontier League officials about Watertown's violation of the state rule, District Superintendent Terry Fralick said at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting.

Fralick declined to say which district the person was from.

Board members voiced their anger that someone contacted the Frontier League to notify them of the Watertown violation.

"That just stinks and shame on whoever did that," board member Cynthia Bufalini said.

Fralick said the rule has "been on the books for years, but isn't enforced all the time." Fralick is a member of the Frontier League executive committee, and he has told the other committee members that the district apologizes for the violation and that it won't happen again.

Being on probation in the Frontier League means that Watertown High School has been identified as a school that broke a state rule. If another state rule is broken, the league would take disciplinary action on the team that could include forced game forfeits.

"With all of the things that are wrong in the world, we're being penalized for this?" board member Yvonne Gebo said. "As an educator, one of the best things you can see is when kids leave this building and they want to come back to see their coaches."