Cheerleaders sidelined by MPA rule All-star underclassmen not allowed to perform

A misunderstanding about the Maine Principals’ Association sports season policy involving a cheerleading all-star team at Tuesday’s Big East Conference senior all-star basketball games resulted in some angry parents and confused athletes, and was brought to the MPA’s attention Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Big East Conference director Paul Soucy said the problem arose before a group of Penobscot Valley Conference all-stars were to perform at halftime of the Big East boys senior all-star game at Old Town High School.

The cheerleading team’s roster had been printed on the program for the evening, and Old Town principal Terry Kenniston and athletic director Matt Haney noticed there were underclassmen on the cheerleading team.

Kenniston and Haney approached Soucy and informed him that there were underclassmen on the cheering team. The three administrators determined there were eight underclassmen on the squad.

Underclassmen participating in their sport after the sport season ends is a violation of the MPA’s sports season policy. Only seniors are allowed to participate in all-star activities after the season ends. The closing date for the 2001-2002 winter sports season is Feb. 23.

Soucy then called Dick Durost, the executive director of the MPA, for a ruling on whether allowing the underclassmen to participate in the halftime performance. Soucy said Durost affirmed that it would be a violation.

After speaking with Durost and shortly before the team was to perform, Soucy told the team that if the underclassmen went onto the floor they would be in violation of the sports season rule.

Soucy said several parents of cheerleaders approached him and were angry that the team had put so much time into the performance but were not allowed to perform.

“When we realized what was happening we put on the brakes,” Soucy said Wednesday evening. “To them, the cheerleaders had put in all the time and effort and travel and we did them a disservice. Everybody was angry with me. But in the big picture we did them a favor by not violating an MPA policy.”

Punishment for violating the sports season policy can include a school’s suspension from participating in sports or other MPA activities. A student’s eligibility will not be affected, according to Article I, Section 4 of the sports season policy.

Although the cheerleaders and parents blamed Soucy, it was the PVC that approached him and asked if the cheerleaders could perform at the Big East game. Soucy said yes, and was eager to have some recognition for the cheerleaders, but assumed that the PVC knew it could only send a team of seniors, just like the Big East basketball teams were made up of seniors.

“Ignorance of the rules is no exception,” Soucy said. “I’d make a recommendation to the PVC to select an all-star cheerleading team regardless of [year in school] and also stipulate that the seniors be the ones who participate.”

Wednesday morning Soucy called the PVC schools that were involved to make sure they knew what had happened, and also called MPA assistant executive director Larry LaBrie.

“I called everyone to make sure they understood why we did what we did,” he said. “We received 100 percent support from all the schools. The parents might not understand that.”

The rule in Article 1, Section 2 of the sports season policy states: “Violations of this policy will occur when MPA member schools permit a team or individuals to play or practice a sport outside of the sport’s season. Use of school equipment, provision of transportation by the school or a school-affiliated organization, and use of the school name for out-of-season sports activities constitutes a violation of this policy.”

The rule goes on to state that “coaches or advisors are prohibited from coaching or giving instructions about a sport to members of their teams individually or collectively outside of the sport season for that sport.”

Soucy said several local high school coaches had run the practices for the performance.

The team practiced three times before Tuesday’s game.

There are certain exceptions listed in Article I, Sections 1 and 2 of the policy, but all-star games are not among them.

According to Article IV of the MPA bylaws, parties that break MPA rules will be penalized according to the gravity of the offense. Punishments range from a letter of reprimand to suspension from MPA activities for up to 365 calendar days.

Article 1, Section 3 of the sports season policy states that “The principal of MPA member schools is responsible to interpret both the meaning and intent” of the policy and is “responsible for its enforcement.”

Soucy said the senior cheerleaders were introduced during halftime of the boys game and performed some stunts.