Storyline: FH forfeits games due to an ineligible player - Part II

[TDHelmick]

LINK: https://cumberlandsmagic.com/2025/01/22/11475/

Story is up and running. This is the father's side of the story, not mine. I am doing all I can so far to remove opinion and just telling what happened.

From what I see, this whole thing (regardless of who is right or wrong) is based on administrative issues, procedural errors and an unwritten policy employees and parents have no clue as to the details. It's like all sides are trying to put together a puzzle where all the pieces don't fit.

Apologies for the paragraph spacing. This became a platform issue with copy & paste. Other social media outlets have the spacing - which is easier on the eyes.

 

[hbpass2]

Talk about moving the goal posts and then taking the goal posts down completely at the end. What a terrible look for the BOE. It really makes you wonder if Jeff blank retiring had anything to do with how messed up this situation got.

 

[TDHelmick]

Talk about moving the goal posts and then taking the goal posts down completely at the end. What a terrible look for the BOE. It really makes you wonder if Jeff blank retiring had anything to do with how messed up this situation got.

If the procedures to re-enroll the son at Fort Hill this January were in place back in August, none of this would have happened.

But there was no procedure to prevent such, which is why it was like a puzzle with pieces that don't fit that every student, parent, PPW, principal, coach had to assemble and interpret.

 

[Lagmeister]

Finally some procedures with teeth were put in place. But why all the eventual pound-of-flesh documentation when historically you'd expect people moving into the community from out of state would want to do the right thing and be part of the community. It appears that was never the intent.

So, nobody cares about the position it puts the students... the coach... the program... the school... in fact, Cumberland as a whole - yes Cumberland... because the Fort Hill football program is probably the last crown jewel left in the city.

 

[wvbossman]

Finally some procedures with teeth were put in place. But why all the eventual pound-of-flesh documentation when historically you'd expect people moving into the community from out of state would want to do the right thing and be part of the community. It appears that was never the intent.

So, nobody cares about the position it puts the students... the coach... the program... the school... in fact, Cumberland as a whole - yes Cumberland... because the Fort Hill football program is probably the last crown jewel left in the city.

The last two sentences of paragraph one says all that needs to be said. BOE's are far from perfect but it would never had been an issue had the adult done what was right. Case closed!

 

[TDHelmick]

The last two sentences of paragraph one says all that needs to be said. BOE's are far from perfect but it would never had been an issue had the adult done what was right. Case closed!

Done what was right? What would that be?

Doesn't matter. The MPSSAA should never have been involved like countless of times the past 2 decades. He was eligIble up until Homecoming. Going back and retro actively forcing forfeits by the same group that made him eligible in the first place, even after the head coach called them out, is as stupid as it can get.

 

[wvbossman]

Done what was right? What would that be?

Doesn't matter. The MPSSAA should never have been involved like countless of times the past 2 decades. He was eligIble up until Homecoming. Going back and retro actively forcing forfeits by the same group that made him eligible in the first place, even after the head coach called them out, is as stupid as it can get.

The Dad should have done what was right. You want to play somewhere you move there or do the procedures right. He lied and got caught. The unfortunate thing was that the kids got pushished. I'm not here to argue the point of the losses just that the Dad should have done the right thing.

 

[FHHSAHS]

You don't change the mailing address of a utility bill to Cumberland for a residence in WV. He knew exactly what he was up to.

This is on the parents.

Period.

 

[FHHSAHS]

So just to clarify, are the points of these articles to try and exonerate the parent (which they do the opposite) or to show that FH shouldn't have been punished? Either way, this latest article does a good job of showing how when a parent makes the decision to lie they will get mired in bureaucracy trying to fix things...all the while causing stress and anxiety to everyone along the way. FH got caught up in it.

Probably wasn't your intention, but this last installment is a pretty strong indictment against Babo.

 

[wvbossman]

So just to clarify, are the points of these articles to try and exonerate the parent (which they do the opposite) or to show that FH shouldn't have been punished? Either way, this latest article does a good job of showing how when a parent makes the decision to lie they will get mired in bureaucracy trying to fix things...all the while causing stress and anxiety to everyone along the way. FH got caught up in it.

Probably wasn't your intention, but this last installment is a pretty strong indictment against Babo.

Time for all of us to move on from this.

 

[TDHelmick]

You don't change the mailing address of a utility bill to Cumberland for a residence in WV. He knew exactly what he was up to.

This is on the parents.

Period.

The goal was to put no opinion in these first two parts. Just tell the story of what happened. Readers can make up their own mind on who/what may have been right or wrong.

On here, most know I have no issues speaking my mind. I agree with what you stated concerning the utility bill with a different mailing address. But you also don't accept that utility bill as a decision maker. Do you not agree? Pretty ridiculous a parent would offer it and way more ridiculous the BOE would accept it. Then turn around 2 months later and punish an entire team on a bad decision you made. If I am the person in charge of approving the transfer, especially when the head coach just questioned this decision, I'm telling the father "sorry, but that bill is not acceptable." That seems like common sense. Maybe I'm off my rocker as I get old, LOL.

The people in charge originally are all good people I actually trust. I think some mistakes were made with policy (or a lack of) and it didn't get handled well when the house of cards collapsed.

Seems to me the stuff that was required to re-enroll the son the second time around was the right way to do this through policy. Show me you are paying Maryland taxes, etc. I'm assuming this may be the policy now moving forward. But who knows.

 

[FHHSAHS]

Time for all of us to move on from this.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[ravemwp]

Of course the parent was originally wrong, but that doesn’t exonerate the BOE. Remember the BOE basically approved him with no real concrete confirmation of proof of residency. When he decided to play football, and the coach, and administrators reached out to BOE for clarity on this particular student, again he was approved. My belief at this point, partly because in small town America everyone is in the know of athletic transfers, that a thorough investigation should have been done. The BOE wouldn’t grant FH an investigation, but 7 weeks later some dude named Justin, can blow this all up with a simple phone call. I will reiterate that my reason for wanting the truth to be told, was to reform the system. I think all of this could have been avoided if the original enrollment process was the same as the re-enrollment process. You can bet your a$$ had Maddox Twigg tried to enroll at FH the investigation would have been long and deep, before he even stepped foot on that campus. You do know that if a student is approved for enrollment at a particular school, and the family moves out of that school district during the school year, that the student is eligible to finish the school year at their current school. So technically once the BOE deemed him eligible to attend FH, his family could have moved to Montana, and he would have the option to finish the school year at FH provided he could get himself there. One thing I wholeheartedly agree with is that you are eligible until you ineligible. You can’t retroactively penalize. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Yes the parent was wrong, but the BOE is equally to blame.

 

[ravemwp]

The goal was to put no opinion in these first two parts. Just tell the story of what happened. Readers can make up their own mind on who/what may have been right or wrong.

On here, most know I have no issues speaking my mind. I agree with what you stated concerning the utility bill with a different mailing address. But you also don't accept that utility bill as a decision maker. Do you not agree? Pretty ridiculous a parent would offer it and way more ridiculous the BOE would accept it. Then turn around 2 months later and punish an entire team on a bad decision you made. If I am the person in charge of approving the transfer, especially when the head coach just questioned this decision, I'm telling the father "sorry, but that bill is not acceptable." That's seems like common sense. Maybe I'm off my rocker as I get old, LOL.

Seems to me the stuff that was required to re-enroll the son the second time around was the right way to do this through policy. Show me you are paying Maryland taxes, etc. I'm assuming this may be the policy now moving forward. But who knows.

I’m laughing out loud as we must have been writing the exact same thing in so many words at the exact same time. 😂😂

 

[TDHelmick]

I couldn't agree more.

Don't mean this in disrespect, but move on if you choose. It's easy. "All of us" can make up our own minds. I still have a final Part III coming out.

The story needed told. As I keep repeating...had this all went down a week later, FH has their season ended. That's a problem that deserves the attention.

 

[wvbossman]

I will agree that perhaps in the times we are living in now, with multiple transfers yearly, that some type of policy needs put in place to make the punishment fit the athlete individually more than the team. Of course if there is evidence of tampering by a coach then that would be different. In this case that would not apply.

With the family dynamics in a state of chaos everywhere, school systems really struggle trying to make sure that students are going to school in the right place. These poor students live with Moms, Dad’s, Mom’s Boyfriends, Dad’s Girlfriends, Grandma, Grandpap, Aunts, Uncles and Foster Parents. Imagine trying to police all of that and then throw in athletic transfers.


There are an over abundance of policies and rules put in place at the federal, state and local levels that tie funding into enrollment and specific needs of students and parents. Contrary to what we want, students cannot just go where they want because of all of this. There has to be some kind or structure to keep it all together but those whose job it is to do that certainly have my sympathy.

 

[FHHSAHS]

Don't mean this in disrespect, but move on if you choose. It's easy. "All of us" can make up our own minds. I still have a final Part III coming out.

The story needed told. As I keep repeating...had this all went down a week later, FH has their season ended. That's a problem that deserves the attention.

What deserves attention is the fact that ALL of this was avoidable. The parent, who admitted several times in your article to lying, caused ALL of this. He admitted to falsifying a utility bill. He admitted the child was NOT spending nights at the Cumberland location and had only been there a handful of times in the previous months.

Also, it is well known that he had talked to several sources about his son playing football at FH over the summer. I overheard one of those conversations myself. This was a scheme. That's what deserves attention.


Again, dishonorable actions have far reaching consequences. People who've done nothing wrong get caught up in it. The ONLY person who did anything wrong in this whole issue was the parent. Everyone else was caught in the crossfire. You're seemingly insinuating that those caught in the gunfight should've moved...not that the person shooting shouldn't have been shooting in the first place.

From a pragmatist POV such as mine, the energy and focus of this whole ordeal is aimed at the wrong target.

 

[westernMD]

Here's the problem, if the student only stayed at the Cumberland location 10 total days for the months of September and October, then he was ineligible. A residence is where you live and sleep. Renting an apartment but not staying there is trying to game the system. I agree the BOE seemed to keep moving the goal posts and I feel the father's frustration as we all despise the red tape of government bureaucracy but in reading this as a neutral observer, the father is not blameless here. If you live in West Virginia, you should attend school in WV. If Frankfort wasn't right for the kid, there is always Keyser or Hampshire. If you don't pay Maryland taxes, you shouldn't be allowed to attend public school in Maryland.

 

[wvbossman]

What deserves attention is the fact that ALL of this was avoidable. The parent, who admitted several times in your article to lying, caused ALL of this. He admitted to falsifying a utility bill. He admitted the child was NOT spending nights at the Cumberland location and had only been there a handful of times in the previous months.

Also, it is well known that he had talked to several sources about his son playing football at FH over the summer. I overheard one of those conversations myself. This was a scheme. That's what deserves attention.


Again, dishonorable actions have far reaching consequences. People who've done nothing wrong get caught up in it. The ONLY person who did anything wrong in this whole issue was the parent. Everyone else was caught in the crossfire. You're seemingly insinuating that those caught in the gunfight should've moved...not that the person shooting shouldn't have been shooting in the first place.

From a pragmatist POV such as mine, the energy and focus of this whole ordeal is aimed at the wrong target.

This is common in WV also. Maryland has the MPSSA and WV has the WVSSAC. They are the governing bodies of high school sports in their respective states. They are far from perfect but the have the impossible job of enforcing rules that everyone likes to break and then find ways to project the blame on the organization or circumvent the consequences from their actions which often includes ending up in court.

Ironically it was not like that for decades, Minor issues yes, but the ongoing chaos that they have to deal with now, no way. There is no respect for authority anymore which is a big reason why we have shortages of teachers, police, game officials and coaches. You reap waht you sow.

 

[ravemwp]

I know that I have been repeating some things ad nauseam. The father was wrong. We get that. What’s the old cliché. “Sometimes the cover up is worse than the crime”. I just can’t seem to get past why coach Alkire’s request for clarity on eligibility seemed to just slide right past the BOE without raising any red flags, yet some random dude named Justin got the BOE to do a full court press, simply by questioning why Babo was in math class. Because we all know that the real reason Justin called was because of his concern that Babo was getting a Maryland education, but paying WVA taxes. Football never entered into the equation. Let’s be real here, if not for football this call never gets made, and the kid gets a Maryland education, and how many here would have cared. So again I say, nobody here really gives a damn where a kid goes to school, we only care were he plays sports. Doesn’t that make us all a little hypocritical.

 

[ravemwp]

This is common in WV also. Maryland has the MPSSA and WV has the WVSSAC. They are the governing bodies of high school sports in their respective states. They are far from perfect but the have the impossible job of enforcing rules that everyone likes to break and then find ways to project the blame on the organization or circumvent the consequences from their actions which often includes ending up in court.

Ironically it was not like that for decades, Minor issues yes, but the ongoing chaos that they have to deal with now, no way. There is no respect for authority anymore which is a big reason why we have shortages of teachers, police, game officials and coaches. You reap waht you sow.

In actuality it has always been going on in Cumberland. For instance when FH won its first state championship in 1975, it was no secret that their original starting QB lived right smack dab in the middle of Allegany territory. People have always found ways to circumvent the system. I don’t claim to know the answers, but I do believe we do need bring the system into the 21st century. Maybe someone can clarify the Allegany County school district’s. It’s my understanding that one of the most important factors was transportation to and from the closest school. If someone can clarify that, please do. I am not positive on that. Transportation in 1925 is not the same as 2025.

 

[MCsoccerplex]

In actuality it has always been going on in Cumberland. For instance when FH won its first state championship in 1975, it was no secret that their original starting QB lived right smack dab in the middle of Allegany territory. People have always found ways to circumvent the system. I don’t claim to know the answers, but I do believe we do need bring the system into the 21st century. Maybe someone can clarify the Allegany County school district’s. It’s my understanding that one of the most important factors was transportation to and from the closest school. If someone can clarify that, please do. I am not positive on that. Transportation in 1925 is not the same as 2025.

You are correct about FH’s QB in ‘75. He lived on the same street as Braddock Middle School. Unfortunately, due to illness, he was not able to finish the ‘75 season.

As I know it, the ACPS permits in-county transfers (out of district permits) as long as parents/guardians provide transportation to the school.

There is a formal process that needs to be followed.

School administrators can accept or reject an out of district permit. Often times such decisions are made based on the requesting transfer’s past attendance, past grades, the reason for the request, and past behavior.

Again, the previous is based on an in county transfer.

Regarding a student living out of county or out of state, proof of residence in Allegany County would be needed or the $18,000.00 tuition fee would need to be paid. Transportation would need to be provided by the family, too.

 

[FHHSAHS]

It may be lost in my presentation, I DO agree that there needs to be clear and concise adherence to out of state transfer issues - does that mean new policies need created or more strict attention to the policies that exist - I dont know. It doesn't seem to be that pervasive - however it is ironic that this year there were two publicly discussed situations that were handled very differently with out of state transfers. One from WV to MD and another from MD to WV. I have no dog in the fight or insight into the process of going from MD to WV, but my assumption is it was done correctly as there was no fallout. But I digress...my concern is not about the "why," if families make decisions to send their kids wherever, that's their decision and its between them and their respective BOEs.

But we can't lose sight of the fact that if you don't do it the right way, especially if you intentionally are doing it in a sketchy way, existing policy may not be clear enough on figuring that out ahead of time. And you are going to create a real mess. As we've seen. Can the BOE do better, probably. But do I think the ACBOE policies were the reason this became a mess, no.

 

[Lagmeister]

“This....is a travesty. It's
a travesty of a mockery of a
sham of a mockery of a
travesty of two mockeries
of a sham.”
-Woody Allen -

If layered misfeasance is malfeasance, then the end result was always a fait accompli.​

 

[OneRing]

Don't mean this in disrespect, but move on if you choose. It's easy. "All of us" can make up our own minds. I still have a final Part III coming out.

The story needed told. As I keep repeating...had this all went down a week later, FH has their season ended. That's a problem that deserves the attention.

I think he means you need to stop inventing slights against the FH program that don't exist.

As has been said a million times, if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle. As others have said, had the coaching staff not played a player they themselves thought was invalid, none of this would have happened.

There's a lot of ifs in this story, ifs that only a handful of people care about. Which is why no one has covered it. Most people forgot about it.

 

[BrianH1974]

some in this area are either blind or intentionally stupid. there has ben a handful of big time players on alco, fh, ridge that live in a different state since 2000. One was a basketball player of the year for alco. everyone knew it at the board. But now all of the sudden fh football is gone to forfeit games and suspend over it. This was about fh football period from the anon calls, to boe, to new rules applied, the whole wax.

 

[Lagmeister]

I think he means you need to stop inventing slights against the FH program that don't exist.

As has been said a million times, if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle. As others have said, had the coaching staff not played a player they themselves thought was invalid, none of this would have happened.

There's a lot of ifs in this story, ifs that only a handful of people care about. Which is why no one has covered it. Most people forgot about it.

Speaking of nobody caring.....if your aunt had balls few would care that she'd be a tranny.... that is... unless auntie were wearing 6-inch stiletto thigh-high stretch boots and little else during a drag queen story hour at the library.

Still, you raise a valid point as to why put the high-profile athlete on the team when there were enough issues to go to the BOE about.... and did the BOE think that since the coach put 'em on the team that they weren't going to stand in the way.

Still.... how do the student athletes get their season back? How does the program get its image back? All this pussyfootin' and poontangin' around about kids crossing town to play football never was the issue. The issue is how a high-profile athlete from out of state manages to get on and stay on the football team long enough to trash it.

Bottom line for me is not why this happened but rather why did this take so long to happen. Was this out of state thing new and therefore nobody really knew how to handle it.... or, more logical is that it has happened frequently and finally exploded at the school a whole lot of folks were envious of.

 

[ravemwp]

I think he means you need to stop inventing slights against the FH program that don't exist.

As has been said a million times, if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle. As others have said, had the coaching staff not played a player they themselves thought was invalid, none of this would have happened.

There's a lot of ifs in this story, ifs that only a handful of people care about. Which is why no one has covered it. Most people forgot about it.

Had you even considered the ramifications and consequences FH might have faced if they singled out a particular BOE deemed eligible player and not allowed him to play.

 

[ravemwp]

Speaking of nobody caring.....if your aunt had balls few would care that she'd be a tranny.... that is... unless auntie were wearing 6-inch stiletto thigh-high stretch boots and little else during a drag queen story hour at the library.

Still, you raise a valid point as to why put the high-profile athlete on the team when there were enough issues to go to the BOE about.... and did the BOE think that since the coach put 'em on the team that they weren't going to stand in the way.

Still.... how do the student athletes get their season back? How does the program get its image back? All this pussyfootin' and poontangin' around about kids crossing town to play football never was the issue. The issue is how a high-profile athlete from out of state manages to get on and stay on the football team long enough to trash it.

Bottom line for me is not why this happened but rather why did this take so long to happen. Was this out of state thing new and therefore nobody really knew how to handle it.... or, more logical is that it has happened frequently and finally exploded at the school a whole lot of folks were envious of.

Could not agree more!! Though it is my understanding that the coach and administrators did go back to the BOE, questioning and or double checking his eligibility. Were told he is good to go, wasn’t until after that 2nd confirmation did the kid see the field.

 

[Lagmeister]

Had you even considered the ramifications and consequences FH might have faced if they singled out a particular BOE deemed eligible player and not allowed him to play.

If the coach of one of the best programs in the state merely decides not to uniform a player.... any player... because they are not a good fit or they don't fill a needed slot.... ugh... why would there be ramifications? Or is it that said coach has already announced the kid is on the team pending a review... still, why would the coach take the kid in the first place knowing (what a whole lot of people apparently knew) that there was a cloud over the young man.

 

[ravemwp]

If the coach of one of the best programs in the state merely decides not to uniform a player.... any player... because they are not a good fit or they don't fill a needed slot.... ugh... why would there be ramifications? Or is it that said coach has already announced the kid is on the team pending a review... still, why would the coach take the kid in the first place knowing (what a whole lot of people apparently knew) that there was a cloud over the young man.

My understanding is that once a student is eligible to attend a school, he is eligible to participate in any extracurricular activities. My point is could you imagine this kid being the only kid in school not allowed to participate, or be cut, without real provocation. Apparently fit in well, was talented enough, and eligible.

 

[wvbossman]

Fort Hill is a great football program. Because of that greatness a lot of good has come their way. State Chamionships, state records, recognition locally, regionally and nationally. A player who has made it to the pro's and is having an excellent career and numerous players advacning to the next level and helping get their education paid for by using the skills developed at Fort Hill.

However with all the good also comes some bad. When you are that good for that long you will always have someone looking to take you out either on the field or off through accusations, rumours, etc. You will also have players and parents wanting to flock to the program not for the good of the program but for selfish and greedy reasons with disregard to what Fort Hill has created.

Someone who works within the program told me last spring that they felt all of the success had made some of the players complacent and that winning and championships did not mean as much to some of the players within the program. They felt that perhaps some adversity might serve them well.

The good within this bad situation with the ineligibile player and all that has ensued is that the players have learned how to overcome and perservere. They have seen adversity that they have never experienced (away games, long bus rides, losses per se, questions about program integrity, etc) but they learned that they can work through these things. That life lessons may serve them far greater than another championship.

They may have learned that not all are interested in becoming part of their program for the sake of the program or school but just to attach themselves to it, hoping for personal gain from something that many before them have sacrificed to build.

Let's not do a disservice to these young men by telling them they are victims. When you cultivate the mindset that you are a victim you become incapable of reaching you empower your enemies. Bad things happen to good people but good people become great people by working through bad things!