Storyline: FH forfeits games due to an ineligible player

[TDHelmick]

This will be released in 3 parts. This is Part I. These are not opinion pieces. Only an attempt to tell the story of how this happened. Part 3 will be more opinion.

I could have easily just dropped this story and did a couple of times. But no one was reporting this story publicly. I felt the players and coaches had a right to have their roles explained.

LINK: https://cumberlandsmagic.com/2025/0...its-games-due-to-use-of-an-ineligible-player/

 

[52 to victory]

Great article. Looking forward to the rest. The big question is… who has it out so bad for FH? Opposing school/fan? An inside job? Someone jealous of what Alkire is accomplishing?

 

[hbpass2]

How has the BOE and specifically the direct members who cleared this case been able to slide under the radar and not be questioned for damn near 3 months now. Sounds like there is a ton of people who owe FH and the coaches and administrators a huge apology.

There is to much anonymity in this story. It’d be a shame if someone “anonymously” leaked the name of the caller and the letter writer.

 

[Bleedred4life]

Little Brother (Frankfort) tried to pull a fast one to be declared the best team in the area but failed. Big question, where did the first call come from? That shouldn't be hard for the BOE to answer. It doesn't make the kid legal but at least we find out who sat on this for eight weeks and then tried to sabotage the program.

 

[TDHelmick]

So much wrangling over who the anonymous "disgrunter" may be. Don't assume anything, lots of disgruntled people. I have my own trail, but no proof. Accusations without proof are not good for anyone.

The more I talked to those involved, the more my view changed. One thing that will be demonstrated in Part II of this story is that the ineligible player wasn't transferring for athletic reasons. He wasn't interested in playing football anywhere. Those wishing to distribute blame, even from the inside, need to walk in other people's shoes sometimes.

 

[ravemwp]

As I said in a previous thread, the story (truth) needs to told. Not for shame or blame, but for resolution. The number one question for me is how do we stop this from happening again. People will always find ways to manipulate the system, so maybe it's time to update the system into the world we live in now. Not the system that our great grandparents set up.

 

[TDHelmick]

As I said in a previous thread, the story (truth) needs to told. Not for shame or blame, but for resolution. The number one question for me is how do we stop this from happening again. People will always find ways to manipulate the system, so maybe it's time to update the system into the world we live in now. Not the system that our great grandparents set up.

Exactly. That is my ultimate goal.

This incident went well beyond county walls. FH has always had trouble finding games in the past, this situation now makes every AD have reservations about picking up a team that is thought to have ineligible players from other states.

When I was leaving the Cambridge game, there was a car full of students cursing at FH fans coming out of the gate screaming things like y'all are a bunch of cheaters, using illegal players, etc. Yea, the storyline needed told without opinion. Just what happened at least. For some reason, no media outlet chose to cover this story despite the fact this has never happened before. The coaches and players had no avenue to speak publicly about their role. That was absurd, so I stepped up.

 

[TDHelmick]

Another thing to add...I have realized that transferring schools is not always about where those athletes are headed, but more so about where they came from. In this case, when you get beat 30 times in a row, when you get beat 50-0 at halftime, and it just continues over and over and over - kids want out. It's human nature and doesn't require a recruiting platform from the other side.

College is different with money involved. But prior to NIL, college athletes were transferring for the same reason. Yea, "the grass is always greener" is a good cliché. But a better way to phrase it would be more like "the old grass was browner."

 

[ultrawalt]

Based on what you have so far, the multiple residences/lack of regular arrangements the student legally qualifies as homeless under McKinley-Vinto and could open up a different can of worms for the Board of Education if the family is so inclined or informed of those rights.