Following a series of unsportsmanlike incidents by an administrator and coaches of the Lighthouse College Prep Academy (CPA) boys basketball team, IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig has issued penalties and placed the boys basketball program on probation for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.
During last Friday’s game (Jan. 29) played at Bowman Academy in Gary, Lighthouse CPA athletic director Lawrence Sandlin was ejected from the contest near the end of the third quarter for arguing with contest officials. After a traveling violation was called with 6:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, head coach Nick Moore threw a chair onto the floor, attempted to throw a second chair a few seconds later, and then tossed another basketball onto the playing court. Assistant coach KeVan Ford later heaved a chair across the court shortly after the final buzzer had sounded.
“There is simply no place in education-based athletics for this type of poor behavior. This adult behavior will not be tolerated. I commend the Lighthouse CPA administration on their swift action in dealing with the situation and expect a positive change in the expectations and standards moving forward,” said Commissioner Neidig.
Per IHSAA By-Laws, the athletic director is suspended for the team’s next varsity contest and all other interschool contests at any level in the interim. Prior to the penalties being issued regarding the coaches, the Lighthouse CPA administration indicated to the commissioner that both coaches were disciplined according to school policy and procedure.
Probation - which will not affect the remainder of the school’s regular season or its participation in the state tournament because of these incidents - is official notice serious violations have occurred, are a matter of record and future, similar incidents will not be tolerated. The IHSAA also applauds the student athletes involved in the game for not adversely reacting to the egregious display of poor sportsmanship and behavior by adults. Their response to this unacceptable adult behavior falls in line with our expectations of student athletes.
The IHSAA emphatically promotes respect for the rules, sportsmanlike conduct, and fair play among its 410 member schools and their student-athletes. Good sportsmanship is one of the primary tenets of education-based athletics and has come into even greater focus in recent years with the creation of the IHSAA Sportsmanship Program, the Sportsmanship Task Force, and multiple media campaigns.
During last Friday’s game (Jan. 29) played at Bowman Academy in Gary, Lighthouse CPA athletic director Lawrence Sandlin was ejected from the contest near the end of the third quarter for arguing with contest officials. After a traveling violation was called with 6:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, head coach Nick Moore threw a chair onto the floor, attempted to throw a second chair a few seconds later, and then tossed another basketball onto the playing court. Assistant coach KeVan Ford later heaved a chair across the court shortly after the final buzzer had sounded.
“There is simply no place in education-based athletics for this type of poor behavior. This adult behavior will not be tolerated. I commend the Lighthouse CPA administration on their swift action in dealing with the situation and expect a positive change in the expectations and standards moving forward,” said Commissioner Neidig.
Per IHSAA By-Laws, the athletic director is suspended for the team’s next varsity contest and all other interschool contests at any level in the interim. Prior to the penalties being issued regarding the coaches, the Lighthouse CPA administration indicated to the commissioner that both coaches were disciplined according to school policy and procedure.
Probation - which will not affect the remainder of the school’s regular season or its participation in the state tournament because of these incidents - is official notice serious violations have occurred, are a matter of record and future, similar incidents will not be tolerated. The IHSAA also applauds the student athletes involved in the game for not adversely reacting to the egregious display of poor sportsmanship and behavior by adults. Their response to this unacceptable adult behavior falls in line with our expectations of student athletes.
The IHSAA emphatically promotes respect for the rules, sportsmanlike conduct, and fair play among its 410 member schools and their student-athletes. Good sportsmanship is one of the primary tenets of education-based athletics and has come into even greater focus in recent years with the creation of the IHSAA Sportsmanship Program, the Sportsmanship Task Force, and multiple media campaigns.
