In my hometown of Wisconsin Rapids, WI. (before I moved to Las Vegas), there is a huge controversy in the city in which 4 wrestlers of the state championship team were charged with several crimes relating to some very sick horse play in the locker room.
From the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune: The Wood County district attorney's office charged four members of the 2010-11 Lincoln High School team for incidents authorities allege occurred in the locker room. The wrestlers are Zachary S. Benitz, 18, Wisconsin Rapids, who is the son of coach Scott Benitz; Kasey D. Einerson, 17, Wisconsin Rapids; Rylan L. Lubeck, 17, Vesper; and Devin L. Peterson, 17, Wisconsin Rapids. All four are charged in Wood County Circuit Court with misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20110817/WRT0101/108170615/Rapids-punish-entire-wrestling-team?odyssey=tabtopnewstextFRONTPAGE
And what did they do to get the charges: The decision comes as four Lincoln wrestlers face disorderly conduct charges for allegedly dancing naked around a 15-year-old student, mocking him and touching the younger boy with their genitals while in the locker room. This is actually the cleaned up version of the story. They were actually slapping their penises against the victim. Who says wrestling isn't gay, but that's another story.
http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110816087
So, most people would think that the 4 kids should be suspended from any sports until the case was settled, but not in Wisconsin Rapids: They are eligible to compete in sports this year, said Bill Vickroy, Lincoln High School athletic director.
"Athletics are a right," Vickroy said. "It's their privilege to come out for any sports, if they wish to come out."
http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20110817/WRT0101/108170615/Rapids-punish-entire-wrestling-team?odyssey=tabtopnewstextFRONTPAGE
Excuse me, Mr. Vickroy, but athletics are not a right and it is a privilege to go out for a sports team in high school. This is not Ohio State or University of Miami football teams, this is Wisconsin Rapids, WI. and high school wrestling. Hell, even at Ohio State they fired the coach, but not here.
Using your logic, Mr. Vickroy, students can never be cut from athletic teams if they are not god enough to play on the team. Kids should be eligible to play no matter what their grades are. The hell with drinking and illegal drugs. Suspended from school, no problem, you can play sports because it is a right.
If this is what Vickroy truly believes, he is the wrong person to be an athletic director and if he is being told by his superiors to do this, then they need to be removed from their jobs.
Again, these 4 perverts should be suspended from athletics until their case is ended in a settlement or a trial. And if they are found to be not guilty, then let them back on the team(s). And if they are found guilty, then their athletic career is done. But it's obvious that there are people in the school district and within the City of Wisconsin Rapids who are protecting these kids and in the end, the people who are doing the protecting are doing a huge disservice to the high school and the community at large.
Well said!!!!
ReplyDelete