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By Phil Ray
pray@altoonamirror.com
JOHNSTOWN -- The wrestling coach and parents of 15 Bishop McCort High School wrestlers began their attack Wednesday on recent sanctions imposed by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.
The PIAA rulings could end up hurting the ability of the wrestlers to obtain full scholarships to colleges because of a two-year ban prohibiting them from participating in the PIAA's post-season wrestling tournament, according to a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court.
William Bassett, a teacher at Bishop McCort, has also been barred from coaching the wrestling team for two years and the school's athletic program has been placed on probation until June 30, 2024.
The sanctions were imposed after several hearings in which the PIAA concluded that the coach was recruiting wrestlers for the McCort program, a practice that is barred under PIAA rules.
Bassett and the parents responded by filing the lawsuit which seeks temporary and permanent injunctions against the sanctions.
The lawsuit contends the sanctions have violated the due process rights of the coach and students, the students' First Amendment rights and the Equal Protection Clause of the constitution.
In addition, Bassett argues that he has been defamed by the PIAA.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines on Wednesday began two days of hearings on the request for a temporary injunction.
One of the witnesses on behalf of the plaintiffs was Lee Pritts, a former college wrestler who now serves as assistant wrestling coach at Arizona State University.
According to attorney Joshua Mazin of Nazareth, Pritts is one of the top college wrestling recruiters in the nation.
Pritts said that Pennsylvania is the number one state when it comes to producing top college wrestlers.
Two years ago, he said, of the 80 college wrestlers designated as All-Americans, 15 were from Pennsylvania.
He noted a large number of the 330 wrestlers participating in the NCAA tournament were from Pennsylvania.
Pritts said he regularly attends the PIAA tournament in search of wrestlers and noted those who win or place are regarded as good candidates to receive scholarships.
To be banned from participating in the PIAA's postseason tournament could hinder the students' ability to be offered full scholarships, Pritts inferred.
PIAA attorneys Carol Young and Dana Chilson challenged that argument by pointing out there are other non-PIAA tournaments in Pennsylvania and the students, they argued, can also showcase their talents at nationwide tournaments -- the Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D., and the Super 32 Wrestling Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
Mazin and Young got into a spat when the PIAA attorney asked Pritts if he had contact with any of the McCort wrestlers, and began to name them.
The judge indicated the children's names would not become part of the record of the case, noting they would be referred to only by their initials.
Also testifying Wednesday was Dave Crowell, who has been a coach in the Easton area for 39 years. He has built a wrestling powerhouse in the Nazareth School District.
The PIAA ruled Bassett had connections through a wrestling club and a workout facility with the McCort wrestlers who transferred from area school districts to McCort, a private Catholic High School.
Crowell testified he was not a pro-transfer coach, noting he believed wrestlers should stay in the communities where they grew up.
"Things work out best if it's possible for the students to stay in the district," he said.
The PIAA initially approved the transfers of several wrestlers to McCort.
However, a transfer from Forest Hills High School that occurred in August 2021 raised concerns.
Hearings were held and the PIAA concluded the number of wrestling transfers to McCort "was alarming."
The PIAA Board of Appeal found Bassett used his positions as a coach (who knew the students through the workout facility and the wrestling club) " to engage in recruiting for an athletic purpose relating to wrestling."
The plaintiffs have listed 14 witnesses, including Bassett, while the PIAA is expected to present its executive director, the vice-president of its board and the chairman of the PIAA District VI Committee.
Haines will preside over a second day of hearings on Friday.