To: DeSoto County School Board and Principal Stripling
OBHS Girls 6A State Champions "STRENGTH IN NUMBERS"
We Support Head Coach Thompson and Olive Branch High School Girls' Basketball Team
Why is this important?
To the Olive Branch community, alumni, parents, family and friends of the Olive Brach High School girls’ basketball team WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT with fighting this battle!!!
Last basketball season, 2016-2017, the OBHS girls’ team won the 6A state championship making history in the Olive Branch community. On August 17, 2017, the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) stripped the team of their championship title ruling there was an ineligible player. Along with stripping the title, the girls are not allowed to compete in post season of 2017-2018, the ineligible player is not allowed to play for a year, and there is a $500 fine.
No rules were actually broken by the team. The ineligible player competed all season on the Olive Branch Middle School basketball team; after their season was up, she went on to play for the high school team. This young lady attended the middle school on an administrative transfer. DeSoto County School's policy states children of a full-time employees can attend the school of their parent’s choice. However, quite a few administrators failed to do their job and obtain the proper paperwork, and this is being held against the children.
Both the middle school and high school are a part of the MHSAA, which means, the middle school administration should have turned in a transfer form to the District before the player could be eligible to play. This did not happen. Additionally, the high school submitted a roster to the district, state and MHSAA before playing in any tournaments with the “ineligible” player’s information. However, no one on any level of the administration disapproved this roster including MHSAA.
Our girls should not be punished due to the incompetency of paid administration. These young ladies worked hard all season, and made Olive Branch history. We need the administration to be held accountable!
Please support the OBHS girls’ basketball team on their journey to get this ruling overturned by signing this petition.
Thank you kindly for your support!
We are OB!
Last basketball season, 2016-2017, the OBHS girls’ team won the 6A state championship making history in the Olive Branch community. On August 17, 2017, the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) stripped the team of their championship title ruling there was an ineligible player. Along with stripping the title, the girls are not allowed to compete in post season of 2017-2018, the ineligible player is not allowed to play for a year, and there is a $500 fine.
No rules were actually broken by the team. The ineligible player competed all season on the Olive Branch Middle School basketball team; after their season was up, she went on to play for the high school team. This young lady attended the middle school on an administrative transfer. DeSoto County School's policy states children of a full-time employees can attend the school of their parent’s choice. However, quite a few administrators failed to do their job and obtain the proper paperwork, and this is being held against the children.
Both the middle school and high school are a part of the MHSAA, which means, the middle school administration should have turned in a transfer form to the District before the player could be eligible to play. This did not happen. Additionally, the high school submitted a roster to the district, state and MHSAA before playing in any tournaments with the “ineligible” player’s information. However, no one on any level of the administration disapproved this roster including MHSAA.
Our girls should not be punished due to the incompetency of paid administration. These young ladies worked hard all season, and made Olive Branch history. We need the administration to be held accountable!
Please support the OBHS girls’ basketball team on their journey to get this ruling overturned by signing this petition.
Thank you kindly for your support!
We are OB!