(NOTE: It is normally not the policy of the GHSA to publish specific rulings and/or penalties made against member schools. However, because of the intense publicity surrounding the investigation into Milton High School's boys basketball program the past few weeks, the following announcement is being made in the interest of accuracy.)
MILTON PRESS RELEASE
The Georgia High School Association has placed the boys’ basketball program at Milton High School on probation for the 2012-13 season for violating GHSA rules in regard to “undue influence.” This means the Milton team will not be eligible to participate in the Region Tournament or the State Tournament. The program will be on “Severe Warning Status” for the 2013-2014 season, but will be eligible for post-season play. Additionally, Milton High School was fined an undisclosed amount.
The GHSA defines “undue influence” as things done by one or more people associated directly or indirectly with a member school to induce or facilitate the transfer of a student to that school. Undue influence can occur even when there is no evidence of recruitment. In those circumstances, no school personnel initiated the conversation about transferring schools, but school personnel did engage in actions that induced and/or facilitated the transfer.
There was no evidence discovered that former Milton Coach David Boyd initiated contact with prospective transfer students and/or their parents or guardians. This investigation found no evidence that any of the transfer students mentioned in this matter had failed to have a bona fide move into the Milton service area. Therefore, all the students mentioned in this investigation are eligible to compete at the varsity level in the upcoming 2012-13 season.
Some of the undue influence issues involved using the school’s summer workouts as a way to evaluate the talents of non-students who were considering transferring to Milton, facilitating the housing arrangements of families moving into the area, and offering help with communication about a student’s collegiate possibilities before the player was a student at Milton.
It is important to note these penalties only cover the issues that were discovered during the recent investigation and submitted to the GHSA office. Any other discovery of past violations or any future violations could result in additional penalties.
