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September 5, 2012 Deion Sanders' Prime Prep Academy will still not field a varsity football team in District 11-3A this season, but the school is being allowed by the District Executive Committee to make plans to play in other varsity sports for this calendar year. The DEC - with administrators from Irving North Hills, Ferris, Madison, Roosevelt, and Wilmer-Hutchins - voted to allow Prime Prep to play in all sports at all levels, with the exception of football, pending correct eligibility requirements for all athletes and sports. Madison principal Marian Willard is the Chairperson of the Committee. Prime Prep co-founder D.L. Wallace represented the school and spoke to the committee. Sanders was not present at today's meeting and has not attended any of the DEC meetings. Prime Prep's football program and all varsity sports were initially banned from competing in the district by the District 11-3A Executive Committee on August 17. Prime Prep's interim Athletic Airector, Cleveland Starr, stated to the committee in the meeting that most of the team's football players are ineligible because of residency requirements. The initial ban was unanimous but the District Executive Committee's decision did not affect Prime Prep's ability to play non-district football games. Last week Prime Prep opened their season in a 50-6 loss to Parish Episcopal. The majority of the 35 players on Prime Prep's roster are freshmen and sophomores. Aaron Emeyabbi, AD / head football coach at Ferris High, said he suggested that District 11-3A drop the ban for Prime Prep this season from all sports, except football, at all levels, and the Executive Committee agreed. "We want to do what is right for all the kids," Emeyabbi speaking exclusively to TheOldCoach.com. "But I have to do what is right for the kids of Ferris as well. All the schools involved are looking out for their kids as well as the Prime Prep kids." "The first meeting was pretty emotional at times," Emeyabbi said. "All the schools believe if Prime Prep is not doing what is right and abiding by the UIL rules then they shouldn't be playing sports." Emeyabbi said that none of the district schools would commit to playing Prime Prep's Junior Varsity football squad. "I asked D. L. Wallace if that was his varsity football team," Emeyabbi said, "and he said "yes", so none of the schools can afford to play their JV against his varsity team. There is no upside when we have to find a varsity game that week." If the 11-3A District Executive Committee's August's recommendation to exclude Prime Prep from district play in all high school sports would have been taken to the UIL for an appeal hearing Prime Prep's fate would have been in the hands of the State Executive Committee. With Emeyabbi's suggestion and the committee's approval that appeal will not be necessary. According to Emeyabbi, Wallace indicated that Prime Prep would be ready to play boys and girls basketball, baseball, and track. The district gave the deadline of September 21 for Prime Prep to turn in PAP forms for the students that will be playing basketball. "The ball is in their court now for all the other sports," Emeyabbi said. "As long as they follow the guidelines set by the state and district they can participate. All that the district schools want is a fair playing field for everyone involved." Some media sources continue to identify the District 11-3A Executive Committee as a "Dallas ISD Committee" which is incorrect. "All the misinformation doesn't help the situation either," Emeyabbi said. "All the coaches want is for our athletes to be able to get on with school, athletics, and to put this behind us." Emeyabbi indicated that other questions over UIL guidelines still remain and could surface as this ongoing saga continues.     |
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