TDHS Basketball receives third violation from OSAA; Fines on the year total $1,200
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., May 13, 2024 — The Dalles High School Boys Basketball program received a violation from the Oregon School Athletic Association, according to OSAA meeting minutes posted on Friday, May 10.
The Dalles Athletic Director Billy Brost
The violation was the third for the program this school year as OSAA has levied a total of $1,200 in fines, forced a two-game suspension of Head Coach Brian Stevens, and forced the team to forfeit 12 games due to ineligible players during the past 6 months.
Stevens and TDHS Athletic Director Billy Brost said mistakes were made, but none intentionally or to gain an unfair advantage.
Sports in high school are intended to provide essential life skills such as teamwork, self-discipline, self-confidence, hard work and fair play.
Are 3 violations in a season a lot?
“Sure,” Brost said. “I try to stress patience and grace when bringing on new staff members. We’re all going to make mistakes along the way. Everybody is fallible. All you can do going forward is to try and work together and make sure mistakes are not repeated.”
Stevens and Brost worked together on interpreting the rules, they said. Stevens said they either failed to understand the rules fully and Brost added they disagreed with the OSAA’s interpretation on the ruling that brought the 12-game forfeit.
2-Game Suspension
Stevens, who was hired to coach the boy’s team in June 2023 and also headed the TDHS girl’s team 2017-2020, was found in violation for coaching players during a fall basketball league. The violation was reported on Oct. 19, 2023.
OSAA rules prohibit players from practicing before and after the OSAA season. It’s called the closed period and it lasts six weeks before and after the official basketball season.
During this period, team members are not allowed “the use of individualized and specialized sports equipment or apparatus, including but not limited to balls, bats, protective equipment, blocking dummies, batting cages, charging sleds and other implements related to specific OSAA activities,” according to OSAA rules.
Stevens said he was fined $750 and was suspended for the first two high school games for coaching the players in the fall league.
The coach said he believed he was abiding by the OSAA rules, however, he said he did not read the Question and Answer portion of the rules where it made it clear that it was not allowed.
Stevens said OSAA’s Monica Maxwell pointed out that the Q and A “clearly states you cannot coach fall or spring basketball.
Coaches, can, coach, however high school athletes in summer and winter seasons.”
Stevens said he erred in understanding the rule and paid the $750 fine out of his pocket.
12-Game Forfeit
On Jan. 16, OSAA ruled that two players from The Dalles were ineligible to play because they were not enrolled in the minimum number of classes the previous trimester, forcing the team to forfeit twelve of its games.
The players were ineligible because they were attending North Wasco County’s alternative high school, Innovations Academy, which did not have OSAA membership, a requirement for eligibility.
That was an apparent revelation for school leadership.
“We had no reason to believe that our process was not the correct process to follow,” said Superintendant Dr. Carolyn Bernal last January. Since it was pointed out, Innovations Academy has applied for and received an OSAA membership during the past “few weeks,” Bernal said at the time.
Athletic Director Brost also said he disagreed with the way the rule was applied and pointed out that he and Coach Stevens in an attempt to maintain the player’s eligibility asked the Tri-Valley conference for a vote on the issue, and the three-member board voted unanimously to keep them on the court for the rest of the season.
Regardless of that Tri-County decision, OSAA required TDHS to forfeit the games.
Violation for Open Gym
On May 6, OSAA fined the D21 $250 for allowing an open gym in March where basketball team members were allowed to practice shooting at the school gym under the supervision of parents and volunteers.
Stevens said he believed the open gym was within the rules as long as no coaching staff was present.
Again, this violated the OSAA Closed Period Rule.
“It’s a little bit of a gray area there,” Brost said. “It was just a miscommunication on the closed period. We believed we could have volunteers in there and let kids shoot around… As soon as it was brought to my attention it was immediately stopped.”
Stevens said he was aware of the activity but did not participate in the shootarounds and the district reviewed video footage to ensure that was the case. Rather, he said the practice was conducted by parents of players or by volunteers.
On Monday, May 13, Stevens said the violations were “discouraging” as he has spent years building a basketball program in The Dalles through coaching, organization and donations of his own money.
He said his efforts helped to develop more teams and create opportunities for travel teams.
Stevens is the organizer of Jump Start basketball camp as well as Gorge Hoops Basketball Leagues.
“If I have any questions about a rule, I am just calling OSAA to get permission first…,” he said.
Total OSAA violations from their past three board meetings were 46 with two schools receiving two violations - Eagle Point and Centennial. The Dalles High School Basketball program was alone in its three violations during that period.
Violations from OSAA Meeting Dec. 11 - Click image to enlarge
Violations from OSAA Meeting Feb. 5 - Click Image to enlarge
Violations from OSAA Meeting May 6 - Click image to enlarge
