Bill to Remove Power from SCHSL Moves Forward

The S.C. House appears to be moving forward with legislation that would remove power from the high school athletics governing body that eliminated the Goose Creek Gators from playoffs last year, and place that power in the hands of the state school board. 

Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley County, introduced similar legislation in the S.C. Senate that would revoke the S.C. High School League's charter. Both bills were spawned from the league's 2012 decision to eliminate the No. 1 Gators football team from playoffs and impose a fine after the team discovered an ineligible player and brought it to the league's attention.

"The Gators were absolutely robbed," Grooms said. He said the league had made some arbitrary decisions in the past but "this one really took the cake."

He added that the action against the nationally ranked Goose Creek team has awakened many legislators.

"There's some folks who believe in protecting the system no matter what and they've had the scales removed from their eyes once we showed them what happened to Goose Creek High School," Grooms said. "They can't defend this action ... They are all realizing their communities can be subject to the same fate as Goose Creek."

Berkeley County School District proposed rule changes, one of which would alleviate penalties levied against those teams that self report, but the league rejected those changes in January.

As the House bill moves forward, so does a community rally around the Goose Creek Gators. The event is 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at Goose Creek High. It will recognize the Gators' incomplete season and award rings to the team emblazoned with the word "Integrity." 

So far, the $25,000 needed for the event has been raised, but organizer Ken Harrell said any extra money they raise will go toward paying the fine.

There are no tickets for Monday's free event, and all who wish to support the Gators are welcome to attend. 

"It's going to be a pep rally atmosphere. Come ready to make some noise," Harrell said.