[Hoot Gibson]

I disagree, I think the parents actions are worse than the coaches in this instance.  I would be 100% in favor of the player being banned for all 4 years of HS eligibility because of this.

Punishing an 8th grade boy with a lifetime ban from high school sports for something that his father did is the kind of decision that draws lawyers like flies. I doubt that the KHSAA could survive doing something that stupid. Unfortunately, most juveniles who commit felonies get more leniency for their own crimes than what you are suggesting this kid should because of his father doing something stupid but not illegal.

Why, the choices parents make everyday effect their kids lives, how is this any different?

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The Dad exposed a coach cheating on a different level.  Not seen or heard of any infraction for doing that.  Blatant recruiting like a college coach on the other hand...d

The coach wasn’t “recruiting”. He took a call from a dad of an eighth grader who faked interest in moving his son to Ashland because he had plans on sending his son to Ashland but another player from his son’s team made the move first. The dad was angry. The coach answered his questions and discussed Ashland’s program. The dad was doing the recruiting for his son. If the coach had placed the call and said, “Hey man, would you consider moving your son to Ashland….”, well that would be different. But that’s not what happened. Now, on hindsight I’m sure coach wishes he had not talked as long, and he did actually refer the dad to the counselor and principal for transfer matters. But there was no phone call or recruiting from the coach. He was on vacation in South Carolina when he received the call.
This coach has completed four years as Ashland head coach and he has had a grand totaled of four transfers. Average of one per year, about standard. That number definitely does not equate to “blatant cheating” or blatant recruiting”, terms that have been posted in this thread. Coach Mays has never recruited a single player to come to Ashland. Sometimes schools and programs simply recruit for themselves. Answering a dad’s questions in a phone call and talking about his program 
is not recruiting. 
And one more thing. There’s a lot of hypocritical posting in this thread. I’ve been around sports a long time and I will tell you right now that 99% of the coaches in the state of Kentucky would talk to a parent of an 8th grader if said parent showed interest in moving to their school, which was totally legal for 8th graders at the time of the call. I know I definitely would have. And others would too. Lol. To say they wouldn’t would mean they are being disingenuous at the least.

To some extend I agree with part of this.  Where coach is wrong is he should have ended the call about 10 minutes in.

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One thing about it, Boyd doesn't mess around when they get transfers.  They get "meaningful" transfers who lead their teams and the area in stats.  Amazing how they've lucked into these types of transfers without a coach being called or texted over the past few years.  This situation is far beyond "let he who is without sin cast the first stone".  Disingenuous is putting it nicely.

Taylor Bartrum (New Jersey) - 2021 area volleyball player of the year; all-area girls basketball player; most kills on team that won region in volleyball; point guard on team that won region in girls basketball

Malachi Wheeler (Coal Grove, Ohio) - leads football in rushing yards this season

Rolan Sanderson (College Heights, Missouri) - leads boys soccer team in assists this season

Laney Whitmore (Huntington, WV) - led girls soccer team in goals in 2020

Hannah Roberts (Wayne, WV) - all-area girls basketball player in 2020

Oliver Skaug (Oslo, Norway) - area soccer player of the year in 2018; leading goal scorer for team that won region in soccer

Charity Shears (West Virginia) - (2015-2018) multi-year all-area girls basketball; multiple region titles in girls basketball

Payton Shears (West Virginia) - (2015-2018) multi-year all-area girls basketball; multiple region titles in girls basketball

Harley Paynter (East Carter) - area girls basketball player of the year in 2021; multi-year all-area girls basketball player; multiple region titles in girls basketball; (2018-2021)

Gunner Short (Fairland, OH) - area boys basketball player of the year in 2018; leading scorer on team that won region in boys basketball

JK McKnight (Russell) - baseball player that led Russell in hits and ERA last season

Austin Watkins (Russell) - led baseball in hitting in 2019

Rheyce Deboard (Russell) - led basketball in scoring in 2021; all-area player

Boyd wants this to go away along with the dad whom recorded the phone call.  This happens everyday,  we just don’t have a psycho dad recording the conversation.   That’s the only difference.   Wonder if Coach Anderson ever talk on the phone to an eight grade father?

Easy way for Boyd to make this go away, dont let the kid play for Boyd.

The reason that this is different from other decisions that a parents make that negatively impact their children is that you are advocating that an KHSAA punish a minor for an action that his father took. That would obviously violate the boy's constitutional rights and most likely result in a huge judgment against the KHSAA. Would it really make sense to you for the boy to be banned from high school sports for life and for the KHSAA to risk its very existence by violating a teenage boy's basic constitutional rights?

The KHSAA's lawyers will not advise them to take any of the actions that you are advocating. Boyd County did nothing wrong and the boy is a minor who also did nothing wrong. It would be ludicrous for the KHSAA to attempt to punish either Boyd County or the boy.

Disagree, KHSAA has done it many times by making players ineligible for any reason. Students cant sign themselves in and out of school districts, a parent has too.  This situation is no different than a illegal transfer issue.  Punishment is the same. (I know Im advocating for 4 year ban, thats to put a stop to this crap by parents, in reality 1 years is probably all they would do, or mediate too.)

Also, can you show me in writing the constitutional right to play HS basketball?

No I am finished with this issue. If you want to condone the cheating of a high school coach or punish another school's player because of the actions of his father, then nothing else that I might say is going to change your mind. Ashland's head basketball coach was taped while trying to convince the father of another school's player to send him to play in Ashland's program - and you want to punish the player and the school who would have lost a player, Boyd County, had Ashland's coach been successful. Unbelievable.