PEABODY — Just an hour after the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association publicly released the letter it sent to Bishop Fenwick detailing its Board of Directors’ unprecedented decision to ban postseason play for all sports in 2023-24, the penalized school packed its auditorium Monday night in an open forum for the Crusaders’ community to raise concerns and get answers from administration on what exactly happened.
Upset attendants voiced frustration toward hosts Thomas Nunan (Bishop Fenwick President) and Neil Harrington (Chairman of the Board of Trustees), preaching accountability after the two discussed what they felt were honest mistakes in violation of MIAA Rule 87.6 regarding waivers — specifically middle school and fifth-year eligibility.
Whatever contrast parents and the two feel in what should happen to the administration involved, though, the message was loud and clear from both sides: The MIAA’s penalty is far too excessive, and pointed at the wrong people.
“This decision punishes all the kids, every one of them … over which they have no control,” Nunan said. “This has nothing to do with our kids. … No one I know has ever heard of such a punishment.”
“This decision is unjust and unfair,” Harrington added. “(The severity) is completely and totally arbitrary.”
The letter the MIAA released to media outlets earlier in the afternoon shed more light on the infractions its Board of Directors felt were severe enough for the harshest penalty it has dealt across an entire school’s athletics. Nunan had plenty of notes of his own.
As far as a seventh-grader’s participation in the high school’s baseball program out of the school’s partnered St. Mary’s of the Annunciation School, without the required waiver filed, Nunan claims there was verbal confirmation under previous administration from both the MIAA and Bishop Fenwick that the middle school and high school were “one entity.” That led to an impression that no waiver was actually required.
In response to misinformation filed for a fifth-year eligibility form that incorrectly labeled a baseball pitcher’s previous athletic success, among other errors in the waiver application, Nunan then assured the crowd that the school was thorough in its questioning of whether or not it had submitted everything the right way.
He addressed concerns over the school’s five total waiver applications over the last three years by saying none of the three players with rejected applications touched the field, the infractions outlined by the MIAA were highlighted well after it was believed there were no errors, and there was never any notice that is harsh of a sanction could be imposed.
“The MIAA believes we willfully and intentionally lie, that we were knowingly deceitful. … To think that we cheat, lie, deceive at this school for any reason is nonsense,” Nunan said. “At no time did I think (we were) doing something wrong.”
While hopeful of a resolution, members of the audience weren’t easily swayed by the prepared speech once the floor opened up to questions. Hard questions and comments were met with loud applause, and the two hosts had to absorb some pointed words.
One parent pointed out how easy it was for him to see that a seventh-grade student-athlete is barred from varsity play — something the baseball program allowed to happen. When Harrington and Nunan responded by saying many other schools have middle school student-athletes play varsity, he corrected them by saying it’s allowed in a program without sufficient numbers.
As part of three different complaints that one sport’s infractions shouldn’t penalize the whole school, Harrington and Nunan simply agreed. When one participant asked of any accountability handed down to the baseball coach, Nunan just pointed out that just one infraction applies to him.
Parents pleaded for accountability from Nunan, the board and other administrators, of which Nunan pointed out there is a new principal. Harrington started off the forum by acknowledging new legal counsel and later said the board is behind Nunan.
Multiple people asked about leaving the MIAA, which Nunan said is a decision that will be discussed again after considering a move three years ago. Nunan is unsure how the sanctions will affect the school’s three co-op teams, and is hopeful for students to stay at the school as sports — without postseason eligibility — will still be available.
Discussions with the MIAA on a hopeful reduction of the penalty are ongoing and Nunan expects conversation to pick up within the next 10 days.
Overall, Nunan was pleased with the forum’s productivity and ended it by giving everyone in the audience his cellphone number.