The Bradley Central Football team will take a two year probation for the violation of a recruiting rule. The violation by Coach Damon Floyd was in the form of a text sent to a middle school athlete encouraging him to convince another student to attend Bradley Central High School.
According to TSSAA Bylaws athletic recruiting is prohibited and is defined as "the use of influence on a student or the parents or guardians of a student, by any person(s) directly or indirectly associated with the school, to secure or retain a student for athletic purposes".
Once TSSAA was made aware of Coach Floyd's text the administration at Bradley Central was asked to look into the matter and take disciplinary action.
The Bradley Central administration was commended by the TSSAA board for taking "appropriate action" and their self-imposed penalties were accepted by the TSSAA board.
Bradley Central suspended Head Coach Floyd from all football activities for two calendar weeks from July 27, 2015 through August 7, 2015. This includes the Bears games agains Walker Valley at McMinn County next season.
They also have placed the football program on probation for two calendar years beginning March 30, 2015 through March 30, 2017. The football program has also been fined $500.00 for each of those years, for a total of $1,000.00.
The probation period allows the football team to participate in all contests including the playoffs as long as there are no other violations involving the program during the time of probation.
During the first year of probation the program will be reducing their fall scrimmages from four to two and will not participate in the pre-season jamboree. Their spring practices have been reduced from 10 days, to five days. They will also reduce their spring scrimmages from two to one.
During the second year of their probation their fall scrimmages will be reduced from four to three and they will not participate in the jamboree.
According to TSSAA Bylaws the student-athlete involved in the recruiting violation is ineligible to participate in athletics at Bradley Central High School during the 2015-2016 school year.
Click here for the full letter from TSSAA.