IHSAA sanctions Fishers, Heritage Christian high school basketball teams
(HAMILTON COUNTY REPORTER) — The Fishers High School boys basketball program is on probation through the summer of 2024 as a result of a findings by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Executive Committee on Thursday, Oct. 5 that a former coach violated IHSAA recruitment rules.
According to the IHSAA, the violation concerns Rule 20-1: “Recruiting a prospective student-athlete prior to the student’s enrollment at Fishers High School.”
Fishers High School Athletic Director Rob Seymour told The Reporter the school did its own investigation at the IHSAA’s request.
“We were asked by the IHSAA to have an investigation of our boys basketball program in regards to a recruitment violation and we did a thorough investigation,” Seymour said. “Through that investigation, we found that one of our former coaches had violated a recruitment by-law by the IHSAA. Once we concluded our investigation, then yes, we did give our findings back to the IHSAA.”
The IHSAA calls this probation “a severe type of warning. It is official notice that unacceptable and serious violations have occurred, are a matter of record and future incidents by the head coach, assistant coaches, or any individual involved in the Fishers program may result in the team being suspended from future IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament(s).”
Head Coach Garrett Winegar and former Assistant Coach Derrick Williams were both placed on probation through the summer of 2024.
IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig confirmed the Fishers violation was committed by someone who is not with the program anymore.
“Fishers was forthcoming with information and placed on probation,” Neidig said.
Given Fishers’ openness and compliance with IHSAA requests, it appears unlikely there will be further incidents or sanctions.
By way of comparison, the Heritage Christian boys basketball program is in a much more difficult situation.
The IHSAA has found that program guilty of violating both Rule 20-1, “Recruiting transfer students prior to their enrollment to Heritage Christian,” and Rule 20-2, “Allowing student-athletes to participate on the boys varsity basketball team after transferring with a past link to the program.”
That school in Indianapolis must vacate all its wins for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, may not participate in any tournament during their probation period of at least one year, and faces various other sanctions, some of which are financial.