P'burg
to persist in fight to play
Board of education's athletic
panel agrees to continue challenge of 70 percent rule.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005 • By MICHAEL P. BUFFER •
The Express-Times
PHILLIPSBURG -- The Phillipsburg School
District will continue its fight against the New Jersey
State Interscholastic Athletic Association and the 70
percent rule, Superintendent Gordon Pethick said
Monday.
The rule requires high schools to play at
least 70 percent of their games against in-state opponents
to be eligible for state tournaments. An exemption from the
rule would allow Phillipsburg's sports teams to compete in
the Pennsylvania-based Lehigh Valley Conference and still
qualify for New Jersey's post-season playoffs.
Last week, acting Commissioner of
Education Lucille Davy upheld the NJSIAA position against
waiving the rule for Phillipsburg. But Davy said there was
not enough information to assess whether the school district
suffers undue hardships by being forced to remain in the
Skyland Conference, and Davy sent the case back to the
NJSIAA for further hearings so each side could present
additional information.
The athletic committee of the
Phillipsburg Board of Education met before Monday's school
board meeting with attorney David Rubin, special counsel for
athletics, "to assess our options," Pethick said. Committee
members unanimously agreed to continue the challenge, which
will result in more hearings, and a decision from the
commissioner is expected "well into next year," Pethick
said.
Rubin's pay rate is $135 per hour, and
the challenge has already cost the district about $31,000,
Business Administrator Bill Poch said. Pethick said "it's
hard to say" how much more the challenge will
cost.
"We feel it's important to continue,"
Pethick said.
Phillipsburg officials have argued that
its lack of nearby New Jersey opponents increases travel
time, and forces students to miss classes. Student athletes
also lose opportunities to use after-school assistance
programs and lose time for homework, study and rest because
of frequent late returns after contests, official
say.
Reporter Michael P. Buffer can be reached at 610-258-7171
or by e-mail at mbuffer@express-times.com.
© 2005 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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