Sporting Intellectual
Lessons to learn due to errors of fellow athletes

By Sara Eiesland

Mirror Assistant Editor
March 7, 2008

In light of a recent event in Watertown, S.D., in which five high school boys basketball players were benched indefinitely for “rules violations,” I feel compelled to speak out on the subject of the use of a minor’s name in the press.

Watertown’s athletic director Doug Schooley stated in a press release, that in late January, five high school boy’s basketball players, two of which played “significant roles” on the varsity squad, broke training rules at a house party on a Friday night, resulting in the indefinite suspension of all five players. The Watertown school district did not release the names of these suspended players.

The Watertown school district employs a “Zero Tolerance” policy, meaning that the first time students are caught using tobacco, drugs or alcohol, they are suspended from all activities indefinitely. When asked about the policy Schooley said, “We have expectations for kids and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with maybe holding kids to a little higher standard.”

As the sister of a high school basketball player, I first and foremost felt sympathy for these boys and their families. A careless mistake at a house party cost five boys their basketball season and put a dent in Watertown’s season. Even so, despite my sympathy for these boys, I couldn’t help but wonder why their names weren’t released and, therefore, not printed.

Take this, for example. The news release stated that two of these players were varsity players and three were junior varsity players who get varsity time. One could assume that these players’ names have been in the press for winning games, scoring points and rebounding basketballs. It’s also not out of the question to assume that these players’ names could have appeared in the press for winning awards or participating in community events.

It’s plausible that the use of a minor’s name in these instances would go uncontested because the name’s use does not inflict harm or pain upon the minor. If anything, the use of the name increases notoriety and likeability within the community.

But what if a minor’s actions violate school policy? What if a minor’s actions get him or her kicked off the basketball team, for example? In these cases, the minor’s name is often blacklisted from the press to protect the individual from public scrutiny or humiliation.

My question is this: If these boys’ names can be used in the paper as an example of positive behavior, like scoring baskets and snatching rebounds, why were their names not released as an example of negative behavior so others can learn from these mistakes?

If these five names were released, it’s reasonable for these boys to expect public scrutiny. But tell me if I’m wrong: even though these names weren’t released, don’t we all know who they are? The minute the Watertown boy’s basketball team stepped out on the court missing one-third of their teammates, we all figured out who was benched indefinitely

Not releasing these boys’ names seems to undercut the Watertown school district’s “Zero Tolerance” stance on this issue. Not releasing these boys’ names makes kicking them off the team the example, not the learning that can occur from making a costly mistake.

I do not believe that my response to this incident is a callous reaction. I’ve tried to be very careful with my words; I can’t afford not to be.

I have a brother that’s very active in high school athletics. When thinking about this issue, and deciding whether or not to speak up on it, I thought about my brother. If, hypothetically, he was in the same situation and was benched indefinitely for rule violations, I do not believe that my opinion would change. Of course, I would expect that my brother’s reputation, and consequently the reputation of our family, would undergo public scrutiny, but that’s not the real issue here.

The pertinent reason to release these five names is so that others can learn from these boys’ mistakes. While learning may be achieved without the use of their names, creating a direct identification makes learning from others more concrete, more applicable to one’s own life.

My brother has played against these boys from Watertown High School. Knowing their names, even though it would have been difficult for these boys and their families, would have forced the mistake to resonate a little closer to home for all athletes. That, to me, is the best way to learn: from the mistakes of your peers.