PD’s Nelson suspended for one week for violating UIL wrestling rule

From the hometown paper of Brandon Slay, the Amarillo Globe-News

Web-posted Saturday, January 8, 2005
Down for the count

By Jeremy Heath
[email protected]
Amarillo Globe-News

Palo Duro wrestling fans might have noticed something missing Tuesday night during the Dons’ and Lady Dons’ home duals against Caprock.

PD head coach Steve Nelson, in his 18th season, was serving a one-week, Amarillo Independent School District-levied suspension with pay for his actions Dec. 10 at the Santa Fe (N.M.) Invitational.

Nelson’s entry in the 119-pound weight class – a male – was scheduled to face a female wrestler from Espanola, N.M., in a consolation-bracket match. Nelson’s entry pinned his opponent, and subsequently, the AISD pinned Nelson for violating a University Interscholastic League rule that prohibits males and females from opposing each other in sanctioned competition.

He was not suspended from his teaching duties.

UIL rules apply to any wrestling teams involved in out-of-state competition as well. Hawaii is the only other state that does not allow males and females to oppose each other in wrestling.

Nelson said he was aware of the rule and knew it might come into play when the tournament started because three Texas schools – Palo Duro, Tascosa and El Paso Franklin – were scheduled to compete. When the situation presented itself, Nelson chose not to forfeit the match.

“The rule that a Texas high school boy may not wrestle a high school girl anywhere in the U.S. is a bad rule, “Nelson said. “In the 48 states outside of Texas and Hawaii, girls have to wrestle the boys division. This UIL rule should not extend over Texas state lines.

“In different states, no matter what the sport is, you abide by that state’s rules, and that should apply to wrestling also. When other states wrestle in Texas, they must abide by Texas UIL rules without any exception.”

Section 361, subchapter C of the UIL’s Constitution and Contest Rules is one of three exceptions to the league’s nondiscrimination policy. It prohibits males and females from wrestling against each other.

UIL assistant athletic director Mark Cousins said the rule is clearly defined and said the rule applies to any tournament – in Texas or out of state – in which a UIL school is involved.

Cousins said UIL rules that restrict males and females from competing against each other are specific to individual sports. For instance, a female is allowed to play football for a UIL team, but UIL boys and girls soccer teams cannot play a sanctioned match against each other, Cousins said.

“In those situations, those rules will always apply, “Cousins said.

As of Friday morning, Cousins said he was not aware of Nelson’s suspension.

AISD athletic director Tex Nolan confirmed the suspension but deferred comment to AISD committee chair and personnel director David Cargill, calling the suspension a personnel issue.

Cargill said Nelson was issued a private reprimand by a district executive committee comprised of three voting members, from the three district schools – Amarillo High, Tascosa and Caprock – other than the school in question. Cargill said the committee, facing the option of issuing a private reprimand or yielding to a state executive committee, chose to keep it at the district level.

According to Section 29 of the UIL’s Constitution and Contest Rules: “The penalties that may be imposed … are: private reprimand; public reprimand; forfeiture of contest; disqualification from germane activity; and suspension recommended.”

Cargill said because the reprimand is private, he cannot comment on it.

Nelson said being sequestered from his team during Tuesday’s matches and this weekend’s Lady Longhorn Classic at Caprock has made this the most miserable week of his career, but he also said he understands the AISD’s decision to suspend him.

“With respect to the AISD, my suspension had nothing to do with the rule being a good rule or a bad rule, “Nelson said. “They gave me a week suspension strictly because I broke a UIL rule. When rules are broken, there are consequences, and they must be accepted. The district took appropriate action in this matter.”

Nelson said he was not only sticking up for his wrestler, who had worked to make weight and advance in the tournament, but also he was supporting the female wrestler.

“I did not follow the rule because I believe it is in direct violation of my wrestler’s right to compete, and it’s a full and total example of discrimination against the New Mexico girl to refuse to wrestle her, “Nelson said. “I will always do what is right for my kids, regardless of the consequences I may have to suffer myself.

“There may be coaches out there who are willing to force their wrestlers to lose, but I’m not one of those coaches. I don’t consider my wrestlers Amarillo’s kids or PD’s kids. I consider them my kids, and I could never or will never tell my kids they have to lose.

“I am not a rule-breaker and would never do anything to embarrass Palo Duro or my district, but my ethical responsibility is to serve my kids first, and I stand by my decision.”

Nelson guided girls teams to state titles in 2001 and 2003, including a mythical national title in 2001. As an amateur wrestler, Nelson was a two-time national champ.