High school field hockey season in jeopardy after sanctions

An email from Lois Piscitelli and Chris Kibby, who state they are sanctioned president and vice president respectively of the Western New York Certified Field Hockey Officials, said due to the actions of the NYSFHO, WNY officials have expressed a desire to either spend the entire season inactive. (ie they don’t play a single game) or just accept and work on a greatly reduced schedule due to these harsh and unfair sanctions.

Pursuant to the sanctions issued in the November letter obtained by The News, the state agency suspended Piscitelli and Kibby for two years until Dec. 1, 2024, and placed the WNY civil service organization on a one-year probationary period beginning Dec. 1. the state also stated that a local organization could lose its certification if it does not comply with the terms of the probationary period.

The sanctions stem from a fall when the state organization said local officials were “not available” to start the season as the High School Sports Offices of Western New York, which represents field officials in all sports, negotiated a new contract with Section VI. .An email to Piscitelli and Kibby’s athletic directors said that while the officials were unavailable, no games were canceled because the officials chose to decline their services. Civil servants are independent contractors.

The state specifically refuses to lift its sanctions, which brings us to this point,” Piscitelli and Kibby said in May. “The September 2023 field hockey season is in jeopardy. Make no mistake. Don’t take this lightly. Something needs to be done to make Section 6 and the state realize these large and unfair penalties they have placed on our local chapter. We are asking you to somehow intervene so that the 2023 fall field hockey season starts on time with the most experienced players that our athletes and their teams deserve.

After issuing the penalty in her November letter, NYSFHO President Julie Clark wrote, “The majority of members violated the agreement between the NYSFHO and the NYSPHSAA by actively notifying the donor that they were not available to play field hockey games from August 29 through September 10, 2022. This is direct from #12 violation as written in the NYSPHSAA contract.

Section 12 of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Agreement states: As this Agreement provides for the orderly and amicable settlement and settlement of all disputes, disagreements and grievances, no strike (withholding of services) shall be resorted to. ). The parties agree to continue all terms of the terminated agreements until a new agreement is negotiated and signed.

Piscitelli declined to comment. Kibby and Clark did not respond to multiple messages from The News.

In the wake of the consequences of the sanctions, WNYCFHO officials Piscitelli and Kibby wrote to athletic directors, “This means there is a high probability that there will not be enough experienced officials in the 2023 field hockey season, which will certainly affect Varsity games and all other levels that can actually be played with so few officials.” to cover them up. The state has said that if the WNYCFHO does not hold a new election to replace the fired president and vice president, they will certify the WNYCFHO and then be the only way to get field hockey officials here in WNY they have to come from an organization that has to be created somehow and then recognized by the state.”

Piscitelli and Kibby argue that a state organization has no authority to remove “duly elected officers of an independent organization under any existing agreement covering Title VI, the constitution and bylaws of the state organization, or even the NYSPHSAA.” The state organization appointed WNYCFHO Treasurer Shannon Spencer to serve as acting president and vice president until elections can be held. Spencer resigned in March.

“Essentially, the Field Hockey organization is in limbo right now,” Piscitelli and Kibby wrote. “Nothing is done. There is no president, no vice president, no interpreter, no classification chair, etc.

A meeting was recently held with representatives from Title VI, State and Local Hockey Associations and NYSPHSAA Executive Director Dr. Robert Zayas.

“Section VI is working with the state hockey association to ensure that the season is not affected and that student-athletes are able to participate in the season,” Zayas told The News.

News Sports reporter Rachel Lenzi contributed to this report.