Hurdle-o-gram 11-07-2002
By Mike Hurdle
Thursday, November 07, 2002
There was a very serious incident that occurred during the first session of the Bird League at the Snellville Christian Academy. I have been discussing this issue with numerous different people on what is the best way to handle. This incident reflects poorly on everyone involved in the Bird League - Rock, ATH, Jax, Boys & Girls, Condors, myself and my wife. A young girl (13) was sexually propositioned by an adult male competing in the Bird League. This behavior is not only unacceptable, but speaking as a parent and a member of a civilized society, it is absolutely abhorrent! It may be acceptable in other countries around the world, but is not in the United States.
I will preface this by saying I am not a lawyer, but I do believe that in the state of Georgia, girls at 13 years of age are not just considered minors, but are considered children. And propositioning a child is not just statuary rape, but is considered child molestation and is a felonious offense.
Also, I do know who the perpetrator is and this incident does not involve my daughter.
This incident is a tremendous black eye for this sport. A school that was considering starting a program at their school, is now having serious second thoughts. Also, word of this incident will spread to the other Christian associated schools in the area and will severely hinder any expansion of the sport in this community. In order for this sport to grow and develop, this behavior can not exist and can not be tolerated.
AHA Conclusion: A lifetime ban will be instituted against this player for all AHA sanctioned events. This player is expelled from the Bird League. Any team/club that arrives at a sanctioned event with this player shall be expelled from that specific AHA event. Any team/club that continually arrives with any banned player will also receive a ban from AHA sanctioned events.
I am not a disciplinarian by any sort. However, the severity of this behavior requires swift and severe disciplinary action. The future of our sport is dependent on the existence of an ethical environment that can provide the framework for young men, women, and children to develop into productive and integrious members of society. Even though many can question prior actions by myself and the Condor Handball Organization as not producing or providing this type of beneficial environment, there are substantial differences between the two.
- This disciplinary action is from the AHA, not Mike Hurdle or the CHO. If the CHO chooses to endorse this disciplinary action, that decision will be made by the President of the CHO, Kurt Stone.
- Actions that myself and/or Condors have been criticized for do not involve feloniously victimizing children. Our actions have been restricted to adult venues and have been associated with adult situations that parents have allowed their minor children to attend. There is a huge difference between an event focused towards minors and an event geared towards adults. If parents chose to allow their children to attend adult events, they must be willing to accept that their children may be exposed to actions and behaviors that may be inappropriate for children and that they disagree with. And if that is the case, they should remove their children immediately and prevent them from participating in any more events that are geared in the same manner or organized by that organization. By continuing to allow your child to participate in events and organizations geared and focused towards adults, one is tacitly sanctioning the behavior associated with that event or organization. That is entirely a private and individual choice.
- The AHA Bird League is focused and geared towards an interaction of minors and adults. Consequently, the responsibility for enforcing common ethical behavior does rest with the AHA. Parents have the right to expect that their children will not be exposed to an entirely adult focused event and the behavior that may or may not coexist with that focus; it was not marketed as such, therefore the standards for behavior are different.
I will not publicly announce the banned player. It is the responsibility of each team to ensure that this player is not in their midst. Each team leader should reiterate the behavioral standards of the AHA to their teams and that unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated.
