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Trivia Answer which will never be repeated


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After 3 years of varsity baseball at Noblesville, Reese Sharp transferred to University for his Senior year. According to the Indy Star, Noblesville did not sign off on the transfer & the IHSAA ruled that Sharp was ineligible to play until 365 days after his last game for Noblesville. So he wasn't allowed to suit up until after his teammates cruised through Sectional #58.

He's the fun fact-- Sharp played a grand total of 4 games for University & he was the starting pitcher in all 4 of those games.

And now Reese Sharp & University HS won a State Championship...one might say The Ringer won a ring.

   

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https://www.indystar.com/get-access/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indystar.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fhigh-school%2F2019%2F06%2F18%2Fihsaa-baseball-university-teddy-bear-pitcher-becomes-teams-cheerleader%2F1484687001%2F

I wonder if the University HS baseball program has booked a permanent meeting date with the IHSAA Executive Committee going forward. Just this season, they appealed on behalf of Reese Sharp (transferred for athletic reasons after 3 varsity seasons at Noblesville-- IHSAA Ruled Limited Eligibility/Sharp had to sit out for 365 days & could not play in a game for University before May 28, 2019) & Brock Moore (according to the IndyStar article linked above, Moore transferred to University after his Sophomore year & then stayed back a grade for academic reasons-- IHSAA ruled that he had used all 8 semesters of eligibility ending in Spring 2018). 

http://www.ihsaa.org/Portals/0/ihsaa/documents/about ihsaa/minutes/2018-19/042919.Review.pdf

IHSAA Review Committee April 29, 2019 Indianapolis, Indiana

Present Hearing Officer Brian Strong, Stacy Adams, Victor Bush, Chad Gilbert, Patti McCormack, Dave Worland.

A hearing was conducted to consider the appeal of Brock Moore, a student attending University High School, who had been declared ineligible under Rule 12‐2 (Eight Semester Rule). A hearing was requested in order to appeal the ruling. The student’s family and legal counsel for the IHSAA submitted findings of fact. Having analyzed all available data, the IHSAA Review Committee voted to uphold the decision of the commissioner. 

 

So congratulations again to the University Trailblazers for your Class 1A Baseball Championship and for proving that "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'" is the school motto. With the move up to 2A for the next 2 seasons, you'd better step up the recruiting efforts & fine a way to hide your talented transfers in the future. Although with your recent success, you should be able to recruit baseball players with great potential before their Freshman year like the others do.

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What is sad is that situations like this are going to be highly politicized. Remember that there is an additional step in the appeal process, thanks to the General Assembly. Parents and athletes can appeal IHSAA decision to the Department of Education. Remember the days when State Superintendent Tony Bennett was on record as saying students should be allowed to transfer to any school for any reason, including athletics. Something else to keep in mind...that Superintendent position will be appointed by the next Governor. And that person will be appointing the staff at the DOE. 

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Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt ~ Abraham Lincoln 

One might suggest that you research your nonsense babble and worthless opinions prior to voicing expertise on personal issues and family decisions, particularly when it involves the lives and protection of children.  Commenting, when you have absolutely zero knowledge of a particular situation, indicates an underlying need to present as worthy of our time.  Here’s a hint... you are not.  Anyone who leaves their child in a known unsafe situation involving gun violence, has no soul... end story.  Furthermore, you might attempt compassion for a family who have had 2 family deaths this past year, one of which occurred a day before state.  You are all heartless and cruel .

 

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How can I "research" any of that?

I do not know which family you are talking about but I don't recall any reference to an unsafe environment &/or family deaths in either IndyStar article about Sharp or Moore. If it was in those articles, please point it out to me.

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Research is the the systematic investigation into and study of materials (plural) and sources (plural) in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.  It’s not up to anyone else to tell a person how to do their research prior to posting publicly.  Referencing one article is usually not enough though.  Personal information typically is not shared with the press as it is none of their business, as it is none of yours.  Your opinion is your opinion and your perception is your perception, do not mistake either for facts or truths.

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Frankly, I'm not even sure if you are referring to Moore or Sharp.

If it's referring to Brock Moore, the Indystar article noted that he transferred (I am not sure which school he previously attended) for academic reasons & then stayed behind 1 grade for academic reasons. Makes perfect sense if a student is struggling academically, dealing with his mother's serious illniess, etc. This change has obviously been very good for him both in the classroom & on the baseball field too. After the transfer, it appears that he was allowed to participate in athletics immediately. For IHSAA member schools, each student-athlete is eligible for 8 semesters of high school sports. Based upon the ruling of the IHSAA Review Committee, Moore had used up his 8 semesters of eligibility at the end of the 2017-18 school year. 

Please let me know if any of those facts are incorrect.

As you suggested, I did some more research & found that the connections leading up to the Reese Sharp transfer is pretty darn interesting. Lots of facts below.

Chris Estep has been the Head Baseball Coach at University HS for 11 years. Estep is not a teacher, he is the founder (1993) & owner of the Roundtripper Sports Academy in Westfield.  According to his bio on the Roundtripper website, "Chris is currently the Head of Player Training and Development for the Indiana Mustangs baseball organization, while also serving as a coach." Also from that same website, "RoundTripper Sports Academy is home to several local sports teams in Westfield, IN. These teams include the Indiana Mustangs organization, the University High School baseball and softball teams, the Colts Baseball Club, the San Francisco Giants Scout Team, and PBR’s Team Indiana."

Roundtripper's facilities include a 40,000 sq ft indoor facility, youth baseball & softball fields & a regulation high school baseball field. The University baseball team practices & plays its home games at Roundtripper. (Opinion here-- I bet that no other 1A baseball program enjoys those kinds of facilities...in fact, maybe no other team in the entire state.) All Mustang players are provided with a Roundtripper Academy membership that includes unlimited cage use, mound use, and indoor field use. Mustangs players will also have access to some of the finest baseball instructors in the midwest.

Reese Sharp has been a member of the Indiana Mustangs Elite Travel baseball club for at least 7 years. I found this May 2016 article when Sharp was a varsity pitcher for Noblesville HS as a freshman: https://millermedianow.org/3123/sports/pitching-the-way-to-varsity/

From that article, "In Sharp’s seven years of playing baseball, a moment that has stuck with him took place during a travel game for the Indiana Mustangs, the only other team Sharp has played for besides Noblesville."

https://www.mustangsnation.com/alumni - Sharp is listed as a Mustangs alumni who has committed to play at IU.

From MaxPreps, here are Sharp's stats during his 3 years playing varsity at Noblesville. (Hmmm...only 14 innings on the mound as a Junior)

https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/reese-sharp/_VjrL0AiEeW-8KA2nzwbTA/gendersport/baseball-stats.htm

image.png.e59fd32663b0045a0eddd8630a946487.png

image.png.890f6220d911fe8b11709683f9fc5329.png

Lots & lots of facts there.

Unfortunately, I can't confirm that as a fact but, at the state title game, I overheard a University parent say that Sharp had a falling out with the Noblesville Coach. 

4 hours ago, EmpathyWithCompassion said:

Research is the the systematic investigation into and study of materials (plural) and sources (plural) in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

So, based upon those facts & a bit of spy-work, my conclusion is this-- after the 2018 season, Reese Sharp wasn't happy in his role at Noblesville. Based upon many years of training at Estep's Roundtripper Academy & playing elite travel ball for Estep's Indiana Mustangs, Sharp already had a good relationship with Chris Estep which eventually led to a discussion about transferring to University for his Senior year. With a solid squad returning after being 1A runner-ups in 2018, it was a great fit for both the student-athlete & the baseball program. Obviously, it would have worked out even better if Noblesville had signed off on the transfer or the IHSAA gave their approval so that he could have played the whole season. But he was still able to practice every day at Estep's first-class facility until the 365-day ineligibility ended plus he had already committed to play at IU. Based on being drafted in the 28th round, professional scouts surely stopped by to watch him workout too. After University clobbered each Sectional opponent, he became eligible to play starting with the Regionals-- Sharp started on the mound in all 4 of their remaining tournament games, he was the winning pitcher in 3 games, threw 21 2/3 innings (out of 28) & allowed just 2 runs total.  

As you correctly pointed out, there are personal & family issues which I am completely unaware of. In your first post, you mentioned gun violence. Are you referring to the May 2018 shooting at the Noblesville Middle School?

Assuming those personal & family issues were pertinent to their athletic eligibility review, the student's family & legal counsel certainly submitted that information on their transfer application & to the IHSAA Review Committee. In both cases, the Committee ruled against the transfer applicants-- because facts often outweigh feelings.

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From the IHSAA 8/27/2019 Meeting Minutes:

University HS – Rule 15-1.2h (Ineligible player appeared in uniformed at the State Finals and received a medal)

1. The University High School baseball program is issued a warning. This warning is official notice that an illegal act has occurred, is a matter of record, and shall not be repeated.

2. Athletic Director John Walls and Head Baseball Coach Chris Estep are reprimanded for this violation. Ignorance of the rules is not an acceptable excuse for a rules violation.

3. The IHSAA holds a higher expectation of University High School to understand the by-laws and compliance therein.

***

Doesn't the IHSAA realize by now that University HS plays by their own rules? 

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