Yohn Ends JV Season for Violations

C. Milton Wright's junior varsity football season ended a week early because of a "violation of team policy" by 16 of the squad's 36 players, varsity head coach David Yohn said.

Due to incidents that took place "at random points throughout the football season," Yohn dismissed almost half of the team from the program for the remainder of the season after an Oct. 28 loss to North Harford.

"I had no knowledge of any events during the season until the end of week nine," Yohn said Friday. "I was approached by someone from the community that mentioned to me that we may have violations out there with the JV program."

Yohn said that he and his staff investigated the matter internally and found that 16 players violated team policy, though he would not specify what the "random" incidents were. No varsity players were involved in the violations.

The coach said that as far as the football program's staff is concerned, the incident is a "dead issue" and it has moved on.

"The most important thing is that they understand that it was important to be honest about it. They were responsible and accountable for their own actions," Yohn said.

Harford County Public Schools is aware of the violation and is satisfied with the steps the C. Milton Wright football staff has taken.

"The school followed the proper channels in notifying the appropriate central office staff," Manager of Communications Teri Kranefeld wrote in an e-mail. "Appropriate disciplinary action has been taken based on the violations of team policies."

Kranefeld added that HCPS does not plan to take any further action.

"The issue has been dealt with appropriately, disciplinary action has been taken, parents have been consulted and informed, therefore the issue has been resolved," Kranefeld wrote. "Several athletes on the CMW JV football team violated team policy.  Parents were immediately notified and [an] investigation occurred. The students were then disciplined accordingly."

Yohn said he met with the violating players and their parents earlier this week to discuss the incident.

"We had a parent meeting on Wednesday night in which we discussed the extent of the circumstances," Yohn said. "The most important part of the entire meeting was the fact that we need to address these issues so nothing like this ever occurs again."

The coach added that the 16 dismissed players will have an opportunity to prove themselves worthy of rejoining the program.

"They need to know and understand that they were removed from the team for the remainder of the season," Yohn said. "When the season is over it's their turn. If they still want to be part of the program next season, they need to prove to me that they will be accountable and make better choices."

Of the 20 JV players who did not commit a team violation, 10 of them accepted Yohn's offer to join the varsity team for the remainder of the season, including Friday's game at Joppatowne.

Yohn stated that the players are in no way being "cast away" or "shunned." He emphasized that winning football games is not the program's top priority.

"It would be great if we won every football game we ever played," he said. "But really that's not my number one goal. My number one goal is to make productive members of society. And they have to understand that when you give your word on some type of contract or policy, that you adhere to those rules."

Yohn said the message not only goes for the athletes and parents he spoke to regarding this incident, but any future players who want to join the program.

"The message as far as I'm concerned is a clear one and it's for everyone involved with the football program. And that is if you are not going to follow the team policy, there will be no space for you on my football team," Yohn said. "It's time to make sure that I carry out the promise that I gave parents three years ago when I said that my interest is not building a winning program, it's building a program that creates successful men and this is part of that."