Last year the Sam Houston State club baseball team went on an unprecedented run making it all the way to the national tournament and finished the season ranked in the top five in the nation.This semester the team is not allowed to play any games or even practice for the remainder of the fall semester.
Due to decision made by some of the younger members of the team in Ft. Worth this October, the team lost it’s privileges and was fined with 500 hours of community service.
“Things just got a bit out of hand,” said new club baseball president Dennis Shaefer. “We’ve never been careless but this was a bit disappointing.”
The baseball team, which has not had a violation in the past five years, received a harsh penalty in their view.
But according to Keith Jenkins, the director of recreational sports, the punishment was fitting of the crime.
“It’s a risk management issue,” Jenkins said. “The bottom line is it’s zero tolerance.”
At first the baseball team took no action. However Blake Suvinsky, the then president of the baseball team, stepped down and Shafer took over. Trying to show that they felt some remorse, the team changed leadership and is looking to suspend some players.
“They have done a good job,” said Jenkins. “I am proud of the group, and I am telling you this club has been good.”
Club sports does have a counsel which is overseen by Kendrick Crumedy, the counsel can change the ruling for the baseball team, but Jenkins has already said he would overrule the judgment because it is violating school policy.
For the baseball team practice is the biggest issue.
“For us to be effective in spring we would really like to practice,” Shaefer said. “We don’t meet during the week so its hard to keep the unity.
However, Jenkins insist that rules are rules and that these rules were broken.
“I was honest up front,” said Jenkins. “They accepted that honesty and then broke the rules, and they are now asking for a lesser punishment.
“The main issue is there is still room for leniency here. But they have to show me they are doing something to help themselves”
The baseball team will finish the semester and from there begin to rebuild a program that was already on the rise.
“We did make a mistake and hurt the school reputation,” said Shaefer. “So we deserve the punishment, we just have to move forward from here.”