Sunnyside Needs Our Help

[IAChief32]

All-

As most of you know, I am part Az/IA. Went to high school down there by junior/senior year. The best team over the past four decades has been Sunnyside High School. They have churned out state title after state title and produced such great wrestlers such as Tommy Ortiz, the Gallick bros, and the Larkins of ASU, and of course RBY amongst many others. They did this despite being in a poor school district. For years, they have epitomized excellence in our sport.

The school district has fallen on hard times and cannot fund wrestling. They have to pay for everything to include gas for the bus and trips to state. Hopefully this is a temporary solution. Anything you can give would be great. I know its a tough ask because they are not a PA school but this program means a lot to our sport in the southwest.
https://app.snap-raise.com/fundraisers/45265?share_type=twitter

 

[lockhavenlion3]

All-

As most of you know, I am part Az/IA. Went to high school down there by junior/senior year. The best team over the past four decades has been Sunnyside High School. They have churned out state title after state title and produced such great wrestlers such as Tommy Ortiz, the Gallick bros, and the Larkins of ASU, and of course RBY amongst many others. They did this despite being in a poor school district. For years, they have epitomized excellence in our sport.

The school district has fallen on hard times and cannot fund wrestling. They have to pay for everything to include gas for the bus and trips to state. Hopefully this is a temporary solution. Anything you can give would be great. I know its a tough ask because they are not a PA school but this program means a lot to our sport in the southwest.
https://app.snap-raise.com/fundraisers/45265?share_type=twitter

put spyker down for $1,000 .

 

[El-Jefe]

We need to be real careful about this.

RBY is a known recruit who has not yet signed his National Letter of Intent. Not sure this would pass NCAA muster even if he were enrolled.

Do not want him ruled ineligible because we paved the road to hell with the gold bricks of good intentions.

Someone needs to run this past Compliance -- seriously, not like the HR Compliance calls.

Then if it's cleared, support away. If we can help with a need, great, as long as we don't cause more problems.

 

[86PSUPaul]

My first thought is, no way supporting this team would be thought that way.

My second thought is wow, maybe it could.

My third thought is it sucks that good intentions could possibly be construed this way.

Hopefully someone can confirm if this is allowed.

 

[El-Jefe]

A similar situation happened about 2 or 3 yrs ago.

Every year the Benton Tigers Wrestling Club live streams sectionals, districts, and regionals. (For a while they also did states.) It's a donor-driven volunteer effort and they do a great job with that constraint.

One year I posted the link here for us to watch the action, noted that they could use donations, and named a few of their guys who wrestled in college -- among them the Hughes twins and a well-known current PSU wrestler (who was enrolled at PSU at the time).

The BTWC organizer came on here and asked me to edit out the current wrestler to avoid an accidental violation.

IIRC the reason was because the NCAA forbids using an athlete's name or image for advertising, even for charitable causes.

 

[CholleyVandine]

Seems like a very good cause. If you support it, by all means, give, but there is no need to identify yourself as a PSU fan or to run back here to post about your contribution unless you're trying to use your donation to buy the affection of a talented recruit. Hard to imagine there's a fan base out there crass enough to do that, but ...

There are many worthy wrestling fundraisers underway. If you have money to give and want to support the sport, you might consider any of these along with the Sunnyside fundraiser:

https://www.gofundme.com/fs-shades-valley-wrestling-team

https://www.gofundme.com/new-wrestling-cheer-mats

https://www.gofundme.com/cros-wrestling-team

https://www.gofundme.com/carver-aampt-wrestling-program

 

[jpsolo]

A forum poster isn’t an official of Penn State although some of you may feel different.

 

[johnstownsteel]

All-

As most of you know, I am part Az/IA. Went to high school down there by junior/senior year. The best team over the past four decades has been Sunnyside High School. They have churned out state title after state title and produced such great wrestlers such as Tommy Ortiz, the Gallick bros, and the Larkins of ASU, and of course RBY amongst many others. They did this despite being in a poor school district. For years, they have epitomized excellence in our sport.

The school district has fallen on hard times and cannot fund wrestling. They have to pay for everything to include gas for the bus and trips to state. Hopefully this is a temporary solution. Anything you can give would be great. I know its a tough ask because they are not a PA school but this program means a lot to our sport in the southwest.
https://app.snap-raise.com/fundraisers/45265?share_type=twitter

Chief, I’ll throw in 50 bucks. If it’s decided we shouldn’t because of stupid rules, I’ll hit you up tomorrow and get a paypal account or some other way to get it to you and you can get it to Sunnyside. Good Luck with your efforts...

 

[CholleyVandine]

A forum poster isn’t an official of Penn State although some of you may feel different.

No doubt. But you don't have to be an "official of Penn State" to run afoul of NCAA regs. You only have to be a "representative of the University's Athletic interests."

This is from the PSU compliance office brochure:

ARE YOU A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNIVERSITY’S ATHLETIC INTERESTS? A representative of the institution’s athletics interests is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration to:

• Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program;
• Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
• Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects; (i.e. provide lodging, meals, transportation to a Penn State Coach)
• Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletics program.

Once you become a Representative of the University's Athletics Interests, you retain this status FOREVER!

I would guess that a fair number of people who post here would be considered representatives of the university's athletic interests.

 

[El-Jefe]

According to the NCAA, if you got a 1-yr Alumni Association membership as a graduation gift, that makes you a university representative for life.

 

[IAChief32]

PSU fans...please do not give until further notice. I will receive clarification on this by Weds next week for you guys that should satisfy you and help you sleep at night. Sound fair?

My thinking is that it is tax deductible, going to a pool of athletes, and has the disclaimer that no goods or services are promised will make it just fine but what the hell do I know but I'll let you know.

 

[hlstone]

A similar situation happened about 2 or 3 yrs ago.

Every year the Benton Tigers Wrestling Club live streams sectionals, districts, and regionals. (For a while they also did states.) It's a donor-driven volunteer effort and they do a great job with that constraint.

One year I posted the link here for us to watch the action, noted that they could use donations, and named a few of their guys who wrestled in college -- among them the Hughes twins and a well-known current PSU wrestler (who was enrolled at PSU at the time).

The BTWC organizer came on here and asked me to edit out the current wrestler to avoid an accidental violation.

IIRC the reason was because the NCAA forbids using an athlete's name or image for advertising, even for charitable causes.

Yep, The guy from Benton asked for our 149 guys name to be removed. maybe he was 141 at the time

 

[CentexLion]

PSU fans...please do not give until further notice. I will receive clarification on this by Weds next week for you guys that should satisfy you and help you sleep at night. Sound fair?

My thinking is that it is tax deductible, going to a pool of athletes, and has the disclaimer that no goods or services are promised will make it just fine but what the hell do I know but I'll let you know.

If all kosher, I'll be donating. Thanks for the heads up.

But, can I also get a ruling from Vodka? He seems to be the authority on all NCAA and moral matters, so his input is needed.

 

[dunkej01]

A similar situation happened about 2 or 3 yrs ago.

Every year the Benton Tigers Wrestling Club live streams sectionals, districts, and regionals. (For a while they also did states.) It's a donor-driven volunteer effort and they do a great job with that constraint.

One year I posted the link here for us to watch the action, noted that they could use donations, and named a few of their guys who wrestled in college -- among them the Hughes twins and a well-known current PSU wrestler (who was enrolled at PSU at the time).

The BTWC organizer came on here and asked me to edit out the current wrestler to avoid an accidental violation.

IIRC the reason was because the NCAA forbids using an athlete's name or image for advertising, even for charitable causes.

the world we live in....

If all kosher, I'll be donating. Thanks for the heads up.

But, can I also get a ruling from Vodka? He seems to be the authority on all NCAA and moral matters, so his input is needed.

If vodka gives the green light I will too.

 

[RoarLions1]

I can say, with confidence, that Compliance at PSU, in my opinion and experience, wants to not just follow the letter of the law (NCAA), but also kibosh any action that remotely could be perceived as an impropriety.

Having said that, it appears to me that the only aspect of helping this team, that could even remotely be perceived as influencing anyone, is placing a recruits name where it has "Support a Participant". Even then, it's a stretch to say these donations influenced anyone. I say if it's in your heart to give, then give.

 

[86PSUPaul]

The Roar seal of approval works for me!

 

[tikk10]

I would think that the connection between donating to an economically struggling high school's wrestling program and an NCAA violation only because thea future recruit attends that school is too attenuated for the NCAA to bother, if for no other reason than because the legal costs to that school, if investigated, would easily exceed the amount of donations. I get the point that a both the high school and college programs would want to be wary of "advertising" using a wrestler's name but I think (a) advertising is not what's happening here, and (b) the NCAA's days when it can control athletes' likenesses are numbered due to some litigation looses on that front.

*None of forging represents a legal opinion on behalf of any party, present or similarly situated. Just my personal opinion.

 

[CholleyVandine]

I would think that the connection between donating to an economically struggling high school's wrestling program and an NCAA violation only because thea future recruit attends that school is too attenuated for the NCAA to bother, if for no other reason than because the legal costs to that school, if investigated, would easily exceed the amount of donations. I get the point that a both the high school and college programs would want to be wary of "advertising" using a wrestler's name but I think (a) advertising is not what's happening here, and (b) the NCAA's days when it can control athletes' likenesses are numbered due to some litigation looses on that front.

*None of forging represents a legal opinion on behalf of any party, present or similarly situated. Just my personal opinion.

Not arguing the point ... but I wonder if the NCAA would become interested if donors were calling out their university affiliation when they contributed and proclaiming publicly that they were motivated by a desire to have one of the high school's stars wrestle for them in college.

Say there's a very active Bucknell message board called Bison Report.

A well-meaning Bison Report regular posts an appeal to help the Sunnyside program raise some money.

Another regular poster then suggests, "We should all get together and do it as a group under, “Fans of Bison Wrestling”.

And then in another post says, "Where it asks on the donation to name a specific wrestler we can put down, “Bison recruits” so they will know that Bison fans are willing to help support their wresting program."

And then another fan posts, "Lets see if we can raise their $3K and get some recruits from the great state of Arizona to Lewisburg."

And then, "Now we just have to go have some lemon aid with RBY before signing day."

And, finally, when prompted by another Bucknell fan, the original well-meaning poster posts the same appeal on Diplomat Report as a way to prove that the F&M fans will be less generous than the Bucknell fans.

I'm not sure the motivation is as pure as "donating to an economically struggling high school's wrestling program."

 

[tikk10]

Not arguing the point ... but I wonder if the NCAA would become interested if donors were calling out their university affiliation when they contributed and proclaiming publicly that they were motivated by a desire to have one of the high school's stars wrestle for them in college.

Say there's a very active Bucknell message board called Bison Report.

A well-meaning Bison Report regular posts an appeal to help the Sunnyside program raise some money.

Another regular poster then suggests, "We should all get together and do it as a group under, “Fans of Bison Wrestling”.

And then in another post says, "Where it asks on the donation to name a specific wrestler we can put down, “Bison recruits” so they will know that Bison fans are willing to help support their wresting program."

And then another fan posts, "Lets see if we can raise their $3K and get some recruits from the great state of Arizona to Lewisburg."

And then, "Now we just have to go have some lemon aid with RBY before signing day."

And, finally, when prompted by another Bucknell fan, the original well-meaning poster posts the same appeal on Diplomat Report as a way to prove that the F&M fans will be less generous than the Bucknell fans.

I'm not sure the motivation is as pure as "donating to an economically struggling high school's wrestling program."

Good points, thanks, and I'd maybe add to that a scenario where a disproportionately large donation comes in, say $100k from someone publicly aligned with the college program. Defense to that is that student is still only tangentially benefiting from the donation, not being given a Porsche to sway his interest. But the NCAA might notice something like that.

 

[PSU Mike]

Not arguing the point ... but I wonder if the NCAA would become interested if donors were calling out their university affiliation when they contributed and proclaiming publicly that they were motivated by a desire to have one of the high school's stars wrestle for them in college.

Say there's a very active Bucknell message board called Bison Report.

A well-meaning Bison Report regular posts an appeal to help the Sunnyside program raise some money.

Another regular poster then suggests, "We should all get together and do it as a group under, “Fans of Bison Wrestling”.

And then in another post says, "Where it asks on the donation to name a specific wrestler we can put down, “Bison recruits” so they will know that Bison fans are willing to help support their wresting program."

And then another fan posts, "Lets see if we can raise their $3K and get some recruits from the great state of Arizona to Lewisburg."

And then, "Now we just have to go have some lemon aid with RBY before signing day."

And, finally, when prompted by another Bucknell fan, the original well-meaning poster posts the same appeal on Diplomat Report as a way to prove that the F&M fans will be less generous than the Bucknell fans.

I'm not sure the motivation is as pure as "donating to an economically struggling high school's wrestling program."

That is so incredibly far fetched that it has no relevance here.