New Ulm Sports Central - Preserving and Sharing New Ulm Area Sports History

Following up an earlier story, the Journal published this story Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2009 and also posted it on the same date on its website. It was by-lined by Michael Gassett, Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM - Approximately 40 New Ulm High School students have been punished for inappropriate behavior at a New Ulm volleyball game Oct. 22.

"The students that we have identified, the parents of those students will receive a letter [today]," New Ulm superintendent Harold Remme said. "That letter will indicate that they will be prohibited as a spectator for two weeks. If they are an athlete, they will have a restriction of two contests."

The students were identified based on a review of surveillance cameras, as well as the supervisors report from the evening's incident and the police report.

That two-week punishment runs from Oct. 26 through Nov. 6 and includes tonight's Section playoff football game at Hutchinson and Friday's Section 3AA volleyball game at Marshall.

According to New Ulm football coach Rob Bute, the punished students include 11 football players and 10 starters.

"I am disappointed for them and their season," he said. "I feel for the boys, especially the seniors because this is their last game, I wish they had the opportunity to finish out the season. I feel bad for those senior boys that don't get a chance to play their last football game."

The incident in question took place Thursday during New Ulm's South Central Conference volleyball match with Fairmont.

In the match, the student section - also known as the Eagle Squadron - was making inappropriate comments towards the Fairmont coach and team. The game officials warned the student section and later in the match and object was thrown on the court.

It was brought to the officials attention and the students in that section were then ejected from the gym and asked to leave the school premises.

"This is something that has progressed as the season has gone on," Remme said. "They have been advised to keep all of their cheers and activities on a positive note and showing good sportsmanship. They continued to do things that were inappropriate and unacceptable."

Remme made sure to point out that the action taken against the students isn't about the object that was thrown on the court.

"As we talk to some kids and parents today, there seems to be a concern that this all revolves around a penny that was thrown across the floor," he said. "Quite frankly, the action we are taking is a result of a compilation of a number of things that happen that evening as well as the season progressed. That wasn't the impetus of this."

The school consulted with its own policy as well as the Minnesota State High School League to find the appropriate punishment.

"We tried to look at our own school policies, the high school league's code of ethics, and we looked at what penalties are for other violations," Remme said. "The first penalty is generally two weeks or two events, whichever is greater. That is what we built the penalty structure on."

"It is obviously disappointing when our students or our adult fans are not representing our community in a positive way. We will work at developing a positive spin on the Eagle Squadron in the future."

This wasn't the first or only incident involving fans at New Ulm activities this season. There was an incident involving an adult soccer fan and a referee at the New Ulm girls Section 2A playoff loss earlier this month. There was also an assault involving a Waseca fan and a New Ulm student in a separate incident earlier this season. A Waseca High School student has been charged with assault in that case.

Remme says that these events are unusual for the school district, especially when they take place is such a short period of time.

"I see this as being uncharacteristic of regular New Ulm behavior," he said. "We want our student body, or school and our community to be positively represented whether it be at a home or an away contest.

"This is an experience we regret has surfaced, we appreciate the cooperation of parents and community members in helping us put the sportsmanship banner back up the way it is expected to be in New Ulm," Remme said.