Commonwealth Court upholds PIAA's decision on Revesz sisters
A panel of judges in Commonwealth Court upheld the PIAA's ruling concerning the transfer case of Chartiers Valley basketball players Ashley and Lauren Revesz. The decision comes at the wrong time, according to PIAA executive director Brad Cashman.
“It is a little too late,” Cashman said. “We are pleased the Commonwealth Court felt fit to uphold our transfer rule. We haven't been very successful in the Court of Common Pleas in western Pa.”
The sisters originally were ruled ineligible by the WPIAL and PIAA because the governing bodies decided the siblings transferred from Carlynton to Chartiers Valley in part for athletic intent. The Revesz's hired attorney Craig Lee, who appealed to Judge Gallo of Common Pleas Court, and whom granted a temporary injunction allowing the two to play. They played the regular season and helped the Colts make the playoffs.
In February, three judges in Commonwealth Court heard arguments from the PIAA and Lee which resulted in a ruling which came back on Tuesday to uphold the PIAA's original decision.
“Of course, we are very disappointed,” Lee said. “We felt we had ample evidence of the family's severe suffering and financial difficulty which was their reason for leaving Carlynton.”
Carlynton girls basketball coach Mike McConnell disagrees. He said the WPIAL and PIAA should have the right to enforce their rules and that the girls left his school because the girls father Daniel Revesz did not like McConnell as a coach. There were several unfriendly exchanges between Daniel Revesz and McConnell, including negative emails and phone calls.
“Judge Gallo's decision was not made based on evidence or law,” McConnell said. “He made a ruling based on feeling bad for the girls. If his ruling stood, then parents would be able to pick up and transfer their kids any time they had a disagreement with the coach.”
This not the first time the PIAA has had to deal with transfer cases.
Cashman cited two other cases — one in which the PIAA won and another which it lost — similar to the Revesz's case. He added the reason this ruling comes too late is the PIAA had planned to have the ineligibility period be this past season — one year from the date of the transfer. It does not appear that the girls will be ruled ineligible for the upcoming season, Cashman said. But he did say the next course of action could be to consider future actions which could mean Chartiers Valley might have to forfeit any games the girls played and/or return money made from WPIAL and PIAA playoff games in which the sisters participated.
“The most satisfying thing is that we really had an uphill battle with the transfer rule and that the Commonwealth Court has re-affirmed that we have a fair rule,” Cashman said. “They found no irreparable harm. We feel the right decision has finally been made.”
But not for good.
“It is tough that the kids have to suffer,” Lee said. “I am considering appealing to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.”
Staff writer Kevin Gorman contributed to this report.
