Center Grove issues fan guidelines

Days after an incident at a basketball game where an opposing player and his family felt he was being mocked due to epilepsy, Center Grove schools has issued new guidelines for what behavior is and isn’t acceptable.

Students and fans must stay in the stands at all times, including during pre-game warm-ups and post-game celebrations.

No comments, chants or cheers that are personal in nature can be directed at the opposing team.

Fatheads and images of any kind of opposing players’ family members or girlfriends or boyfriends are now banned.

And any clothing themes the cheer-block uses can not be disparaging to the other school.

The expectations were outlined in a letter to students issued on Tuesday and signed by principal Jeffry Henderson and is the latest step in the school’s response to an incident at Friday’s home basketball game against Cathedral. A Center Grove student had worn a photo of an opposing player’s mother on his chest, then flopped like a fish on the floor in the sidelines in what was construed as mocking an opposing player’s previous epilepsy condition.

Further, the school said it plans to conduct class meetings soon to discuss the wide-ranging impacts the situation had on the Cathedral player, and the impact on how Center Grove students are viewed, the letter said.

Henderson tells the student body in the letter that “this is your school and with that ownership comes responsibility.” He stresses that attempts to be enthusiastic fans must not cross the line into actions that can be interpreted as personal attacks on opposing schools or players.

“We want you to attend; we want you to support our athletes and our teams; and we want you to have fun,” the letter said.

Henderson reminded students of the rules in the student handbook and noted that those rules apply at both home and away games.