State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) and State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) issued the following statement today calling upon the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) to allow Belvidere Central Middle School’s (BCMS) Cross Country team to compete beyond this weekend’s upcoming conference meet after the organization disqualified BCMS due to an unpaid activity fee owed from the summer:
“Belvidere Central Middle School athletes should not be punished over a technicality concerning activity fee payment. These young athletes have worked hard to train and prepare for competition throughout the cross country season. The IESA’s decision to disqualify our students from competing in upcoming sectionals, regional meets and state finals is short-sighted and should be reversed, given that the association created an atmosphere of confusion by starting and stopping sports during the month of July due to COVID-19. We encourage the IESA to allow Belvidere Central Middle School Cross Country athletes to participate for the remainder of the season without exception.”
If the IESA’s decision is not reversed, BCMS athletics coaches said the cross country team’s final competition will be the upcoming conference meet scheduled for this Saturday, October 3 in DeKalb.
Representative Sosnowski serves the 69th District which includes portions of Winnebago and Boone Counties.