Council Prepares Goose Creek Gator Resolution

Goose Creek City Council will consider a resolution honoring Goose Creek High administrators and the Gators football program.

The undefeated team was disqualified from post-season play and forced to forfeit most of the season due to an ineligible student. The community has rallied to Goose Creek defense, particularly due to the incident being a clerical error and the special needs student's limited time on the field.

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With a state title under their belt last year, the Gators were honored with a resolution from City Council recognizing that success.

"This is more important than recognizing a state championship team," said Councilman Jerry Tekac, who has proposed the resolution.

The school self-reported the violation on Nov. 12. Principal Jimmy Huskey was verifying students' eligibility for winter sports when he found the student's records in the system had been updated since August to now reflect a previous fourth year of high school. Students are limited to eight semesters of eligibility.

As a member of the South Carolina High School League Executive Committee, Huskey was confident he and head coach Chuck Reedy could easily win a hardship request allowing the student an exception. The SCHSL refused the school's request three times — including a court-ordered appeal.

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"They need to be recognized," Tekac said. "We ask for educators to mold, shape and teach are young adults to do the right thing. It would have been very easy not to do the right thing."

Tekac's son attends Stratford, Goose Creek's hometown rival, but the councilman notes that the heartbreak over the SCHSL decision goes beyond attendance zones.

"The bottom line is we live, work and play together," he said.

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