A&T Probes Possible Tennis Violations

Photo credit: A&T Register James Dunwoody, who coached North Carolina A&T's men's tennis team, says he and parents are looking for an off-university site to coach young people.

By Darrick Ignasiak
Black College Wire

A mentoring program for young tennis players at North Carolina A&T State University might have violated NCAA rules, according to the school's athletic director.

James Dunwoody, who was part-time interim tennis coach, said members of his men's and women's tennis teams taught lessons year-round, and that a mentoring program existed under his guidance for the past four years.

NCAA bylaws state that if an institution provides a prospective student athlete any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally, the program is in violation.

Moreover, according to the NCAA, a prospective student athlete is defined as one who has started classes for the ninth grade, which would exclude 14- and 15 year-olds. Dunwoody initially said the men's program taught youths ages 4 to 15; he later amended that to 4 to 12.

"First of all, we are talking about the ages," Athletic Director Dee Todd said, speaking after the initial statement that the program served ages 14 and 15. "There are two ages that would be in violation."

The men's program was eliminated on July 12 in a surprise move projected to save the athletics department $52,700 this year. Dunwoody, 58, a BellSouth employee of 28 years, ended his six-year tenure as men's and women's tennis coach on Aug. 21. Dunwoody guided the Aggies from No. 11 in MEAC to No. 4 this year. He began his collegiate coaching career at Bennett College in 1999.

Dunwoody said the program for youths 4 to 15 was held on Thursdays and Fridays. Some of the children are now playing in United States Tennis Association tournaments, he said.

"We didn't have any knowledge of it," Todd said of the program.

Todd -- a former member of NCAA committees -- said there were certain time periods when a coach and athletes could hold a camp or give lessons.

The athletic department plans to investigate. Todd said A&T was one of the few universities in the MEAC to self-report a violation.

"We are responsible to report anything out of the norm," said Wheeler Brown, associate athletic director. "Whether the coach is here or not, we will do our due diligence in terms of investigating and see what we can find out. And then we will make a decision to decide what the next step will be." Any NCAA penalty would be assessed against the university.

Some student athletes were required to work in the community for their classes, said Dunwoody, "and they used the community program as their voluntary program."

Dunwoody –- a part-time tennis youth instructor for 12 years -- said the sessions would be held on campus, except during adverse weather conditions, and run for 90 minutes.

"I thought the kids had been telling them about it," said Dunwoody, speaking of the athletics department. "Personally, it's not a problem if they're not aware of it. I am doing my thing to help the young people."

Dunwoody said he still uses the A&T tennis facilities for his lessons. He said he held one on Sept. 9 and was helped by a former men's tennis player.

"He is not an employee of N.C. A&T and should not be using the facilities," Todd said of Dunwoody. "The university would be liable." Todd said no coach can independently use the university's facilities.

Dunwoody said his committee, made up of five parents, will look for another site.

Andy Smith, a former coach at Gardner Webb University, was named the new women's coach on Sept. 11.

The abrupt end of the men's tennis program interrupted some students' plans.

"It is real sad," said Damon Martin, the Aggies' No. 1 singles player this year. "I was really looking forward to coming back and helping coach. As I got older, I was planning on donating money to the program."

Damon's two brothers, Jared and Jeremy, were also on the team. Jeremy had the opportunity to transfer to Clemson, but decided to stay for his last two semesters. He was trying to find private donors to get the team reinstated. Todd said a private donor would have to contribute about $200,000 to cover four years.

"I don't think there is anything they can do other than bringing a huge donor to a table that would be willing to fund it for the future," said Todd.

Darrick Ignasiak, a student at North Carolina A&T State University, is sports editor of the A&T Register.

Posted Sept. 25, 2006