JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The Ribault Colts, a middle school football team, were planning a playoff game under the lights on Wednesday.
But on Tuesday, their season came to an abrupt end disappointing the players and their parents.
"Parents are upset, kids are very upset," Arthur Brown said.
On Wednesday morning, parents braved the chilly temperatures to get answers from Duval County Public Schools Athletic Director, Tammie Talley.
Parents wanted to know why was the team disqualified from the playoffs just a few hours before the game. Brown was one of the parents in attendance at the unexpected meeting.
"You've got 8th graders who will not play another game of middle school football for them to end their career like this is very sad," he said.
On the Duval Sports website, there are video clips of the Ribault Colts in action; it appears that the middle school football team was on track to a winning season.
"The kids are home right now crying and upset because they cannot finish the season out," Brown said.
On Your Side reached out to the school board for answers.
Q. What happened?
A. Football team had an ineligible player.
Q. Why were they disqualified?
A. Student was over-age.
Q. Why penalized the day before their big game?
A. Was the just cause recently discovered or was it known all season? Notification was received on Wednesday, Nov. 6 of a possible ineligible player. School and district investigated, and was able to verify that the player was ineligible. This investigation was completed on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Q. Where they treated fairly?
A. Rules that outline eligibility in middle school athletics are in the middle school athletic constitution. It states in part, “ The appearance of an ineligible student’s name on a game eligibility list shall be considered as evidence that he/she was allowed to participate. A fine of $25.00 will occur along with forfeiture of that game.”
Q. Is there a process for appealing the decision?
A. Yes, there is an appeal and verification process. If a report of an ineligible player is verified, then the rules apply.
"I don't know who enrolled him at the school or who his parents are," Brown said. "At the end of the day, we didn't know how old this child was."
Brown said the student was not a starter, but the rules are clear, his name was on the roster. Now the entire team is being penalized.
He believes that accountability should be with the person who enrolled the student, not the entire team.
There are no grounds for an appeal and the Ribault Middle Colts football season is over.