Some of the athletes say the move lessens their chances at college scholarships.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Members of a boys’ track team have an emotional plea for their school district. Thursday, the East St. Louis Flyers learned their season was over, effective immediately.
The decision came after a fight broke out at a Southwest Conference Track Championship meet.
Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, director of strategic partnerships, said the district is still working to find out exactly who was involved, but said it has confirmed that some members of the Flyers «contributed to the escalation of the altercation.»
«While it’s not ideal to have a number of people facing the consequences for the actions of a few, in this case there is limited time remaining in the year and we needed to make sure that safety again was considered for everyone involved,» she said.
Raymond Mix III, who runs varsity, said there are around 14 members on the team and two, possibly three, of his teammates were involved in the fight.
Mix is a senior with plans to attend Southern Illinois University of Carbondale. His last weeks of high school are suddenly off track.
«I don’t really know how it started,» he said. «I just remember seeing a brawl taking place in the stands and then everybody running towards it.»
Willie Johnson said he «just completely broke down and walked out» moments after the principal and athletic director broke the news in a closed meeting Thursday.
«That’s just like someone telling me he’s dead,» Johnson said, referring to teammate Marcus Lampley. «I couldn’t take it.»
The boys said track isn’t just a game. It’s their life.
«I’m very upset because this is my last year,» Mix said. «For me to get back out there, it would have given me a greater chance to get more money for my scholarship.»
His younger brother, Xavier Mix, is a freshman. He also runs varsity.
«Just don’t take away from us what we need because we need this to make it out of East St. Louis,» he said. «Everybody doesn’t want to be stuck in East St. Louis the rest of their lives.»
The school district says further consequences will be given to those who were involved in the fight.
Mix’s grandfather, Raymond Mix, said the Flyers and many of their family members plan to voice their concerns and ask the school district to reconsider at a school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m.
