Why one Midlands school is letting its sports teams say no to playing Gray Collegiate
One Midlands-area high school has opted to forfeit athletic games against Gray Collegiate Academy over what it says are unfair advantages with how the local charter school’s teams build their rosters.
Fairfield Central High School elected to not play Gray Collegiate in softball and in boys and girls soccer games last week, three days after each team was blown out in games by the War Eagles in those sports. Gray was awarded victories in each instance of a forfeit.
Fairfield County School District superintendent J.R. Green watched one of the games — an 18-1, three-inning loss in softball — and subsequently gave Fairfield Central’s spring sports programs the option of not playing Gray in additional contests that were scheduled for Friday.
Gray Collegiate and some if its public charter school counterparts have faced criticism in recent years because of the perception that they recruit for athletics.
“I attended softball and I witnessed Gray had an all-star team,” Green told The State. “We already know the competitive advantage they have. It was demoralizing, so I talked with our principal and softball coach. I told the principal I supported the decision not to play them. I would be fine with any coach making that decision.”
Gray boys soccer defeated Fairfield Central 21-0 last week, with the War Eagles’ girls soccer team winning 10-0.
“We weren’t demanding that any team not play Gray,” Green said. “Softball, soccer elected not to play, but baseball played.”
Gray and Fairfield Central are both in Class 2A’s Region 3 along with Keenan, Eau Claire and Columbia. All are members of the S.C. High School League.
Green said he called and informed Gray Collegiate principal Brian Newsome and SCHSL commissioner Jerome Singleton of Fairfield Central’s decision. Fairfield Central is located in Winnsboro, just north of Richland County, and is the only high school in the Fairfield County School District.
“Some people forfeit because of run of the flu, suspensions, COVID. It is not that uncommon, and is a little uncommon because of the stand we are doing,” Green said. “We hope this calls others to think about it, our stand, and maybe they will come to the same conclusion.
“It is not just that they have a powerful softball program. We have played teams with good softball programs. ... It is different when we feel they are recruiting an all-star cast. As I said to Gray principal, I don’t feel that is fair to our players.”
Newsome declined to comment on the matter when contacted by The State.
Gray, located in West Columbia, promotes “elite athletics” as part of the charter school’s attributes, according to its website. Students from anywhere in South Carolina can attend there by choice if they enroll ahead of ninth grade. After that, they’re required to move and live within the Lexington 2 school district attendance zone.
Gray in the past has denied recruiting athletes, saying the school attracts students based on its small size and attractive class schedule that includes taking college courses through a dual enrollment option.
Gray and sister school Oceanside Collegiate have enjoyed athletic success in Class 2A, especially in the past five years. Gray swept the 2A boys and girls basketball championships earlier this month and won its first softball and football titles last year. The War Eagles baseball team also played for a state title, and competitive cheer won its first championship in the fall.
Gray’s boys soccer played for the Class 2A State Championship last year and has reached the semifinals three times in the past four postseasons. The GCA girls soccer program advanced to the Class 2A semifinals in 2018 and 2019.
Oceanside has also won state titles and appeared in championships this school year for the first time in football and boys basketball.
Singleton said Fairfield Central won’t be fined for the forfeits because there were no signed contracts for the games given that the teams are in the same region.
Friday’s games were the last scheduled meetings in the regular season between Fairfield Central and Gray Collegiate. If the teams meet in the postseason in any sport, Green said Fairfield would play the War Eagles.
Fairfield Central will be in the same region with Gray Collegiate at least through the 2023-24 school year as part of the current statewide realignment structure that’s based on student enrollment totals. Green said it will be up to the coaches in Fairfield’s fall and winter sports to decide if they wanted to play against Gray.
Green said region leadership will meet this spring and he plans to gauge whether or not other the schools feel the same way about Gray.
“We hope this calls others to think about it — our stand — and maybe they will come to the same conclusion,” he said.
This story was originally published March 21, 2023 at 3:07 PM.
