I was disappointed with the recent ruling by the Maine Principals Association on Fryeburg Academy’s violation of recruiting guidelines in high school ice hockey this past season.

Imagine how the Orono High School hockey team feels after playing by the rules and losing a state championship to a team that broke the rules only to be “let off the hook.”

This ruling gives our young people the message that it is acceptable to get away with as much as they can, and that sportsmanship (which means playing by the rules among other things), is not really a priority.

I believe that in most states, public schools do not compete against private schools for state championships. The reason for this is that private schools are, and should be, in the business of recruiting student-athletes. Public schools are limited to geographical boundaries if they are playing by the rules. Public schools are at the mercy of the private schools’ recruiting budgets when they are forced to compete against each other for championships.

My hat goes off to the Orono High School hockey team for a tremendous season. My hope is that these excellent hockey student-athletes become men of character and take pride in that they are the true champions of Class B hockey in the hearts of many Maine high school hockey fans.

I am disappointed that the MPA does not possess the vision nor the desire to level the field in all sports for Maine’s high school student-athletes.

Paul Boucher, Auburn

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