Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
By Chris McCarthy/Publisher
ccording to an AHSAA press release, Coosa Christian’s varsity football program has been fined and placed on restrictive probation effective immediately and concluding at the end of the 2025 football championship series (December 5, 2025) for playing an ineligible player in violation of the Coaching Outside School Year Rule. The ruling prohibits Coosa Christian from participating in the 2024 state playoffs.
The original report from Coosa Christian stated the student in question participated in only one varsity game this season. Upon further investigation, it was confirmed by the AHSAA that the ineligible student played in five games. As a result, and in addition to restrictive probation, Coosa Christian’s football program must forfeit all games won that the ineligible student participated in which now totals five (Cleveland, Southeastern, Falkville, Susan Moore and Cold Springs). The investigation is still ongoing.
Coosa Christian School has been provided specific conditions to meet prior to the 2025 football season and as a result may appear before the AHSAA Central Board of Control at its July Board meeting for possible reinstatement into the 2025 championship season.
The AHSAA Rule II Section 15 states that “No administrator, coach or non-faculty coach from a school’s staff may hold organized practice (except during allowable period) or competition for its school or its feeder school students (grades 7-12) outside the sports season during the school year. Members of a school coaching staff are allowed to coach girls or boys students from his/her school teams during the off-season during the school year within the allowable period as described below. Any coach that coaches a student from another school in practice or competition renders that student or offending coach ineligible at the coach’s school in the sport in which the violation occurred for the next school season.”
The Class 2A Region 6 standings are as follows after being updated to reflect said forfeits:
1. Southeastern: 7-2 overall, 6-0 in region
2. Falkville: 6-3 overall, 5-1 in region
3. Susan Moore: 4-5 overall, 4-2 in region
4. Cold Spring: 5-5 overall, 3-3 in region
5. Cleveland: 3-6 overall, 2-4 in region
6. Coosa Christian: 5-5 overall, 1-5 in region
7. West End: 1-9 overall, 0-6 in region
