The Daily Think

Arlesha Boykin’s basketball team in Texas was recently caught playing with an ineligible player who had been impersonating a high school student. This violation resulted in the forfeiture of the team’s entire season, including all wins and losses. This is not an isolated incident, as there have been numerous examples of individuals posing as high school students in order to play sports.

One notable example is Harold Archer, who in the late 1990s posed as a 17-year-old high school student in order to play basketball. Archer was actually in his mid-20s and had already played college basketball. Despite being caught and charged with multiple counts of fraud, he continued to play for several years before finally being banned from competition.

Another example is Gerry Deegan, who in the mid-2000s posed as a 16-year-old high school student in order to play basketball. Deegan was actually in his 20s and had already played college basketball. He was eventually caught and banned from competition, but not before leading his team to a championship and earning several individual awards.

These examples demonstrate the lengths that some individuals will go to in order to play high school sports. They also highlight the need for stricter enforcement measures to ensure that all players are eligible and competing fairly. The forfeiture of Arlesha Boykin’s basketball team serves as a cautionary tale for others, and a warning that violating rules will result in serious consequences.