Thesis: Because negotiations with the referees have stalled, we decided to create this petition so that everyone can see an objective explanation of what happened. We ask everyone reading to sign the petition in support of justice. Our goal is for Mitchell’s out to be overturned so that the rules will be upheld. We want justice.

Our senior tag team has been heinously wronged this week by the referees. 

It a began on the first day (4/4) when we got Bryce Abston out while leaving his home (around 7:00AM). Bryce’s name was listed on the official roster of “Team Walkem Down” on the Warzone senior tag Instagram page. We were informed, hours after he got out, that he was no longer on the team. The referees knew about this information, but they withheld it from our team. Taking Bryce’s spot, was allegedly suspended DACC student Khalib Yuusef. This is the first instant of a rule breakage by the referees, as this contradicts Section C of Article I of the official senior tag rules. Instead of Khalib being disqualified, he was allowed to be on the team with a handicap: he counted as a player that we needed to get out, but he couldn’t get anyone out. Our party recognized then that this was not a fair deal, but we were willing to let it be in order to reduce drama.

Later that night, we fairly eliminated Derrick Netter. We had the advantage in the game, so we decided to lay low and play defensively.

This strategy came back to cause problems, as a second breakage in rules had one of our players unfairly eliminated

We were made aware in advance of a potential attack on Mitchell Hamblin at the Westerville Airbenders ultimate frisbee game. Recognizing that sporting events were a sanctuary for participants, we weren’t very worried about Mitchell getting out. We informed the referees of the planned attack and they sympathized with us and ensured us that the rules would be upheld.

Our team insisted to Mitchell that he needn’t be paranoid because sports were off limits. This led to Mitchell being caught off guard and sprayed by Chris Campbell while he was leaving his game.

Regardless of how one interprets this alleged “out,” there are rules that are clearly broken.

Let’s review some of the basic facts of the attack:

1. The Westerville ultimate frisbee team defines itself as a club sport

2. Mitchell was attacked while sitting half-way in his car, while taking his muddy cleats off. 

3. Mitchell was providing transportation for other players on the ultimate frisbee team. The team departs from North and returns to north after games.

Now, let’s review the OFFICIAL senior tag rules, as they are presented in the Google doc that is linked in Instagram. 

“Article IV: Safe Zones

Westerville North High School, and its surrounding property, will be deemed a sanctuary between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. during school days. Additionally, players entering/spectating/participating in/leaving any Westerville North extracurricular practice/event/ceremony/ meeting are safe. 
All water/squirt guns are prohibited inside of the school building. Players are advised to keep them in their cars
Any WNHS athletic event (home or away) will also be deemed a sanctuary for players participating in said event, this extends to transportation to the game or from game until off WNHS property. Spectators are also safe for away games, but will only be safe for 10 minutes after home games.
The same rules apply to club sports”

Now, let’s list the rules broken in the attack on Mitchell:

1. The rules state that WNHS athletic events are “deemed a sanctuary for players participating in said event, this extends to transportation to the game or from game until off WNHS property.” They also state, “The same rules apply to club sports.” Mitchell was participating in the event, so he should have been under sanctuary from the time the team left north’s property, until the time the team returned to North’s property. Chris sprayed him in the parking lot of the field at which the game was held. This is a clear breakage of the rules.

2. The referees counter argued that Mitchell had a 10 minute time frame to get into his car and leave. This is explicitly NOT what the rules state. The 10 minute rule applies to spectators of the games, not players. With any logical thought, one can understand that spectators deserve less sanctuary here than players, as spectators are not required to attend games. Therefore, as the rules suggest, the players deserve to be given more than just the 10 minute timeframe to leave the event. The cherry on top here, is that Mitchell was sprayed before 10 minutes had elapsed anyway. This can be confirmed by the entire Westerville Airbenders team, and probably even Chris himself.

3. Next, the referees tried to counter argue that ultimate frisbee is not a club sport because we have some players who attend other schools. They instead claimed that Mitchell didn’t need any sanctuary because the Ultimate Frisbee team is considered a club rather than a club sport. The definitions for club sports and clubs should have been defined BEFORE the tournament began, rather than AFTER a critical out. Even if this were the case, though, it STILL would have been a rule violation. WNHS extracurricular events are described in the rules, “…players entering/spectating/participating in/leaving any Westerville North extracurricular practice/event/ceremony/ meeting are safe.” This would mean that Mitchell has immunity from the time he arrives at the park to play, until the time he leaves the park. Mitchell got out at a Westerville North extracurricular event, while leaving. That is a very clear contradiction of the rules.

There is an immense amount of evidence to suggest that Chris’s “elimination” of Mitchell was done against the official rules provided by the referees of senior tag. The referees, however, have refused to nullify the out, despite constant respectful negotiations from our team.

We have sent many DM’s to the Instagram account, and many text messages to an unnamed referee arguing our case. To which, they either refused to respond, or they gave us a faulty explanation (their defenses are what we argued against in the above points).

We let the annoyance/rule breakage slide when it came to Bryce and Khalib switching places, but we refuse to let something as heinous as Mitchell’s elimination to slide. We have been very respectful to the referees and our goal here is simply to ensure that their rules are being followed by every team.

We aren’t even explicitly opposed to having the rules changed so that players CAN be eliminated at club sporting events. All we ask is that if the rules ARE changed, we are all informed of it.

Thesis: Because negotiations with the referees have stalled, we decided to create this petition so that everyone can see an objective explanation of what happened. We ask everyone reading to sign the petition in support of justice. Our goal is for Mitchell’s out to be overturned so that the rules will be upheld. We want justice.