Upstate New York private school sentenced to probation for violating football recruitment rules

James Allen | Times Union, Albany

The Section II Athletic Board voted Wednesday to place the Christian Brothers Academy (Albany) athletic program on three years of probation and cancel the varsity football team’s week 0 game for 2023 due to recruitment violations and undue influence.

The Section II website has a recruitment and undue influence report form. It requires the school to report the alleged violation, stating the date of the alleged violation and a description of the alleged violation. The form must be signed by the Superintendent, Principal and Athletic Director of the school.

The infringement in question, according to Christian Brothers Academy football coach Bobby Burns, occurred without Burns’ knowledge by the coach of the SP team.

“One of our lower level coaches got in touch with a guy he knew on social media. I’m not going to say they were friends, but they were acquaintances,” Burns said. “He asks a guy who has an eighth grade kid if he is interested in sending his kid to CBA. The guy writes and says that he is absolutely interested in making this his child’s dream. He said give me your cell phone number and maybe we can arrange a visit with the admissions office.

“The admissions director talks to this guy and the first thing he says is, ‘Are you guys recruiting my kid for football? My admissions director says, “No, we don’t recruit your child for football. The coach gave me your phone number and it might be of interest to you. The guy then changes his tone and says that his son is comfortable where he is. That’s all. That’s the point.”

CBA Football has won the Division II Class AA titles in 2021 and 2022, with Burns coaching the program for the first two seasons. The brothers have beaten Shenendehova in every Super Bowl, winning 28–14 in 2021 and 21–0 in 2022. Burns had previously led Troy to five title matches, three Section II championships, and consecutive AA class victories in six years. as the head coach of Troy.

“The CBA football program is recruiting itself. Kids want to be part of something special,” Burns said.

Burns stated that he did not believe that the CBA was placed on probation for punishment. The school may appeal the decision.

“We are going to explore our possibilities. We are looking at all possibilities,” said CBA athletic director Blaine Drescher.

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