Feb 25, 2008 9:29 pm US/Mountain
Jewish Hoops Team May Have To Forfeit Playoff Game
DENVER (CBS4) ―
A high school basketball team may have to choose between their faith and their sport. If the Jewish school makes the state basketball tournament, the boys would have to play on a Saturday. Competing on Saturday would violate their religious beliefs.
The Herzl/RMHA varsity basketball team is 11-2, their best record ever. But senior Desi Rotenberg's mom said their success is bittersweet.
"Tomorrow could be the last day that he could play in his high school career, and it's very sad for him," Julie Rotenberg said.
If the team wins two more games, it will have to play in the state tournament on Saturday, and because of their Jewish faith, Rotenberg said they won't play on the Sabbath.
"The school says no games on Sabbath, so now we're going to ask these players to go against their school and play, it's not right," she said.
"Believe me, we would make the change in a heartbeat if there was little or no impact on other people," Colorado High School Athletic Association Commissioner Bill Reader said.
Reader said with 340 teams and 110,000 players, tournament schedules are always difficult, but that all teams know the rules going in.
"When they joined in 2002, the rules, the procedures of our association were made very clear, that the prime time for high school playoffs is Friday night and Saturday night," Reader said.
"It's inconvenient now, I understand that," Rotenberg said. "It would be very inconvenient, but it could be done, and that's my complaint."
If the team loses their next game Tuesday night, the issue is obviously moot. Right now, the scheduling battle in the media is only being fought by a few parents. School administrators say they're working behind the scenes.
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