WPIAL sets new hearing date for Connellsville, Allderdice to address slur accusations

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, October 12, 2019 | 6:38 PM

The WPIAL hearing for Connellsville and Allderdice to address accusations of racial and anti-gay slurs was rescheduled for Oct. 21.

The WPIAL board voted unanimously last month to investigate allegations that the boys soccer teams from the two schools used slurs in a Sept. 1 game. The hearing was initially scheduled for Sept. 25 but was delayed at Allderdice’s request.

Principals, athletic directors, head coaches and select boys soccer players will testify at the DoubleTree in Green Tree.

The allegations came to light when more than 30 Allderdice parents signed a letter attached to a Change.org petition entitled “Confront Racism in Western Pennsylvania.”

The letter says “Connellsville players goaded one Black and one Latino member of the Allderdice team with racial slurs.” It also contends that Connellsville players “utilized forms of physical touching likely intended to distract and intimidate.”

Connellsville’s administration in a statement alleged that Allderdice players directed homophobic comments toward a Connellsville player.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Allderdice, Connellsville