HS Baseball Coach Suspended for Three Games After Violating Open Gym Rule

A Pennsylvania high school is being forced to choose between suspending its head baseball coach for three games or accepting ineligibility for this season's state playoffs.

According to HSSN, Baldwin High School head coach Scott Wolf said he inadvertently violated a PIAA rule that prohibits open gyms in the offseason when he schedule a joint workout with Central Valley's baseball team on Feb. 22. Teams were prohibited from “participating in any team competition” in the 10 days leading up to the first official preseason practice March 3.

WPIAL executive director Scott Seltzer said Baldwin was notified of the discipline by letter. 

While WPIAL can't levy suspensions, it can threaten to ban teams from the postseason to encourage compliance by its member schools. 

This was the second year in a row that Baldwin's baseball team violated the open gym rule. 

The WPIAL has also placed the entire Baldwin athletic program on probation until June 30, 2026. 

“Any further instances of a lack of institutional oversight within the Baldwin Athletic Department or any further violations of any other PIAA rules may lead to more serious penalties under Article XIII of the PIAA Bylaws,” the WPIAL said in its statement.

The board also publicly censured Wolf, as well as Baldwin athletic director Tony Cherico. 

The WPIAL says that the intent of the open gym rule is to prevent teams from interacting with teams from other schools during the 10-day window established by the PIAA. The rule was adopted in 2019 and applies to all sports.