O’Fallon student-athlete ran 6K for his sister. IHSA banned him from school team

An O’Fallon family is hoping that the Illinois High School Association reconsiders a participation rule so that freshman Cole Deering can continue to run on the cross-country team.

After Deering was banned from competing Monday, because of an IHSA rule prohibiting involvement in outside events, word spread on social media, and more than 2,000 signatures were collected on a petition at Change.org Wednesday seeking his reinstatement.

“Cole appreciates the swell of support,” said his stepfather Jiggar Hindia Wednesday. “He is unable to compete, and it looks like the IHSA is unwilling to bend.”

On Sunday, Cole ran in a 6K charity race sponsored by the SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation in St. Louis. He signed up after his sister was hospitalized there with pneumonia last week, Hindia said.

When his mother dropped him off at practice Monday, that’s when they discovered that his running in the Sun Run charity event may have jeopardized his high school participation eligibility. O’Fallon High School Coach Jon Burnett later emailed them to inform them of the IHSA decision, Hindia said.

Cole’s mother, Madelyn Hindia, said they were unaware of the rule, and it wasn’t mentioned in any paperwork or parent orientation.

“We were shocked,” Jiggar said, noting the rule prevents Cole from competing in conference events. The cross-country season starts at the end of August, then the regionals are Oct. 26, sectionals Nov. 2 and state finals Nov. 9.

“This potentially jeopardizes his future in a sport he is deeply passionate about,” said his mother.

The Hindias explained Cole is autistic. He was excited to return to racing after some time off, she said.

Jiggar said they have other children who like to run for sport and recreation.

“The decision has devastated him, and it is heartbreaking to see a student-athlete punished for something completely unknown to us as parents,” Madelyn wrote on Facebook. “We are asking the IHSA to reconsider this rule and allow Cole to continue pursuing his passion for running. Please sign this petition to show your support for Cole and for fair treatment of student-athletes.”

“I hope that there is a change that comes about that maybe there could be exemptions to this rule in the future,” Jiggar said.

He said the family has spoken “informally” to an attorney, but it appears that there is no recourse.

Madelyn said the attorney told them the school had an option to file an appeal and request an emergency exemption, but the school said there was no appeal process, and they could not do anything about the ruling.

The IHSA issued this statement in response to questions from the BND and other media:

“The member high schools who make up the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) created rules on participation at non-high school events within the high school season to help create equity for all competing student-athletes. The IHSA is charged with enforcing these rules to help maintain that equity, regardless of the circumstances. While we recognize that there was not a deliberate attempt to break this rule, the penalty remains consistent with past precedence for similar violations. We will continue to work with our member school administrators and coaches to improve educational efforts on IHSA rules in hopes that we can prevent situations like this from occurring again in the future.”

Matt Troha, IHSA assistant executive director, confirmed the ruling.

“IHSA by-laws do not allow for an appeal for this violation,” he said.

Christina Martin, a senior communications specialist from Change.org, said the petition has gained rapid support in just 24 hours. The petition can be found at www.change.org/IHSA.

“This story is a powerful example of the need for transparency in high school sports and fair treatment of athletes, especially those with unique challenges like Cole. Madelyn is fighting not just for her son but for fair policies that don’t punish students for supporting their families or communities,” Martin said.

Beth Shackelford, superintendent of O’Fallon Township High School, released this statement:

“The OTHS administration is aware of a recent eligibility determination issued by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) impacting an OTHS student athlete. The eligibility determination made by IHSA involved the application of IHSA bylaws prohibiting in-season participation in non-school-affiliated competition. OTHS must follow and abide by the ruling of the IHSA as IHSA is the governing body for our athletic programs.”

Madelyn said the overwhelming community support has turned into an empowering experience for her son.

“We understand and accept that this is a ‘law,’ albeit one we were unaware of. However, progress is made through change, and I believe that, at the very least, this rule is incredibly vague. Even if I had known about the rule, it would not have crossed my mind that a family 5K/6K would be considered ‘outside sport participation.’ Where is the limit to this rule? What about a basketball player playing a carnival game of hoops? Personally, I don’t feel comfortable with a sports agency having this much control over my child,” Madelyn wrote on Facebook.

She admitted to not reading this rule in the IHSA handbook.

She said several other team parents told her they were unaware of this rule too.

For running in the charity race, Madelyn noted that Cole received a framed finger painting by a hospitalized child. Besides his sister being hospitalized there for a week, his brother spent two months there, her husband works for the organization.

Jiggar Hindia is a doctor of osteopathic medicine who specializes in critical care, and is affiliated with SLUCare Physician Group. The family has lived in O’Fallon since 2016.

“It had nothing to do with prizes or gaining any athletic advantage,” she said.