Lockport, N.Y. (WBEN) - In an email sent to parents on Tuesday, Starpoint Central School District Superintendent Sean M. Croft announced the cancellation of the remainder of the 2022-23 Varsity Wrestling season.
According to the email, the district has received "serious allegations of inappropriate conduct by one or more members" of the team.
Here is what the email disclosed to parents of the district:
“The District is in receipt of serious allegations of inappropriate conduct by one or more members of the Varsity Wrestling Team. After extensive discussions with and among the District’s leadership team and the District’s legal counsel, the Board of Education and I have determined that it is necessary to cancel the remainder of the 2022-23 season, effective immediately.
“Due to the involvement of law enforcement and other legal implications, we are not at liberty to disclose additional details concerning the underlying circumstances. We hope, however, that you understand and trust that we would not take such a significant action absent there being compelling reasons to do so. We also hope that everyone will respect the privacy of the individual wrestlers, coaches and other individuals who have been involved with the Varsity Wrestling Team.
“We understand that the timing of his decision is very difficult, and that many of you and your children will be disappointed by this news,” Croft wrote. “However, it is necessary in order to ensure that the processes moving forward can take place without impediment. The District takes seriously all allegations of inappropriate conduct. And as with every decision we make, the safety, well-being and security of our students, staff and community members are of the utmost importance.”
The Niagara County Sheriff's Office confirms they are actively investigating the allegations of inappropriate conduct with the wrestling team, but would not comment anymore on the matter.
Starpoint was set to host the Section VI Individual Championships on Saturday, but the tournament has now been moved to North Tonawanda.
"Once the Starpoint District put their program on hold, I, for one, would not expect them to host," said Section VI wrestling co-chair Izzy Martinez on the decision to move the tournament. "It takes an entire school community to run an event like a wrestling sectional, or a sectional for any other sport, for that matter. To take some of the pressure off of the Starpoint community, I think it's a prudent move to bring the event elsewhere, let them deal with their internal matter. I think it's better in the end to help protect those kids at Starpoint, because if the event would have carried on there, I think it just would have been a horrible feeling for everyone involved, especially if their kids weren't allowed to participate. That's kind of my perspective on it, and I'm sure that their administration, their athletic department probably felt the same way."
Martinez adds he and others in Section VI are fortunate North Tonawanda was willing to step up and host the tournament on such short notice.