IHSAA's bylaws unclear in cases of officials, gambling
Post-Tribune (IN)
August 4, 1991
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In her 14 years with the Indiana High School Athletic Association, assistant commissioner Mildred Ball had never encountered this disturbing problem before.
High school officials caught betting on professional sporting events.
It is Ball, a 1953 Gary Roosevelt graduate, who is the IHSAA's liaison to the state's 23 officials associations. Many are good friends whom she admires and respects.
Two of those men, Bob Graczyk and Mike Waisnora, recently testified against Merrillville's Sam Nuzzo Jr., one of six defendants on trial for racketeering and illegal gambling in Northwest Indiana.
Graczyk, 35, a three-sport standout at Hammond Gavit and former Highland resident, testified that he lost close to $100,000 while betting on sporting events in 1987 and 1988. A compulsive gambler by his own admission, Graczyk told the court how he stole nearly $85,000 from various employers and took $35,000 from his parents to climb out of debt.
He now is in a witness relocation program.
The 38-year-old Waisnora, a Munster High School graduate, told a U.S. District Court jury in Hammond that he bet between "25 and $100" - by phone - on pro football games "three or four" times a week in 1987.
"They had those football parlay cards out and I fooled around with 'em, like just about everybody else in America does, but only for a year. I didn't bet on high school games or anything like that," Waisnora told the Post- Tribune. "That was the first thing that hit me. 'God, is this going to affect my officiating?' I didn't want to lose my license because of some petty stuff. I love officiating.
"So when the guy (from the prosecutor's office) called me (to testify), I said, 'No problem. I've got nothing to hide.' "
Graczyk faces criminal prosecution. Waisnora does not.
But where does the state high school association stand on this issue? Graczyk has not been licensed to officiate in Indiana since 1988, so the IHSAA no longer is concerned about him. That leaves Waisnora, who already has paid his $25 officiating fee for the 1991-92 school year and is licensed in basketball and baseball.
Will he be suspended?
Because Waisnora wasn't charged with criminal activity, like Graczyk was, Mildred Ball doesn't seem to think so.
But she's not sure. The IHSAA has never had to confront that issue.
When a high school official is charged with violating a law, the usual procedure is for Commissioner Gene Cato to then suspend the individual's license until a determination has been made.
"Most of those, recently, have been people involved with child molestation," said Ball. "Most deal with morals ... (although) gambling is a disease, as far as I'm concerned.
"I know both of the gentlemen (Graczyk, Waisnora) and Waisnora is an excellent official. I'm sorry to hear this news. I will seek to get some more information about this and then discuss it with the commissioner."
Rule 14-3 of IHSAA bylaws base suspension of an official's license, in part, on "... any conduct, both on or off the field or court, which would have a negative or detrimental effect upon the IHSAA, its members, the students or the public."
Ball admits the terminology is rather broad.
"It's written that way," she said, "so that it can cover whatever we would deem not to be good. We've revoked the licenses of people who were bouncing bad checks in the areas where they worked. It was so bad, charges had to be filed.
"We feel like we have to do something, too, because we don't want just anybody working with the kids. We have so many officials. When you have 8,000 officials, you're going to find some bad apples in there. When people are not up to par, that usually comes to the surface quickly."
Waisnora, though, has the reputation of being a solid official and is respected by coaches and athletic directors wherever he works.
"Mike's in the category of people with potential to work the state finals," said Ted Walsh, secretary-treasurer of the Lake County Officials Association.
"If I'm immune from prosecution, why should the IHSAA even be concerned?" said Waisnora, hoping his reputation doesn't suffer.
More than anything, the IHSAA wants its officials to be role models. It's a heavy burden to shoulder, but essential.
"Anytime you step out in front of these kids, you're a role model. They see enough (bleep) as it is," said Ball. "There ought to be somebody who can say, 'Hey, this is the path you ought to be taking. Do like I do.' "
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