




Tom Palucki
698 posts

















The IHSA will be back in a courtroom on Wednesday or Thursday this week, as a TRO has been filed ahead of this weekend’s individual wrestling sectionals. Defending 157-pound 3A champion Liam Kelly of Mount Carmel, who is ranked No. 1 in the 165-pound class by Illinois Matmen, was disqualified at the Morton Regional in Cicero on Jan. 31 for an apparent non-contagious medical skin condition - eczema - and ringworm, which had antifungal treatment and was considered non-contagious. The IHSA has lost four consecutive court cases, including two wrestling cases last year. According to family: “(Liam) had a note signed off and a doctor on the phone that morning willing to tell the trainer that it’s not contagious and that she wrote it. As well as a nurse practitioner on site that vouched and said it’s clear and not contagious.“ #MoreThanJUSTGames


When it comes to anything with Mount Carmel in Chicago, I always think: “What would Frank Kiszka say?” And in the case of Liam Kelly, the hall of fame legend would say, “It’s bullshit Joe.” The defending 157-pound IHSA 3A champion, who is ranked No. 1 in the 165-pound class by Illinois Matmen, was disqualified at the Morton Regional in Cicero last weekend for an apparent non-contagious medical skin condition - eczema - and ringworm, which had antifungal treatment and was considered non-contagious. This has been the talk of the region all week from athletic directors, coaches, parents and wrestlers. The issue: Paperwork that would’ve cleared him. I’ve spoke to countless athletic directors, coaches, doctors, past wrestlers, prep reporters and TV. From conversations in PE departments at different schools to athletic directors talking with school leaders, this has truly been the buzz. Now the IHSA wants to block media from telling the story. The IHSA asked Mount Carmel not to talk. It now asked Marmion Academy to not allow TV cameras on-site Thursday at the wrestling team sectional to get b-roll of Liam and a massive wrestling meet. This is a story, and any good school leader would tell you, too, that you work with media. You can’t just pick and choose when you want media coverage. What’s the point of an IHSA media credential? This is a chance to engage and educate current and future student athletes, schools and coaches about the importance of proactive medical paperwork. #MoreThanJUSTGames #IHSA

