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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Pinellas County Schools Athletic Director Marc Allison has directed every public high school in the district to hold off on signing any new athletic contracts with St. Petersburg Catholic High School until further notice.
The district confirmed the move in a statement Wednesday, but did not explain what led to the decision or how long the pause on new agreements could remain in place.
District officials and leaders from St. Petersburg Catholic met behind closed doors Tuesday to talk through concerns, with both sides agreeing to revisit the discussions in the fall.
A representative for Pinellas County Schools said any contracts finalized before June 25 will still be honored, and that “all previously scheduled games will be played as planned.”
The Diocese of Saint Petersburg, Superintendent of Catholic Schools Christopher Pastura and St. Petersburg Catholic High School President Ross Bubolz responded to the district’s decision in a joint statement.
“We remain hopeful that the Pinellas County Schools will reconsider this decision and restore the opportunity for our student athletes to compete together. St. Petersburg Catholic High School has a longstanding history of playing alongside our public school counterparts, through both successful and challenging seasons. We deeply value the relationships and sportsmanship fostered through these competitions.”
