Plainedge 8th-grader gets school approval to play varsity softball days after parents file lawsuit
Plainedge varsity softball player Charlotte Welsh takes an at-bat during a game at Bethpage High School on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Plainedge eighth-grader Charlotte Welsh is back on the school's varsity softball team after her parents filed a lawsuit against the district, which has a policy that prohibits eighth-graders from playing on varsity teams.
Parents Louis and Maria Welsh filed a lawsuit in Nassau County on March 24 that said their 14-year-old daughter tried out for the team in early March and was told she made the varsity squad, pending board approval. The suit, obtained by Newsday, said Welsh practiced with the varsity team on March 12 and was notified shortly after that she could only play junior varsity because of a school policy that prohibits eighth-graders from playing varsity.
"We got a message that the Board of Education did not approve her," Louis Welsh told Newsday. "She already practiced with the varsity, and that's when we decided to go with the lawsuit."
In addition to filing the suit, the Welsh family requested the school board make an exception to the policy for their daughter.
"We felt my daughter should be on the varsity because there have been others that played varsity sports as eighth-graders,” Maria Welsh said. “She was told eighth-graders cannot play varsity. We filed a lawsuit to challenge the policy."
The Plainedge Board of Education passed a resolution two days after the lawsuit was filed that allowed superintendent Carol Muscarella to rule on Welsh's request. Muscarella granted Welsh the exception on Saturday morning. Muscarella did not respond to repeated calls for comment.
With her daughter back on the team, the Welsh family said they were no longer pursuing legal action.
"Happily, we came to an agreement with the school district," Maria Welsh said, "and she was allowed to play varsity. We want to thank the school district for the opportunity.”
Plainedge director of athletics Brian Sacks said he was following the school's policy that did not allow eighth-graders to play varsity.
"We have a school board policy in place that states that eighth-graders can only move up to junior varsity," Sacks said. "And my job is to follow the policy."
Plainedge softball coach Danielle Fazzolare said Welsh deserves to be on the varsity team.
“All I want to do is what's best for the kids,” Fazzolare said. “And varsity is the right place for Charlotte Welsh.”
Fazzolare is in her second year as the Plainedge head coach after spending eight years as the head coach at St. Joseph’s University in Brooklyn.
“We basically do our tryouts with all the players that will form the varsity and the junior varsity,” Fazzolare said. “Everything was pending board approval after tryouts. There were restrictions from the board policy and the parents asked for an exception.... She has the skill set to play varsity. She can play multiple positions at third base, second base and in the outfield. And she’s got a big bat for a 14-year-old player.”
On Tuesday Welsh, who played second base against Bethpage, made a fantastic play on a ball that ricocheted off the body of pitcher Alexis Fontana. Welsh scooped the one-hopper and fired to first base to record the final out in a 6-4 Plainedge victory in Nassau II. She went 0-for-2 at the plate.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
