A single champagne bottle on school grounds has cost Paul VI high school soccer coach Karen Anderson a one-game suspension, NJ.com reported.
The penalty forces Anderson to miss Monday’s sectional semifinal against Immaculata after team parents presented the bottle following a milestone victory Thursday.
Paul VI defeated Notre Dame 2-0 in the South Jersey Non-Public A quarterfinals to secure Anderson’s 100th career victory. The two-time defending state champions hold a 21-1 record this season and rank No. 1 in New Jersey alongside a No. 16 national ranking.
School officials worked with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association before announcing the penalty Friday. The governing body strictly prohibits alcohol on school property during or after athletic events, carrying potential tournament bans and championship right forfeitures for violations.
Paul VI released a statement clarifying that Anderson did not consume the alcohol. “While Coach Anderson did not consume the contents of the bottle, Paul VI does not condone this behavior and recognizes the importance of upholding the standards of conduct expected of our coaches,” the school stated.
A video of the celebration surfaced on social media before being deleted. Anderson defended her record in a phone interview with NJ.com following the disciplinary action.
“I’m not surprised that it is coming to light given our success,” Anderson told the news outlet. “It’s really unfortunate that there are people out there looking for an opportunity to ruin all the hard work that I’ve put into this program.”
Social media users debated the punishment on X, with critics calling the suspension asinine and supporters arguing the coach set a poor example. The top-ranked squad prepares to face Immaculata without their coach on the sideline in Haddonfield.