Hershey's Saterstad gets the OK to return to track
           


      Friday, April 19, 2002
      BY JAMES PHILLIPS
      Of The Patriot-News (HARRISBURG PA)


      An award-winning distance runner at Hershey High School has been 
reinstated to the team.

      The PIAA District 3 committee ruled in favor of Hershey junior 
Angie Saterstad at an eligibility hearing Wednesday night at Lower 
Dauphin High School.

      The committee ruled that Saterstad was not in violation of the 
transfer rule for athletes.

      The rule states students are prohibited from transferring just for 
athletic purposes. The voting went 8-5 in favor of Saterstad, who 
transferred from Upper Dauphin prior to the beginning of the current 
school year.

      Both the Saterstad family and the Derry Twp. School District were 
notified of the decision yesterday.

"The committee found no concrete evidence of a violation of the 
transfer rule," committee member Wendell Hower said.

"However, we informed Hershey to monitor closely the contact with 
students and parents from other districts by their coaches. We also 
wanted them to monitor the limit of parents' involvement in the coaching 
process."

      Saterstad, who ran cross country for Hershey last fall, was 
prohibited from joining the Hershey track team before the start of the 
season because she missed a week of practice (team policy violation) in 
order to run in the USTF National Scholastic indoor meet in New York 
City, according to her father, Ed Saterstad.

      Angie Saterstad, who walked out of the hearing in tears, said, "I 
just want all of this to be over with."

      The distance running standout is the two-time District 3-AAA =
3,200-meter champion. She finished third at districts in the 1,600 and 
fifth in the 3,200 at the PIAA Championships last year while at Upper 
Dauphin.

"We're happy with the ruling and that opens the door for Angie to 
return to the team," said Hershey principal Michael Murphy, who added 
that a meeting is scheduled with Angie and her father.

      Added Hershey AD Bob Shaffer, "Our whole purpose was to make sure 
that our program wasn't in danger of sanctions. We're satisfied with the 
ruling and happy for Angie. We have a great athlete and we want her to 
run."

      Upper Dauphin athletic director Stan Weaver, who was at the 
hearing, was happy for Saterstad.

"I actually never thought they [Saterstad's] moved for athletic 
reasons, not once," Weaver said.

"She is a good kid and a good athlete ... I hated to see her move, 
but her father had to go because of employment. That is just the way it 
is."