Athletic scholarship eligibility and practice participation requirements in college sports

Taylor V. Wake Forest

GREGG F. TAYLOR and GEORGE J. TAYLOR v. WAKE FOREST UNIVERISITY

Key Facts

Owing to his great football playing ability, Gregg F. Taylor drew the interest of a number of college and university football coaches from the start. After making an application for a football grant-in-aid or scholarship together with his father (George. J Taylor) - which was accepted by Wake Forest University (D), Gregg Taylor consequently signed an agreement, in which he was to take part in the football program for Wake forest University. In compliance with the contract, Gregg Taylor participated in the program in the first semester of his freshman year.

He attained an average grade point of 1 that semester which was essentially way below Wake Forest's freshman year grade average requirement of 1.35. Seeing that football was interfering with his academic progress, Gregg decided not to take part in the regular training sessions until his performance in class had improved. However, despite the notable improvement in his grades in the second semester and during his sophomore year, Gregg Taylor still opted not to engage or partake in the said training sessions at Wake Forest University. At the end of his sophomore year, Wake Forest University scholarship committee terminated Greg Taylor's scholarship. Taylor remained at Wake Forest, completed his junior and senior years and received an undergraduate degree, but then brought a suit against Wake Forest alleging breach of contract and seeking compensation to the sum of $5,500 in expenses incurred during the two years following the termination of the scholarship.

Issue

"Are participation in and attendance of practice sessions necessary to maintain eligibility for an athletic scholarship?" (Aspen Publishers 2).

Court's Decision

Summary judgment (with regard to the defendant) was granted by Forsyth County Superior Court. The decision was affirmed by the appellate court.

Opinion

In my opinion, by refusing to participate in the practice sessions for wake Forest, even after his grades improved, Gregg Taylor failed to honor his obligations under the football grant-in -- aid scholarship he had been awarded. The court was, in my view, right in granting summary judgment against Gregg Taylor for breach of contract.