Marquette University High School’s longtime varsity baseball coach, Sal Bando, Jr., was forced to resign this month after allegedly violating a rule prohibiting coaching players in the offseason.
Marquette University High School’s longtime varsity baseball coach, Salvatore “Sal” Bando Jr., resigned Thursday after the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association determined he violated its ban on offseason coaching contact with his own players.
In an open letter posted to X, Bando stated that an anonymous complaint alleged he coached five MUHS players during the offseason through his full-time role at Prospect Training Academy, a private developmental program for athletes ages 9-17 that he has operated transparently for over seven years. WIAA officials informed the school that the players, coaches, or the entire program could face removal or postseason ineligibility. Bando resigned to protect his players.
“I agreed to a forced resignation because it has never been about me — it has always been about the kids,” Bando wrote. He described the rule as “vague” and out of step with modern high school athletics, noting that families routinely invest thousands of dollars in year-round travel programs and that the WIAA recently approved name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals allowing athletes to earn compensation for offseason training.
The WIAA’s rules, spelled out in its handbook, prohibit any paid or volunteer coach from having “coaching contact” with current or prospective squad members outside the defined season. The policy aims to limit year-round specialization, give athletes time for other activities, and preserve competitive balance. Coaches may have limited contact during a sanctioned summer window in June and July, but not during the school year.
Social media reaction was swift and overwhelmingly critical of the WIAA. Users described the organization as “a joke,” “bureaucratic nonsense,” and accused it of putting “kids last.” One post summarized the sentiment: “https://x.com/RealEricTheRed/status/2042262342101037061?s=20
Bando’s letter received hundreds of likes and numerous supportive replies from current and former players, parents, and coaches, who described him as a mentor who fostered a winning culture at MUHS and helped many athletes reach college and professional baseball. Prospect Training Academy itself posted in support of Bando, praising his “extreme dedication” to MUHS athletes. Bando’s letter also argued that “where athletes choose to train in the off-season is ultimately a family decision that involves many variables.
Bando, who has coached high school baseball for 27 years and led the Marquette program for 15 of those years, emphasized that his dual role was never hidden. Conference coaches and WIAA district representatives were aware that he operated the academy, which is publicly listed and serves over 400 players annually. He argued that the anonymous complaint, widely speculated on social media to have come from a disgruntled parent, resulted in disproportionate punishment for a rule that no longer aligns with current practices in travel ball, private instruction, and NIL opportunities.
Bando also urged the WIAA to reconsider its one-week preseason window for pitchers and catchers, calling it “dangerous and irresponsible” for arm care.
Critics on X and in replies to Bando’s letter said the episode highlights a broader problem: the WIAA’s insistence on enforcing 20th-century rules in a 21st-century sports landscape where year-round club programs dominate player development, and families expect year-round coaching from trusted mentors. Several posters noted the irony that the same governing body now permits paid NIL deals but still bars a coach from training his own high school players in the winter.
Bando ended his letter by calling for “thoughtful, constructive change — change that reflects today’s realities and supports student-athletes and those who dedicate their lives to developing them.”
The last episode has once again shown that the WIAA prioritizes bureaucratic control over the best interests of Wisconsin’s high school athletes.
