Powell High School students planning to compete in indoor track this season are once again eligible for state competition following the Monday resignation of Cody indoor track coach Scott Shaffer.

PHS traditionally co-ops with Cody during the winter months for the purpose of indoor track. As a result, the Panthers’ indoor track and field athletes were similarly impacted by the ruling handed down by the WHSAA.

The probation ruling stems from an encounter this past fall between Shaffer and a runner for the Douglas High School girls’ cross country team in which Shaffer allegedly used profanity in a manner perceived by the runner to be threatening. Shaffer was immediately removed from his coaching positions by Cody Superintendent Bryan Monteith, but later reinstated to his indoor and outdoor track positions by the Cody school board.

Douglas High School filed a formal complaint in October, asking the WHSAA to look into the matter. In response, that body placed the Cody indoor and outdoor track teams on probation so long as Shaffer continued to serve as a head, assistant or volunteer coach for the programs.

By a 5-1 vote, the Cody board opted to file an appeal with the WHSAA, asking the body to hold a hearing to reconsider its ruling. That hearing took place last Friday and resulted in no change to the WHSAA’s position. Shaffer tendered his coaching resignation on Monday. He remains employed as a teacher in the Cody district.