Ohio's coaching staff banned the men's basketball team from using Twitter for at least one month, head coach John Groce confirmed Thursday.
If not used appropriately
it can be a distraction Groce said. We want to try to eliminate all that and continue to grow and get better.
The most recent Tweet from a member of the team was Oct. 22, exactly one week after the team began official practice. Groce said the ban is not permanent as of now, and he and the rest of the coaching staff will re-evaluate the decision next month.
What we're trying to do is get them locked in on being a student-athlete Groce said. This is a trial time period...we could potentially allow them to do it.
Groce said if he eventually allows the team to use the site, he would most likely implement some restrictions on its use. He added that he didn't ask the players how they felt about it, but he didn't care because he trusts that his staff made a well-thought out decision.
Banning players from Twitter has become a growing trend in college sports. Both Villanova's and Missouri's men's basketball teams have been banned from Twitter this season, as has North Carolina's football team.
Kentucky coach John Calipari banned forward Josh Harrellson this week, after the player spoke out against Calipari on Twitter following a scrimmage.
Groce said he did not think about what other programs have done when he made the decision.
We just understand the ability to allow outside influences to affect the team
he said. We want our guys to be the best possible team they can.
Ohio plays an exhibition game against Wooster Sunday in its first action against another team all season.
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Vince Nairn
