Here’s a shocking revelation that’s left the Milwaukee sports community reeling: nearly a year after a devastating paperwork blunder cost two high schools their shot at the playoffs, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has confirmed that athletics commissioner Bobbie Kelsey is no longer with the district. But here’s where it gets controversial—was this departure a direct result of last year’s mistake, or is there more to the story? Let’s dive in.
Published on October 14, 2025, the announcement comes as MPS reshuffles its leadership in the wake of a scandal that left Bay View and Pulaski high schools ineligible for postseason play. Starting Wednesday, October 15, Bill Molbeck, a limited-term employee previously working on special projects, will step into an expanded role to support the Office of Interscholastic Athletics and Academics. He’ll be joined by Andrew Rossa, who is currently serving as director of Milwaukee Recreation in an underfill capacity. But will this new leadership be enough to restore trust in the system?
To understand the gravity of this situation, let’s rewind to October 2024. Kelsey, who had led the office since 2019, was tasked with submitting paperwork to finalize conference changes for Bay View and Pulaski. However, the failure to file the necessary documents rendered both schools ineligible for the playoffs. The fallout was brutal: not only were their football teams banned from postseason play, but they were also forced to forfeit every game for the current and following seasons. Imagine being a student-athlete who trained tirelessly, only to have your dreams dashed by a bureaucratic error.
Here’s the part most people miss: the Milwaukee City Conference operates under a promotion-relegation system, similar to English soccer. The winner of the Blackbourn Division moves up to the Richardson Division, while the last-place finisher in Richardson moves down. Bay View and Pulaski had swapped divisions before the 2024 season, but MPS officials claim the change was never formalized due to the paperwork issue. Is this a case of systemic inefficiency, or was someone dropping the ball?
As MPS moves forward with Molbeck and Rossa at the helm, questions linger. Can they prevent such errors in the future? And more importantly, how will they rebuild the trust of students, parents, and the community? What do you think—is this a step in the right direction, or is MPS just shuffling chairs on the Titanic? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s keep the conversation going. For more updates, download the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android (https://foxlocal.onelink.me/6abq/ijh6elyt) and stay informed.
