The Anne Arundel County board of arbitration ruled that South River girls basketball coach John Wardell violated a state athletic rule when he allowed his team to practice with players from Anne Arundel County Community College earlier this month.

The committee, headed by assistant superintendent Ken Nichols and comprised of county athletic directors and other school administrators, penalized Wardell with a letter of censure after a hearing on Tuesday, county spokesman Michael Walsh said.

The censure was the lightest of four possible degrees of punishment. More severe reprimands for a coach violating the rule include: declaring the coach ineligible for the current school year in the sport in which the violation occurred; declaring the coach ineligible to coach any team in any sport for the current school year; and imposing additional penalties as seen justified based on the severity of the situation.