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GREENSBORO — Don Fry took a little time during dinner Wednesday night to have a heart-to-heart with his son. Focus on the future, Fry told his son, a member of the golf team. Remember that Northern Guilford High School is still the best school in the county.

“The students and parents and staff have been unlike any I’ve ever seen,” Fry said.

It’s a conversation many parents will have this week with their Northern High students as the school looks to move beyond an investigation that found five student-athletes ineligible to play because they did not live in the school’s district.

Students, parents and faculty have waited weeks for news about the school system’s investigation into allegations of ineligible players, grade-changing and other misdeeds associated with athletics at the school.

Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green announced Wednesday that ineligible players were found on the school’s boys basketball, baseball, wrestling, JV softball and cheerleading squads.

In April the school’s principal, Joe Yeager, and athletics director, Derrell Force, resigned as the investigation began.

Cheryl Crouse, whose daughter attends Northern, said the community felt left in the dark to begin with, noting Green did not come to the school when the resignations were announced. He met with students and parents Wednesday, and a meeting is scheduled for tonight as well. Crouse said that helped.

“I think he got the message he got it wrong the first time,” she said.

Crouse praised Green’s decision to hire Kernodle Middle School principal William Laine as Northern’s new principal. Crouse, who substitutes at Kernodle, said Laine is just what Northern needs.

“I think Will will do a wonderful job,” she said.

The news of having to forfeit games and a basketball championship has been hard for some to believe, as well as the news that coach Stan Kowalewski will not return next year. Kowalewski, who is not a teacher at the school, said he is being forced out because Green is looking for a fresh start.

Jonathan Frye Jr., a Northern basketball player, attended a rally at Kowalewski’s house Wednesday night. Frye said he still doesn’t understand what happened.

“Whether right or wrong, to just have it stripped away without a whole lot of explanation, I don’t know what the team has done wrong,” Frye said.

Ron Heater says his stepson James, who is a varsity wrestler, has taken all the commotion in stride.

“I don’t think it’s thrown him off balance,” Heater said. “On his report card, there weren’t any dives or anything.”

Heater said his stepson knows two of the boys who were found to be ineligible. He thinks if all that’s being reported is true, the adults involved should have conducted themselves better.

“I don’t think anyone thinks of the repercussions of things,” he said. “Ultimately, everyone else on the team loses out of what they’ve earned.”

But that’s behind Northern, Cheryl Crouse said, and you can expect the school to continue to do great things. “We’re just trying to turn the other cheek.”

Staff writer Tom Keller contributed to this report.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com