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I tried to warn you.
Last year during the winter sports season I wrote a column about how transfers were hurting high school sports and how there was a local team that was making a mockery of the process.
And now the chickens have come home to roost.
As we broke Saturday morning, the North Coast Section hit Amador Valley High boys’ basketball with a two-year ban from the postseason. The program will also forfeit all games from last season in which an ineligible player participated. Amador’s athletic department has been placed on probation for two years too, while all other sports remain eligible for their postseasons.
It’s a fair discipline. Rules were not just violated – they took a blowtorch to them. There were people involved that hid behind things like threats of lawsuits, knowing very well the schools and districts don’t have the resources for a court battle.
This was not just a problem at Amador; it is an issue facing high schools across the country – and yes, there are some in the East Bay Athletic League and private high schools locally that are flirting with or actually holding a match to the current rule books.
What happened at Amador is just the latest example of how adults can come in, get their way, then flee the school without suffering any consequence for their pathetic, selfish actions.
And that’s the rub.
Those associated with trying to destroy the Amador program – be it administrators, coaches, parents and others in positions of authority – are no longer involved with the school.
Even some players that still have eligibility left have transferred from Amador and will play for other schools this year with no penalty.
What’s left is legitimate Amador students and a new coach to pick up the pieces. Those who brought this to Amador do not suffer, while those that are still at Amador suffer.
This reeks of Pete Carroll at USC.
The worst part? If not for the courage of Amador principal Malcolm Norrington, who is now in his second year at the school and inherited the problem, to investigate and then self-report the violations to NCS, some of it may still be going on today.
In full disclosure, being the campus supervisor at Harvest Park Middle School, I know most of the athletes at Amador. The sophomore class at Amador is one of the most athletically gifted classes I have seen in some time. I was worried when they left Harvest Park, they wouldn’t get a fair shake at Amador in basketball.
Now they will, for at least one year. But those who are juniors and seniors know that as of now, there will be no postseason in basketball for the rest of their high school career.
Kids are suffering because of decisions made by adults – people they were supposed to be able to trust. Now they suffer for something they didn’t do.
It doesn’t seem fair, but it’s an unfortunate reality. It’s not the first time this has happened to a school, and I will guarantee it won’t be the last.
We are long past the day when high school athletics were the last pure vestige of sports. There is too much money involved – but it’s not too late to make some changes.
I am reaching out to some principals to talk and have spoken with several coaches. The coaches I have talked with genuinely want the best for the kids and long for the days that we had in high school sports.
Many of them also said they are not sure we can put the genie back in the bottle, with one of the coaches saying he didn’t know how long he could deal with all that’s going on.
There are times when I think it’s not worth fighting this battle, but there are times when I get pissed and Friday night was one of those times.
Pissed because I knew what was happening, as did many others and not enough people were willing to try and right the wrong.
One can hope that better days are ahead, but it’s going to take some work – and most of all – some courage.
Amador girls’ water polo
In game action this fall season, the Dons finished a brutally tough two-game stretch by dropping a 16-2 game to perennial powerhouse San Ramon Valley.
Addison Drain scored both goals for the Dons, with Caitlin Brown getting an assist.
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. To contact him about his Pleasanton Preps column, email acesmag@aol.com.
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