Investigative Report Re: Bellevue High School Football Program
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INVESTIGATIVE REPORT RE: BELLEVUE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PROGRAM Carl Robert Blackstone Westinghouse TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................1 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................1 A. Synopsis of Factual Findings .....................................................................................2 1. Players used false addresses...........................................................................2 2. District and BHS administrators and coaches failed to monitor player addresses ........................................................................................................2 3. Limited evidence of subsidized player housing .............................................2 4. BHS Head Coach directed and encouraged football players to attend or take classes at the Academic Institute ............................................................2 5. An Assistant coach and the Booster Club paid the Academic Institute tuition for players ...........................................................................................2 6. District and BHS administrators and coaches cultivated a close relationship with the Academic Institute .......................................................3 7. BHS Coaches received excessive payments for coaching high school football ...........................................................................................................3 8. The Booster Club operates without District or BHS oversight......................3 9. District and BHS administrators and coaches have failed to self-report WIAA rules violations ...................................................................................3 10. District and BHS administrators and coaches have interfered with, and obstructed, this investigation .........................................................................3 B. Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations .....................................................4 III. THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS ......................................................................................6 A. The Scope of the Investigation ..................................................................................6 B. A Lack of Transparency and Cooperation .................................................................8 C. A Culture of Fear and Intimidation ............................................................................10 IV. BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................12 - 1 - A. Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) .....................................12 B. Overview of Bellevue High School Football Program ..............................................13 1. Bellevue High School Football Team ............................................................13 2. The Bellevue Wolverine Football Club .........................................................13 a. Payments to Coaches .........................................................................14 b. Fort Warden Football Camp ..............................................................14 c. Off-Season Training...........................................................................15 C. Prior Complaints Regarding the BHS Football Program ...........................................17 1. 2006 Investigation ..........................................................................................17 2. The District Superintendent Failed to Investigate Allegations Re: BHS Football ..........................................................................................................18 3. Investigation of Concern expressed by Gary Plano .......................................18 4. Investigation of Recruiting Violations in August 2012 .................................19 5. December 2012 Anonymous Complaint ........................................................20 6. Shawn Flood Investigation – 2015 ................................................................21 7. BHS Self-Report to KingCo – June 2015 ......................................................22 D. Seattle Times Article and the District’s Request that WIAA Conduct Investigation ...............................................................................................................22 V. INVESTIGATIVE FINDINGS - MATTERS THE DISTRICT REQUESTED THAT WIAA INVESTIGATE .........................................................................................................23 A. Issues Related to Residency .......................................................................................23 1. Background ....................................................................................................23 a. The Residency of Players as it Affects Eligibility .............................23 b. The refusal of District administrators to provide us with player addresses ............................................................................................25 - 2 - c. The destruction of relevant address information in student files ......26 2. First Issue: Whether Athletes Used False Addresses to Gain Eligibility......27 a. Players Using False Addresses or Providing False Information ........27 i. .........................................................................27 ii. .........................................................................28 iii. .....................................................................30 iv. ............................................................................31 v. .....................................................33 b. Other Players with Questionable Addresses or Questionable Living Situations............................................................................................34 i. ........................................................................34 ii. .....................................................................35 iii. .......................................................................35 iv. ................................................................35 v. ....................................................................36 vi. ...................................................................36 vii. ...........................................................37 c. Lack of Oversight by BSD .................................................................38 3. Second Issue: Whether Players Received Subsidized Housing to Gain Eligibility .......................................................................................................39 B. Issues Related to the Academic Institute ...................................................................41 1. Background ....................................................................................................41 2. The Close Relationship between the Academic Institute and the District .....43 3. Third Issue: Whether Coaches Directed Athletes to Attend the Academic Institute ..........................................................................................................44 - 3 - a. Former Player.....................................................................................46 b. ...............................................................................47 c. .....................................................................................47 d. Other Contacts between BHS Coaches and the Academic Institute ..............................................................................................48 4. Fourth Issue: Whether Boosters had Paid for Tuition of Athletes at the Academic Institute .........................................................................................50 5. Fifth Issue: Whether BHS Football Coaches Are Coordinating Tuition Payments for Athlete......................................................................................54 6. Other Issues Relating to the Academic Institute ..........................................54 a. Whether the Academic Institute has been used by BHS to maintain the academic eligibility of football players .........................54 b. Teacher Complaints of the Academic Institute ..................................55 c. NCAA Scrutiny of the Academic Institute ........................................56 VI. INVESTIGATIVE FINDINGS – OTHER ISSUES RAISED BY THE INVESTIGATION ................................................................................................................57 A. Payments To Coaches ................................................................................................57 B. Payments to support Fort Worden Football Camp ....................................................60 C. The District Failed to Self-Report Violations of WIAA Rules..................................61 D. Illegal Recruiting .......................................................................................................63 1. ................64 2. ..................................................................................................64 3. .................................................................................................65 VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................65 - 4 - MEMORANDUM T 206.516.3800 F 206.516.3888 TO: Mike Colbrese Executive Director Washington Interscholastic