4 Marine League soccer coaches who had their groups forfeit video games towards Narbonne final season in protest of the Metropolis Part and Los Angeles Unified Faculty District failing to analyze alleged rule violations within the Gauchos’ program are feeling a little bit of vindication after a Narbonne booster stated he paid mother and father of gamers to switch to the Harbor Metropolis college.
They consider their actions had been warranted to spotlight the problems seen off the sector in highschool soccer regardless of receiving criticism from some. An LAUSD investigation ultimately decided a bunch of Narbonne gamers had been ineligible, and the Metropolis Part imposed a three-year playoff ban on Narbonne for rule violations.
Mike Christensen, the previous Carson soccer coach, stated he’s “unhappy” that the booster Brett Steigh has admitted involvement within the ongoing Bishop Montgomery soccer scandal that has resulted within the group’s season coming to an finish. Steigh additionally helped finance St. Bernard’s soccer program, which shut down its group in 2021, 2022 and 2023 following the resignation of coach Manuel Douglas, a former Narbonne coach.
Christensen stated coaches who participated within the forfeits final 12 months confronted repercussions from college district personnel, “but it surely wanted to be achieved.”
“My relationship with my principal was by no means the identical,” Christensen stated.
Maybe the coach underneath essentially the most strain was former Banning coach Raymond Grajeda, who was the primary to forfeit his league recreation to Narbonne. Then the three others adopted.
“We bought punished arduous from the district workplace,” Grajeda stated. “It was one of many causes for me quitting.”
He stated all of the rumors about cash altering palms and faculty officers declining to analyze with out proof was motivation to the coaches as a unit to attempt to cease the rule violations.
“All the things was true,” Grajeda stated. “We dwell in the neighborhood. A few of these offers that went down, they had been in our yard. Should you’re going to do the switch factor, do it proper. I really feel some sense of reduction. The way forward for soccer on this space, we need to be aggressive and honest.”
Former Gardena coach Monty Gilbreath stated, “I believe it turned out to be good as a result of we had been capable of convey consideration what was happening and brought on the Metropolis Part to take a better look. We knew as coaches it was a reality. We didn’t have the means to show it.”
Christensen retired, Gilbreath resigned as did Grajeda, who now spends his time watching his freshman daughter play flag soccer for Banning.
Solely San Pedro coach Corey Walsh saved teaching this season.
“I don’t care in any respect,” Walsh stated of the response to the booster accepting duty for the unlawful funds. “We’re taking part in Nice Oak this week. I used to be attempting to see the larger image. I knew the place this was headed if one thing didn’t change.”
Christensen stated final January he was attending a coaches’ conference when a number of coaches got here as much as him and thanked him for taking a stand final fall.
“This has to cease,” he stated.
