Posted at 11:32 a.m., Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Preps: Parents sue officials in Calif. recruiting case
Associated Press
STOCKTON, Calif. — The parents of two young football players who were allegedly recruited from American Samoa to play for a Stockton high school team have sued local sports authorities, claiming investigators were negligent and invaded their privacy.Two sets of parents whose sons play on Franklin High School's varsity football team filed the claim in the U.S. Territory's High Court last week.
Faau and Florita Seumanutafa and Reggie and Fuaviva McComber are suing a commissioner of the California Interscholastic Federation for negligence, invasion of privacy and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
They also named the local sports authorities' lawyer and consultant in the suit, who questioned them last summer when they visited the South Pacific territory.
Local athletics commissioner Pete Saco says the suit is an attempt to keep the public's eye off the facts of the case.
His six-month investigation found that an assistant football coach at Franklin High led his team to a string of victories by improperly recruiting more than a dozen players from American Samoa and offering them housing.
If Saco finds the school violated the rules, penalties could include suspension from playing in section championships.
Saco will rule on the case later this month.
