Orange Lutheran High School Football Team Faces Penalties for Transfer Paperwork Violation: Lessons Learned and New Procedures Implemented
Orange Lutheran High School recently announced that a football player has been declared ineligible and the team will forfeit its first two games of the season due to inaccurate information on transfer paperwork. The school self-reported the violation after an investigation that lasted for weeks. This fall, more than 40 students have faced penalties of two years without playing for violating CIF rule 202, which involves providing false information. Several other schools, including Bishop Montgomery, Long Beach Millikan, Long Beach Poly, Compton, Victor Valley, and Bellflower, have also been hit with two-year penalties for similar violations.
The Orange Lutheran student will only be ineligible until next season because the transfer did not submit fraudulent paperwork. The Southern Section has implemented new investigative techniques to check transfer paperwork submitted by schools. Orange Lutheran's principal and football coach informed players and parents about the situation and stated that the school will implement a more rigorous process for reviewing bills and visiting homes of transfer students before submitting paperwork for a valid change of residence.
As basketball season approaches, schools are starting to submit transfer paperwork for basketball players, which will indicate whether lessons have been learned from the football players' situations. The Southern Section has changed its approach by declaring players ineligible even after initially accepting a school's decision declaring the athlete eligible with a valid change of residence. This shift aims to address the influx of fraudulent paperwork that has been a significant issue recently.
Orange Lutheran's football coach emphasized the importance of doing things right and learning from the current situation. Southern Section commissioner Mike West expressed disappointment over the increase in fraudulent paperwork and emphasized the need for integrity in the transfer process. The crackdown on inaccurate information on transfer paperwork serves as a reminder for schools, athletic directors, and parents to adhere to the rules and ensure compliance with regulations to avoid penalties and forfeitures.