CHESHIRE - St. Paul Catholic High School of Bristol has been assessed three penalties recommended by a CIAC investigator as a result of allegations filed by New Britain High School for the illegal recruitment of three football players.
The report filed by investigator Patricia Llodra, recommending that St. Paul be fined $3,000, have its football program placed on probation for the 2007 and 2008 seasons and forfeit all victories in which any of the players participated, was accepted by both schools, the CIAC Board of Control was informed Thursday. Llodra is a former high school principal and chairperson of the CIAC Board of Control.
CIAC executive director Michael Savage said, "I think both schools as well as the CIAC board felt we had an excellent person doing the investigation. She did a very thorough job. I know from conversations with the St. Paul administration that they were satisfied with the thoroughness with which the matter was investigated and were accepting of the results."
Savage said that St. Paul principal Daniel Carroll has already complied with the request to provide a remediation plan, which as outlined in the report, addresses "those procedures and practices which are in violation of CIAC policy."
The charges were initiated by New Britain athletic director Len Corto. Interim principal Michael Foran informed the CIAC of the school's concern on Sept. 20. Llodra's investigation began six days later.
"This decision by the CIAC to sanction St. Paul for recruiting violations helps to maintain the integrity of high school athletics," Corto said. "It is a privilege to participate in high school athletics. Along with this privilege is a responsibility to respect the rules established by the CIAC. This decision makes a statement that future recruitment violations will not be tolerated."
Two of the players in question - sophomores Rafal Garcarz and Devon Davis, according to several sources - transferred from New Britain to St. Paul for the start of the fall semester. A third student-athlete - a freshman - opted to remain in New Britain and played for the varsity. None of the students were named in the report made public Thursday evening.
Corto received a report from NBHS head football coach Paul Morrell last spring that Garcarz and Davis were not participating in spring practice and that Garcarz was planning to leave school. Corto's subsequent interview included Garcarz's statement that he had been contacted by St. Paul head coach Jude Kelly.
Kelly, Garcarz told Corto, offered free tutoring, discussed transportation needs and presented opportunities for financial aid. Llodra invoked the violation of the CIAC Handbook's "Special Inducement" clause.
Llodra's report said that all three student-athletes visited St. Paul on March 8, where they took placement tests, met with the guidance department and ate lunch with football players. During lunch, Kelly allegedly showed a football tape from the previous season and presented them with copies, which Llodra cited as another violation.
In June, the St. Paul admissions committee acted to accept Davis' application but deny Garcarz on the basis of their academic records. Carroll reportedly received a phone call from Father Tim O'Brien, St. Paul president, and the decision was made to accept Garcarz.
According to Carroll, the decision was based on "a personal and leadership philosophy that seeks to welcome students who have a sincere interest in Catholic education given that those students exhibit the potential and commitment to achieve at the school's level of expectation."
In August, both Davis and Garcarz were awarded financial aid through a scholarship and the transfer was completed. According to Llodra's report, the Father Edmund O'Brien Scholarship, which is based on need, was disbursed for the first time last summer. In addition to Davis and Garcarz, the scholarship was made available to a fourth student from the city - a male athlete who is now a freshman.
The report makes repeated reference to the role of Dennis Beatty, a captain in the New Britain Police Department and a coach/administrator in the New Britain P.A.L. youth football program. All four students involved in the investigation have been members of Beatty's PAL football teams.
In Llodra's interview, Davis and Garcarz said Beatty spoke to them and to a parent of each last January, encouraging them to consider schools other than New Britain High. Beatty, cited as a reference on their applications to St. Paul, contacted the school to advocate Garcarz's admission.
According to the boys and attested by the parents, Beatty remains "a strong presence" in their lives, "maintains contact with the players and parents and is a persuasive influence well beyond the scope of football."
The third student who opted to remain at New Britain High was a member of Beatty's teams in 2005 and 2006. Beatty allegedly discussed the player with Kelly at a Connecticut High School Coaches Association clinic in February. Kelly subsequently contacted the player and encouraged him to visit St. Paul.
Llodra reported that Beatty failed to return two calls made in an attempt to interview him.
The CIAC Handbook defines recruitment as "the use of undue influence and/or special inducement by anyone associated with a school in an attempt to encourage a prospective student to attend or remain at that school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics."
Should St. Paul be cited again during its probation, it could be prohibited from participating in CIAC-sanctioned events. Savage said that athletic opponents would not be able to count victories against St. Paul toward tournament qualification, which would be "a major setback to participating in interscholastic sports."