CIF Is Investigating Booster Club Gift to Ex-Laguna Coach

The California Interscholastic Federation is investigating a Laguna Beach High School booster club’s action in privately giving $3,000 to then-football coach Cedrick Hardman last summer.

CIF Athletics Commissioner Stan Thomas said it has not been decided yet if the CIF will seek disciplinary action against Laguna Beach Unified and its athletic program because of the gift of money to the coach.

“But it’s a known fact that we consider things like this a very serious violation,” Thomas said Wednesday in a telephone interview.

The booster club gift appeared to give new fuel to a bitter recall effort against four of the Laguna Beach Unified School District trustees, a campaign that was sparked by the board’s decision to keep Hardman on as a volunteer coach despite his drug-possession arrest.

Charlene Ragatz, one of the trustees targeted for recall, was active in the football booster club that gave the money to Hardman.

“Obviously this is going to have an impact on the recall,” predicted Matt Gorry, chairman of the recall effort.

Hardman, a former National Football League All-Pro who no longer is associated with the high school, was arrested last September on suspicion of cocaine possession and resisting arrest. He was suspended from his coaching duties, but four of the five trustees last October voted to allow him to continue coaching voluntarily if he pursued court-ordered drug rehabilitation.

Hardman’s reinstatement prompted an outpouring of objections from parents, teachers and others in Laguna Beach who said that it sent “the wrong message about drugs to the students.” Ultimately, the controversy resulted in the current effort to gather 3,515 voter signatures on petitions demanding the recall of Ragatz, Susan Mas, Janet Vickers and Carl Schwarz, the four trustees who voted to let Hardman return without pay.

Hardman is again the focus of a controversy with the disclosure that the football booster club, in which Ragatz was active, raised $3,000 and gave it to the former pro last summer.

Donating money to a coach, without going through a school board or student government, is “a very serious violation” of CIF rules because “otherwise affluent communities could give a lot of money to coaches that no one would know about,” Commissioner Thomas said. “Money to go to coaches should go through the Board of Education or the ASB (Associated Student Body).”

Thomas said he has asked for letters explaining the matter from Laguna Beach High Principal David Wheeler and from district Supt. Dennis Smith.

Smith confirmed Wednesday that the booster club in which Ragatz was active contributed “about $3,000” to Hardman last summer.

But Smith said the booster club violation of CIF regulations came through lack of knowledge, “not as an attempt to bypass the rules.” He said booster clubs have been raising money to pay coaches for summer athletic workshops since 1983--a year before Hardman started as a walk-on coach at Laguna Beach High.

Smith said the violation was in allowing the booster club to pay coaches directly, rather than having the money given to the Board of Education or student government, which in turn could earmark it for the summer coaching work.

“I don’t expect any disciplinary action to result from this,” Smith added.

Thomas, however, said the CIF usually takes some some form of action against a school that violates CIF rules. “It could range from a letter that’s a slap on the wrist to the other extreme--suspension from the CIF,” he said. “Now, I certainly don’t expect that kind of extreme. Right now, I’m waiting for all the information so we can make a determination.”

Only brief mention of the booster club controversy was made during the trustees’ regular board meeting Tuesday night. During the meeting, trustee Harry Bithell asked about the April 22 session scheduled with the CIF. “I’m glad to see that we’re doing something about this as a board,” said Bithell, without elaborating.

Bithell, who is not targeted for recall, was the only board member to vote against allowing Hardman to return to coaching duties last fall.

Ragatz could not be reached Wednesday for comment. But in her brief comments Tuesday night on the booster club controversy, Ragatz said that the CIF rule book “can be interpreted in a number of directions.”

She also deplored news media coverage of the booster club payments. “The intent to discredit our program has been unfortunate,” Ragatz said. “The bottom line is (that) this organization (booster club) is doing good things for children.”