THE PREPS : Hearing Date Is Set for El Toro’s Allegations Against Capistrano Valley

Allegations by El Toro High School of a reported violation of the code of ethics by Capistrano Valley in preparation for the schools’ football game last Friday night will be aired at a hearing Wednesday in Buena Park.

Those expected to attend the 9 a.m. hearing at the Sequoia Athletic Club include: administrators from both schools and their respective districts, Saddleback Valley Unified and Capistrano Valley Unified; El Toro’s football coach, Bob Johnson; Capistrano Valley’s football coach, Dick Enright; Southern Section commissioner Stan Thomas; and the section’s executive committee and its attorney, Andrew Patterson.

The Southern Section office released a memorandum on Wednesday that read in part: “(The) purpose of the hearing is to hear sworn testimony and provide cross examination by counsels. All facts pertaining to the allegation submitted by El Toro High School on behalf of Capistrano Valley High School relative to alleged observation-recording of varsity football practice prior to the Capistrano Valley-El Toro football contest.”

El Toro officials have accused Capistrano Valley of violating rule 522 of the Southern Section’s bylaws, which reads: “Motion pictures, video reproduction and/or any other type of reproduction such as still pictures shall not be taken for scouting purposes in any sport by a representative, official or unofficial, of a CIF Southern Section school in which his/her team member is not a participant, without written consent of the participating schools.”

El Toro officials contend that a booster from Capistrano Valley was sighted along Serrano Avenue near the school’s practice field last Wednesday.

School administrators first reported the possible violation last week and met with Southern Section officials Friday afternoon before the game, and again on Monday with Thomas and the section’s executive committee to determine if the report merited a hearing.