Simi Lutheran Basketball Player Appeal Rejected

The Southern Section has rejected an appeal by a Simi Lutheran High basketball player who was ruled ineligible to play his senior season, according to the player’s father.

Without changing his address, Doug Marion Jr. transferred from Simi Valley High to Simi Lutheran this summer for what his father termed “academic reasons.”

At the time of the transfer, Marion (6-3 1/2, 185), who had played sparingly last season on the Pioneers’ junior varsity, held a 2.3 grade-point average. Doug Marion Sr. said his son has since improved his GPA to 3.4 at Simi Lutheran.

Under CIF rules, a student must forfeit a year of athletic eligibility in the same sport if he transfers without a change of address. Marion was allowed to participate in football at Simi Lutheran this fall because he did not play the sport at Simi Valley.

Doug Marion Sr. said he was “totally exasperated” by the verdict.

“They based their decision on the fact that I didn’t exercise my full legal rights in ironing out little problems that had nothing to do with why he transferred,” he said.

Commissioner Stan Thomas said the Southern Section’s policy is not to comment on such actions.

“I’m disappointed for him. I’m very pleased he brought up his grades,” Simi Lutheran Coach Mark Siegel said. “He would have been far and above our best player. I’d say he had a good possibility of getting a scholarship for next year.”