Royal Used Soccer Player in Violation of Section Code

Royal High’s 4-A Division champion boys’ soccer team violated Southern Section bylaws by using a player who had spent two weeks during the season playing for the U. S Olympic Junior National team, officials announced Thursday.

Southern Section officials learned this week that senior Cam Rast, who played in Royal’s 1-0 championship win over Newbury Park on Friday night, traveled to the Soviet Union in January with the Olympic team.

Southern Section bylaws permit a player to participate in an Olympic development program if he notifies the school principal 30 days before participating in the program and misses no school-sponsored athletic events involving the team in that sport.

Dean Crowley, Southern Section associate commissioner, said that Royal was in violation in both circumstances. Rast missed five Royal matches while overseas.

Rast and Royal Coach Peter Schraml declined comment.

Crowley declined comment on whether Rast’s eligibility was effected by the trip. Officials will convene a meeting Monday with all parties involved to determine “possible sanctions” against Royal. Crowley also declined to speculate on whether any sanctions would affect Royal’s championship.

“We haven’t even begun to explore that,” he said. “All I can say is that the matter is a procedural issue and we need more information.”

Rast, along with twin Matt led the Highlanders to a 26-1-2 record and their second consecutive Marmonte League title. He obtained Southern Section approval last month to travel to Guatemala on Feb. 26 with the Olympic team, but, Crowley said, Southern Section officials were not informed of Rast’s earlier trip.

Former Royal Principal Marge Blackburn, who was at the school during Rast’s trip to the Soviet Union, could not be reached for comment. Royal Principal Dave Jackson, whose first day at the school was Feb. 1, said he was unaware that Rast had been to the Soviet Union when he started at Royal.

“When I got here, I made an appeal for him to go to Guatemala,” Jackson said. “I was unaware that they were unaware that he had gone to the Soviet Union.”