Christian High Is Asked to Explain Player Meeting

Acting on phone calls from parents and coaches concerned with a possible basketball recruiting violation, Kendall Webb, San Diego Section commissioner, has requested a written report from Christian High School Principal Ed Giles and fund-raiser Gary Jenkins explaining a meeting with several top underclassmen and their parents in Chula Vista Monday.

According to coaches familiar with the situation, Valhalla’s Tony Clark, the county’s leading scorer last season, and Joe McNaull, a junior center at Monte Vista, were among the players involved.

Webb said reports will be submitted to the CIF’s executive committee and reviewed for violation of rule 510, which states: “The use of undue influence by any person or persons to secure or retain a student or to secure or retain one or both parents or guardians of a student as residents, may cause the student to be ineligible for high school athletics for a period of one year and shall jeopardize the standing of the high school in the California Interscholastic Federation.”

According to Webb, if it is determined a violation has occurred, Christian’s athletic program could be subject to probation.

Players, Webb said, would not be punished as long as they remained at their original schools. But a transfer could effect a player’s eligibility.

Giles, who said he was asked by Jenkins to speak to the group, said he plans to meet with Jenkins in the near future to clarify the purpose of such meetings.

“I told him the next day that I’m not real comfortable with what is transpiring because of this meeting,” Giles said. “Gary told me these are kids that are good athletes, and they want to look at coming to Christian High. There’s a possibility they weren’t as interested as I was led to believe. I was not real thrilled that there were students there.”

Jenkins, who Giles said is in the hospital this week, could not be reached for comment.

Webb said several county coaches are angry about the situation, including Southwest’s Steve Selland, Monte Vista’s Zach Peck and Valhalla’s Manny Silva.

“The thing that upsets me is that we’ve got a disregard of ethics for what’s best for the kids,” said Peck, who said he heard players were given a “smooth sales pitch” on the benefits of attending Christian High. “I don’t know what we should do. It’s just crazy as far as I’m concerned.”

Webb said he believes Giles did not attend the meeting with knowledge that any recruiting was taking place.