Oakdale High School’s varsity soccer girls had a tremendous season, by any stretch of the imagination. They were 17-11-2 overall, 9-1-2 in the Valley Oak League and battled for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 title, falling just short, 1-0, to Roseville on March 1 in the game for the blue banner.
They also earned a berth to the NorCals, knocked out after a long road trip for a first-round game in Bakersfield, losing a 1-0 decision to Bakersfield Christian on March 4.
But it wasn’t the success of the team and the accomplishments of this season that brought some parents and players to the Monday night, March 10 Oakdale Joint Unified School District board meeting. Rather, it was concern over the treatment of players and what was described as an often “aggressive approach” toward some team members by the head coach.
One parent indicated she had filed a formal complaint about her concerns during the summer but nothing has ever come of it.
Opening the public comment portion of the agenda, school board president Clayton Schemper said it is a time for people to bring items to the board that are not on the agenda. Though they can’t be acted on the night they are presented to the board, he said there can be follow up if necessary.
Taking the podium first was senior Avery Alves, who has been a standout goalie for the soccer squad.
She told board members that she feels the coach basically took away “such an important and sacred year of my life” by often benching her during her senior season.
Her mom Jina and dad Joe also took turns at the podium, both alluding to the fact that they feel it was when they questioned the coach about where some team fundraising money went and what it was used for that they started to see some retaliation. Also, they said they believed the coach was not happy about Alves and some other players working to advance their competitive careers outside of high school.
The senior player said she strived to be a positive role model for her teammates, even when she was benched.
She said the coach, however, “made it his mission to tear me down every chance he got.”
Mom Jina said she had “major concerns” last year and did have some contact with school officials but “zero action” was taken. This year, she said, after she filed a formal complaint over the summer, the retaliation came to the forefront.
“Please, protect my daughter, stand up for her,” Jina asked of the board. “Protect our students … students should come first.”
Also stepping up, to speak on behalf of her daughters – with two of them on the varsity team – was Maria Vigil, who said she also has seen an aggressive approach from the coach as well as retaliation.
“Where’s the ball being dropped?” said asked, adding that she knows there have been formal complains made. “I’m asking for respect, transparency and for these issues to be addressed immediately.”
With six children, some of them already having graduated, Vigil said she has never had to come to the school board for an issue such as this before. And she shared that she knows of other players on the team that were afraid to come forward with any kind of complaint due to fear of future retaliation.
“I’m not going to give up right now over a coach, I’m not going to be quiet,” Vigil added. “We’re going to be heard.”
District Superintendent Larry Mendonca assured the speakers that the district “takes allegations like this very seriously” and said Jose Sanchez, the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, would reach out to make sure district officials “get a full understanding of the complaint.”
From there, he said, it can follow the proper procedures and the district can provide a written report back to the complainants.
“I think everybody on the board appreciates parents that are willing to be advocates for their children,” said Schemper, “so thank you guys for coming and saying something.”
Mendonca also said anyone with concerns regarding issues in the schools can go on the website and access the ‘Complaint Policy and Procedures’ by clicking on the ‘District’ tab on the OJUSD home page.
