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Northern e-mails under scrutiny

Monday, April 13, 2009
(Updated 12:41 pm)
By Robert Bell
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — The investigation into Northern Guilford High’s athletic program has uncovered e-mails that indicate school officials may have encouraged students outside Northern’s district to play there, sources familiar with the investigation said Sunday.

Sources said those correspondences, sifted from more than 6,000 e-mails by investigators, could amount to recruiting, a violation of Guilford County Schools and N.C. High School Athletic Association rules. Those sources asked for anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

School system officials began poring over the e-mails last week after the News & Record and a local television station requested them. Electronic correspondence sent or received from a Guilford County Schools account are public documents.

Jill Wilson, the school board’s attorney, said she is still reviewing about 3,000 unread e-mails. She declined to discuss the content of e-mails pertinent to the investigation.

She said the school system could release the e-mails next week. Any e-mails released will likely be heavily redacted because of privacy and personnel concerns, she said.

Sources said last week investigators are focusing on Northern’s football, baseball and boys basketball programs. This year’s teams for those sports include several students who transferred to the school within the past year. In addition to the recruiting allegations, sources said investigators are examining whether some students are academically eligible to compete.

On Sunday, Northern baseball coach Johnny Smith denied improperly contacting students or their families.

“I have never called or talked to a kid until after they were here,” he said.

He said he was unaware of anyone associated with the school violating the state athletic association’s recruiting policy. 

Smith, a nonteaching employee of the school system, also said he knew nothing about the investigation. He said he didn’t learn about it until reading Saturday’s News & Record. He said he has yet to discuss the investigation with anyone from the school system or Northern. 

“I spend six hours a day working on that (baseball) field and almost never go into the school, so I have no idea what’s going on,” he said.

Three Northern employees — principal Joe Yeager, athletics director Derrell Force and head custodian Louis Lawson — resigned last week in the midst of an investigation by school system officials into student eligibility and other unspecified issues at the school, which opened in 2007.

Smith said all of Northern’s baseball players live within the school’s boundaries.

Reached at Pawleys Island, S.C., where his family is vacationing, Northern basketball coach Stan Kowalewski said he was confident his team, which won the 3-A state championship last month, would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

Kowalewski said he and his attorney, David Brown, contacted Wilson and other school system officials Friday afternoon. Brown also is representing Lawson.

“I was told I had done nothing wrong and that our program and staff had done nothing wrong,” Kowalewski said.

He said investigators told him there were questions about residency issues for five basketball players, but he expected those questions to be resolved quickly.

Northern football coach Johnny Roscoe did not return several phone calls over the weekend.

School officials said Friday it would be inappropriate to comment on the investigation until it was complete. Northern is the only school being investigated.

Officials moved quickly to replace Yeager and Force. Pat Spicer, an instructional improvement officer for the system, will serve as the chief administrator for Northern until a new principal is found. Sources said Spicer will likely remain at Northern through the end of the school year.

Sharon Parks, a physical education teacher and volleyball coach at the school, was named interim athletics director Friday.
 

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com
 

Accompanying Photos

Margaret Baxter (News & Record)

Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

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igliigli

April 13, 2009 - 8:42 am EDT

Both at the HS and the college level, the school administrators and the news-media
have forgotten the school's mission is education, NOT sports.

bmoseley

April 13, 2009 - 9:24 am EDT

The only people getting hurt are the kids who were getting an opportunity to get looked by major colleges. All the kids live in the district and no matter how they got over there it was for their benefit. Also why is Northern the only school being looked at. You would think that the people in Guilford County would support a neighboring school for winning a championship but instead all were doing is bringing them down. The only other school getting kids into major schools is Dudley and we finally got another school that could do the same and this is what happens. All this is going to result in is the team breaking up by force and if any of those players don't get looked at like they should, the people behind the investigation should feel guilty. This team probably was going to get a lot of tournament invites to different places where they could get more recognition for college but that won't happen now probably because of haters.

whatcanIsay

April 13, 2009 - 9:47 am EDT

I keep telling parents. If your son and daughter are good enough to go to a Major school, he or she will. It does not matter what school you play for, especially basketball. AAU takes cares of the recruiting for BB. Football it is all about going to college camps. You do not need championship teams or other guys around you to go to a school, much less a Major school as you call it. These coaches evaluate each individual player, not the program. The kid from Caswell County was a top recruit before coming to G'boro.

gcsteach

April 13, 2009 - 9:52 am EDT

I beg to differ. The kids are not the only people getting hurt. I would like to remind you that not every child at Northern is an athlete, and they are hurting as well. Education is a continuous and creative process.Its aim is to develop the capacities latent in human nature and to coordinate their expression for the enrichment and progress of society, by equipping children with spiritual, moral, and let us emphasize the word moral, knowledge. At no point in time, even at the inception of a public education, has developing athletes been a part of that definition. Schools are not meant to be built around a sports program. Sports are meant to offer yet another way for students to enrich their lives.
Please correct me if I am wrong about the purpose of an education. Being an educator myself, and one at Northern as well, I am curious if you have been in the school 5-6 days a week, 12-13 hours a day, in the classrooms, at the faculty meetings or downtown in private meeting between Mr. Green and Mr. Yeager. If so, I do apologize, but I am curious, unless you are related to a player who falls under the scrutiny of this investigation, how you can make an assumption about what is going on?

nighthawk1

April 15, 2009 - 12:44 pm EDT

Thank you for the comment. The kids are hurting. And not just the athletes. The kids are unable to deal with this because of the air of mystery over what exactly did happen and the fact that they are not at school this week. This all is providing way too much speculation and we all know what happens when people start adding there two cents. I think that the GC school board owes these kids an explanation when they return to school on Monday. Remember who we are trying to set an example for.

maryfrancis

April 13, 2009 - 10:04 am EDT

It is unfortunate that the adults of this community would go to such extremes to tarnish the success of a high school basketball team. To question the legitimacy of eligibility at this point is completely inexcusable. Individually these boys are without question very talented players. However, because Coach K was able to create a successful “team” is something entirely different. Perhaps this investigation is warranted on the football or baseball fields (I do not know) but to continue to go after the basketball program when they have been cleared of any wrongdoing over and over again is unbelievable to me.

I am certain if you interviewed the players you would find that every single one of them would credit their success to the coaching staff and the family atmosphere they created. It is without question that academics should be the number one priority. Athletics are also extremely important to many, many students, as it is the driving force in their academic success. Several of these players could have some fantastic opportunities for college scholarships based their talent and with leadership and guidance from Coach K the possibilities are endless. Why would that be something anyone would want to “put an end to”? Again, I understand that we must adhere to rules and regulations, but how many times do you attack the same program before you are satisfied that they are in compliance??

FactGiver

April 13, 2009 - 11:15 am EDT

What I find extremely troubling is that in ANY post that defends the Northern Guilford athletic program, ONLY athletic success and scholarships are mentioned. This is pathetic. The primary purpose of High School is to receive a valued education that you can build upon to a) go to college or b) get a job. Athletics is extra-curricular and should be seen as a privilege and blessing to be a part of. As a previous poster stated, Stan Kowalewski "created" a successful high school basketball team. You are right! He created this team by pulling from a group of kids that included kids both in district and out of district and that's the facts. I know of 2 kids who do NOT live in the Northern Guilford district and have primary residences elsewhere in Guilford County. They rent/lease property in district and list that as their primary address even though that is not the case. This is a known FACT by A LOT of people! My biggest issue here is that this has happened before with this same coach and same athletic director , both previously at HPC and certain folks want to act suprised. Although there were only 2 seniors on the roster prior to Coach K leaving, after his departure, there was 1 player who returned. The rest relocated back to their original schools, or in 1 case, chose to follow him to Northern Guilford. Makes you go hmmmm..... This has been OBVIOUS to every outsider looking in and everybody else within the situation knows this as well. I have no dog in the fight but hate to see the purity of high school athletics, and STUDENT-athletes ruinned by a success-hungry coach that will do ANYTHING to win ball games. Another troubling fact in this case is that a lot of the Northern Guilford folks, not all, but most try to portray this as some jealousy issue when that is simply not the case. There are a handful of schools elsewhere in Guilford County who play with players in their district and are very successful in a variety of sports, and subsequently send a TON of kids to college on scholarship. I'm not blind nor clouded in judgement to believe that this doesn't happen in certain instances at other schools because I'm sure that it does in some way, shape, or form, however, the mass display of "recruiting"/bending of the rules at Northern Guilford has been noticed by many! It's just sad that the actual residents of the Northern Guilford community and their children will be hampered by the assumption that they themselves are cheaters, because their school chose to hire a coach and athletic director who have shown to bend and stretch the rules in order to put together winning programs. I wish Northern Guilford all the luck in the world because it's supposed to be about the kids and about being successful in the classroom and on the playing field, it's just a shame that a few, immature, short-sighted adults attempted to gain instant credibility, without going through the rigors of building a successful program from the ground up.

maryfrancis

April 13, 2009 - 3:28 pm EDT

To FactGiver: if you would read my post again you would see that I do in fact regard academics as the number 1 most important thing for these kids to excel in. However, there are many, many students for which athletics is their passion and participating in and being a member of a team sport is a catalyst for academic achievement…how can you possibly EVER see that as detrimental? These players are well aware that they must maintain a certain grade point average to continue to be eligible. If that is what it takes to assure they thrive in the classroom then more power to the coaches and administration that take an interest in making sure they are successful both on and off the court and/or field.

Although I may be criticized for being a bit off topic. It is important to justify the value of a dedicated coach who is certainly not only interested in the success one player will contribute to the “team” but to also help instill in him/her that in order to maintain the privilege to participate in “extra curricular” activities you must first be a dedicated student. It is true that the chances of making a monetary living playing a sport is a dream most athletes will never see come to fruition; however, it certainly is a dream that could help many of them get a college degree!

bmoseley

April 13, 2009 - 11:44 am EDT

Athletics is important. Last time I checked people are athletes for a living and sports is a multi billion dollar business. So playing sports is a job and should be an important part of a school system. If someone doesn't feel that way than ask your favorite sports players whether their job is important or whether what school they went to influenced their life.

gcsteach

April 13, 2009 - 12:39 pm EDT

From the NCAA Web site:

* About 5.7 percent, or approximately one in 17, of all high school senior boys playing interscholastic football will go on to play football at a NCAA member institution.
* About 1.8 percent, or approximately one in 50, of NCAA senior football players will get drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team.
* Approximately eight in 10,000, or approximately 0.08 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic football will eventually be drafted by an NFL team.
Just thought I would put this out there to stress that an education is important even if you are an athlete.

gcsteach

April 13, 2009 - 12:42 pm EDT

It rangers, in estimate from 1-2% for basketball.

DaveW

April 13, 2009 - 11:39 am EDT

If a player in today's age of technology is of the quality of a D1 collegiate program they will find him or her.Going to all these high profile tournaments can help but it it not totally necessary for recruitment.Besides Northern Guilford players already know how recruiting works.

lhbbmb

April 13, 2009 - 11:08 am EDT

They really sad part kids all over this county know they have been approached by coaches from other schools. They know more then anyone the truth about how adults act. I know some have been sent home with coaches numbers in their pockets. You guys know who you are and other parents know what I am saying because I'm sure it happened to others also. Then these northern kids read all these hateful things and how everybody is pulling against them. They feel the communtiy is against them and they worked so hard to make you proud of them. They spent countless hours in the gym, studyhall. weighlifting, tutoring. They know schools that have players out of district, taking easy classes just so they can play yet they are the ones involved in a scandel. Mo if you do not go after everybody you have to a least face these kids and explain why it was them you chose to drag through the mud. They know for a fact what goes on in guilford county they are the ones in the gyms. How many of you know or have a student in the wrong school? I bet most of you knew someone. I am not saying schools should not be held accountable for breaking rules. If Northern did wrong things they should be punished and so should anybody else.

thePoint

April 13, 2009 - 11:31 am EDT

The Point that is being missed is that it is NOT all about Winning!!! The kids play an organized sport and should be taught discipline, self-control, sportmanship and groomed to play at the next level. If the role models (coach, principal, custodian) are NOT in the position to teach such valuable lessons and help players grow in their manhood then they should clearly step aside.
In High Point Coach K was about Winning and NOT helping his players. He had valuable players at High Point Central and what has happened to them? NOTHING! They did ALL his winning and he in turn DID NOT help them reach another level. IS BASKETBALL ABOUT THE PLAYERS OR THE BASKETBALL COACH?

lhbbmb

April 13, 2009 - 11:55 am EDT

I am not sure what you know but I do know he helped players. His wife tutored players in there home even after high school. He has attended prep school games for players and helped get players in smaller colleges. He picked up players late at night in home situations that were very unstable. Maybe you know something I don't I have just used my eyes and talked to the players. He is also very hard on grades and ask for reports on a regular bases. I don't know what you wanted but a man can not be everything to everybody.
I will agree he likes to win!!! All thought it is important I also know that is not all he is about. Ask his players they can tell you better then anyone.
I also agree students have to be lead by people with good morals. Most important thing!!!! I am not sure what the others did. I believe the custodian has been wronged by Guilford County and that will also come out at a later date.

DaveW

April 13, 2009 - 12:27 pm EDT

I just read on greensborosports.com that the baseball coach is gone.Any truth to that piece of information?

thePoint

April 13, 2009 - 1:01 pm EDT

I am in this fight because I know firsthand what Coach K did to a talented b-ball player from High Point Central who is currently not playing b-ball but should have been due to his talent. He started for HPC as a freshman and scored a lot points and had a lot of victories which helped to inflate Coach K's resume'. When it was time to get recruited, where was Coach K? BEWARE: Parents as you watch your children play the game don't let them get played!!!

1Voice

April 13, 2009 - 12:26 pm EDT

These issues and criticisms that all Northern Nighthawks are enduring at this time are the result of a statewide lethargy to deal with issues of the recruitment of premier high school atheletes throughout the state. I have been involved in one aspect or another with high school athletics over the years and have witnessed first hand how high school dynasties get started and are maintained.
If anyone thinks that inter and intra district recruiting does not take place they are sadly mistaken. It happens and has happened that I know of for the last 30 years. I have experienced it in Guilford, Wake, Durham, Randolph, and Johnston counties.
This issue is easily remedied. Implement transfer rules that the NCAA has in place. If a student athlete transfers to another school they must sit out one year; sacrificing 1 year of eligibility. Other state high school athletic associations have these rules in place and athletic recruiting is less of a problem. I personally was affected by this rule during my playing days in Texas.
The worst thing to do however is to do nothing. Yes, examine this circumstance, and accept what you find. If the charges are unfounded then let the issue go; but fix the system so that these suspicions can be avoided in the future. If there is merrit to the allegations then respond accordingly with regard to the offending parties. But don't stop there, take the right and appropriate steps to FIX THE PROBLEM.
Just 1 voice

DaveW

April 13, 2009 - 12:50 pm EDT

That would work. Missing a year of high school eligibility would prevent the shopping of schools by parents.

GCSparent

April 13, 2009 - 1:10 pm EDT

The real shame in this lies in the fact that Guilford County Schools lost one of the best principals. The students and parents of NGHS were very fortunate to have Joe Yeager leading their school. Guilford county is going green, alright...but it's not in the environmentally beneficial way.

FactGiver

April 13, 2009 - 1:21 pm EDT

Yeager very well may have been one of the best principals in GCS, however, if things like this go on under your "watch", whether he knew about it or not, the head man will be the first to go and such is the case with Northern Guilford. I also find it humorous that you folks continue to say "lies" but yet disapprove of facts coming from the other side. There's no way around this one. There was a lot of wrongdoing in this case and it's sad for the kids because a few ridiculous adults made some decisions that will leave lasting effects on that program. Play by the rules or don't play at all. These adults knew what they were getting in to when they did it at HPC and a cloud began to linger, so they packed up and headed out to Northern where it followed them and they didn't dot their I's and cross their T's well enough not to get caught. Don't get it twisted, it's really a sad situation that a lot of negativity will come from this and these kids potentially lose their state title, however, the negativity is warranted towards the adults in this case who have taken advantage of these kids and manipulated them into coming to a school for athletic gain. At the end of the day, these adults will move on but the kids at the school are left to deal with the backlash.

dcolin

April 13, 2009 - 1:54 pm EDT

I for one in my dealings with Yeager found him (in my opinion) dishonorable
or at the very least disingenuous.

Thus he has no credibility with me.

Dogwood

April 13, 2009 - 3:13 pm EDT

Is it true that from Colfax, Oseola or even Climax a high schooler can apply to attend HPC or Grimsley Baccalaurete programs? Is it true that Northern Guilford High is only two years old? Is it true that the toilets are flushed with rain water? Is it true that major growth and home sales have been in the north for years and years or that 9th graders were herded into trailors and prayed for the day Northern opened? In the USA it is still legal to buy a home or rent a home? It is still legal to apply for a job and work hard? Explain Magnet programs. Explain minority to majority or is that majority to minority GCS rules. Three good men are unemployed due to rumors, nonsense and gossip. I hope they have good lawyers and sue.

FactGiver

April 13, 2009 - 3:43 pm EDT

the county has been down this road before back in 2003 I believe it was when a ton of schools in High Point and a few in Greensboro weren't busted for recruiting but rather attendance violations by allowing kids to play who had missed too many days of school. In many of those cases, the coaches were fired, many of which were good men so I don't think anything will come of it if these folks try to sue. There's way too much facts and outstanding evidence that points towards these individuals either participating in,knowing, or turning a blind eye to Northern Guilford gaining an "unfair advantage" by recruiting as it's put in the NCHSAA handbook. Whether Yeager knew or not the extent of the problems at hand remains to be seen, but in all cases such as this, the big fish will be the first to fry. And from past experience, the AD and Coach K won't get the benefit considering the past dealings at HPC where this was evident as well.

Dogwood

April 13, 2009 - 4:19 pm EDT

I did not realize Southern, Southwest, High Point Central, Ragsdale and Andrews constituted tons. Thanks for the info FactGiver.

FactGiver

April 13, 2009 - 4:23 pm EDT

dogwood, go back and take a look at the number of teams affected and it was a TON! got down to even cheerleading squads being penalized, that's how thorough the investigation was.

livelong

April 13, 2009 - 4:11 pm EDT

If you look REALLY HARD...or better yet, you don't have to look hard, you will find a lot of kids going to the "wrong" school. I personally know of multiple cases of parents renting homes in other districts so their kids can go to a "better" school. Live in HP Andrews....rent in Southwest..go to Southwest. Live in Southwest...rent in Northwest..go to Northwest. etc............ And yes...some are on sports teams. The kids KNOW! And you know that the Admins have to know. Just look at what happened in Charlotte....it won't be long before it happens here. So all of you Principals that say it ain't happening at my school...you are either blind or are lying.

bimbigirl

April 13, 2009 - 4:25 pm EDT

And I am sure AIG executives thought/think they were doing what was the best interest of themselves and their "team". If you ever wonder how we as a society have gotten where we are, how we are in the financial mess we are in, look at how we are grooming and teaching our children - there appear to be some significant parralels. Coach K probably has done tremendous things for those who have played under him; however, what about all of the qualified kids that lived "honestly" in the district that never had the opportunity to play and participate? What kind of message is being sent...is it okay to bend the rules for your personal benefit? It's okay to engage in "back room deals" as long as your group is taken care of??? I cringe at what is being taught to our youth.

FactGiver

April 13, 2009 - 4:37 pm EDT

what I also find troubling is that there are a few teachers who have posted on this article, as well as the other article who are from Northern Guilford and acknowledge that some shady things were taking place at the school but yet some NG folks continue to try and make themselves believe that nothing was going on. Everybody knows. The cat is out of the bag. The cards are on the table. There's a lot of truth to the accusations, and at this point they are still accusations but everybody knows that an investigation does not take place unless they already have some substantial facts that hint towards some wrongdoing. Coach K better stay on vacation because it looks like he may come home to **** hitting the fan. I venture to say that he'll be lucky to land another high school gig in this area for quite some time. Hate it for the kids that were manipulated by a few ridiculous "adults" and I use the word "adult" very generously in this case.

DaveW

April 13, 2009 - 4:51 pm EDT

Factgiver you Kick tail!

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