The father of a San Benito High School student filed a written
complaint with the district board of trustees accusing the school
of nepotism because his daughter was unfairly cut from the school’s
junior varsity softball team so the coach’s daughter could remain
as the team’s only pitcher.
Hollister – The father of a San Benito High School student filed a written complaint with the district board of trustees accusing the school of nepotism because his daughter was unfairly cut from the school’s junior varsity softball team so the coach’s daughter could remain as the team’s only pitcher.
With his daughter, junior Erika Bardo, watching, Joseph Bardo stood and read his complaint to the board during its April 13 meeting and handed copies of the document to each board member.
In the complaint, Bardo alleges nepotism and claims his daughter was, “cut from a federally funded sport program … because she posed a threat to the assistant coach’s daughter’s ability to play softball.”
The assistant softball coach is Robert Huerta, whose daughter is the pitcher for the junior varsity team.
“The parents of the children are the coaches,” Bardo said. “And they want their daughters to play.”
Bardo filed the complaint after he was unsatisfied with the outcome of meetings with school and district administrators and coaches, following his daughter being cut from the team in March.
“I feel that he has been heard fairly,” said Superintendent Jean Burn Slater.
Though the district has 60 days to respond to a complaint, it is moving more quickly with Bardo’s case, and Slater said a response should be ready today.
“I think Mr. Bardo is looking out for his child’s best interest in the best way he knows how,” SBHS Principal Deborah Padilla said.
Since Bardo first raised his concern, the school has examined how its sports teams conduct try-outs, she said.
“I still feel we had a very fine process,” Burns Slater said, adding that in the future parents will get a written evaluation of player skills.
“When an individual is disappointed about their child not fitting into the puzzle, it’s not a reflection on the child, it’s the puzzle,” she said.
Bardo disagrees with Junior Varsity Softball Coach Stephen Grimsley’s evaluation of his daughter, that she was slow, clumsy, uncoachable and a poor batter.
“She’s been playing softball for almost six years. She’s a good player with lots of training,” he said, adding that his daughter has had private pitching coaches and has attended university-sponsored training camps.
The allegations of nepotism in the school’s softball program are, “utterly ridiculous,” said Scott Smith, who coaches the varsity team. “In six years at this school, I’ve never had something like this happen.”
“I feel horrible,” he added. “I hate to see a student athlete be this passionate and not be able to play.”
Smith’s daughter attends SBHS and has been cut from both basketball and volleyball teams at the school.
“San Benito High is very competitive. She’s got to beat out 27 to 28 other kids,” he said, adding that it is the coach’s decision as to which students make the team.
However, Bardo said he will continue his crusade, “Until they start listening to me.”
Now that he’s given it to the board of trustees, Bardo said his next move might be to send the complaint to the federal office of civil rights. And, in a move to strengthen his case, he is bringing in outside evaluators to gauge his daughter’s pitching skill.
“I want to vindicate my daughter and stop the nepotism,” he said. “I want my daughter to have the same opportunity, not greater, but the same as everyone else.”
Luke Roney covers education and agriculture for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected]
