Written Monday May 30th at 7:00 PM
Waterford Mott football coach Chris Fahr and his coaching staff are under investigation by the MHSAA and the Waterford School District for multiple allegations and rule violations relating to off season workouts and undue influence for athletic purposes.
If Fahr and his staff is found guilty of the undue influence charge, which is the more serious charge here, then he along with some of his staff could be banned from coaching at his school for four years and if also found guilty of violating off season workouts then there could be restrictions there.
According to the Detroit Free Press sportswriter Mick McCabe in which he wrote in his article in the Detroit Free Press. He went to a gathering on May 15th and took a picture of more than 60 athletes participating in some sort of workout with football coaches present. Most of the players doing the workout and receiving instruction were Waterford Mott football players and some of them were from either Pierce or Mason Middle School, both Middle Schools are in the Waterford School District and sends students to either Waterford Mott or Waterford Kettering.
This gathering was held every Sunday from 5-7 PM.
Under MHSAA rule this is not allowed.
MHSAA rules states that football coaches are prohibited from giving instruction to more than four players at a time from season's end until the Sunday after Memorial Day.
Fahr said to McCabe that the gathering was considered to be a camp, not a practice, and that money was collected from 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Also it was open to anyone in the Waterford School District.
Problem with that statement is that the MHSAA prohibits camps and that camps can not occur until after the school year ends in June.
The news of Fahr's gatherings was made public to Waterford head Athletic Director Allison Sartouris. She started her own investigation after hearing the story from McCabe.
There have been complaints to the MHSAA from Pontiac Athletic Director Lee Montgomery whom found out from MIPrepZone that three of Pontiac's football players participated on Waterford Mott's seven on seven team. The players returned and played for Pontiac last season.
Another complaint in which one of Waterford Mott's coaches allegedly tried to recruit a player who ended up playing football at Avondale.
There have also been numerous complaints from other coaches about the recruitment of players involving the Corsairs program.
Eddy Wilson whom played at West Bloomfield and currently plays at Purdue said that he was invited to workouts in Waterford. Fahr asked Wilson to transfer to Waterford Mott but Wilson declined his offer and stayed at West Bloomfield.
Fahr got a chance to respond to McCabe saying that nothing was mandatory even though some players claimed it was mandatory.
If the Detroit Free Press story is true this would be disastrous for Waterford Mott. Fahr and his staff would not be allowed to coach football for four years if the MHSAA chooses to believe the Free Press story.
Several Waterford Mott football players and their families have defended and shown their support to Fahr and his staff using social media, talking about how Fahr and the coaching staff are role models to them, that they treat them like family and many have said the only reason why they are being targeted is because of the Corsairs football success the last two years.
Waterford Mott has made the playoffs the last two seasons finishing with two 6-3 records.
The Corsairs open up the 2016 season with Macomb L'Anse Creuse North on August 26th.
Stay tuned to OAA Now with this developing story.
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