The boys' basketball coach at Weston Ranch High School in Stockton, Calif., said he resigned from his position last week after a video surfaced allegedly showing a Weston Ranch athletic program not following COVID-19 practice protocols.
"Addressing what happened this week, obviously we would never intentionally do something to put a child in danger with health," Chris Teevan said by phone Friday, as reported by The Record of Stockton. "The fact of the matter is, is that our program did not follow the guidelines set forth by the district. We messed up and as the head of the program it's my responsibility."
It is yet unclear whether it was actually Teevan's program at the center of the controversy. Due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Brunn could not identify the student or athletic program at Weston Ranch that broke protocol.
According to Director of Community Outreach Victoria Brunn, evidence was sent to the school district allegedly showing a Weston Ranch athletic program not following COVID-19 protocols set by Manteca Unified during a team practice. "We are very disappointed in evidence that we have received that demonstrates that the high school was not practicing all of the protocols that we have placed to mitigate for the virus," Brunn said earlier last week.
Protocols provided to athletic programs within Manteca Unified schools included social distancing, wearing a mask for indoor workouts, and conditioning and skill-building only — not actually playing the sport, which was the rule that the alleged evidence shows being violated.
"That is on me, point, blank, period," Teevan said. "Not my other coaches. Not my players. Not parents. That's on me as far as that goes.
After seeing the video last week, Manteca Unified School District superintendent Clark Burke suspended all sports districtwide Wednesday "until further investigation was completed."
Teevan said he decided to resign because after "the first time something went negative" in the nine years he's led a Weston Ranch program, Manteca Unified School District's first reaction was to have him fired.
"I'm not going to let somebody else, with the work and dedication I feel like I have given to the program, I am not going to let somebody else make a decision on my future with the program," he said. "I would rather do it in stride, my way and thank the people I want to thank for the past nine years."
Last season, the Cougars were awarded a Division II NorCal state title after the conclusion of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
