Mark Jaffee at Republican-American has the very latest on the long rumored and infinitely discussed impending transfer of All-American wide receiver and Boston College commit David Coggins, quarterback Javon Martin and fullback Xavier Woods from Sacred Heart to Naugatuck.
While Woods is all set to start practicing for the Greyhounds, there are some serious issues afoot over Coggins and Martin’s hopes of joining him.
Some background, since this isn’t a topic we’ve covered:
According to Jaffee, when Sacred Heart coach Chris Ortiz quit in early May, rumors swirled that key players would follow him out the door. Naturally, those rumors intensified when it became clear that one of those players would be Coggins, Ortiz’ nephew and a highly sought-after receiver who missed all of last season with an ankle injury.
When Jaffee confronted him about it in June, Coggins said it wasn’t true. “I’m staying put.”
But the rumors wouldn’t die. Coggins, Martin and tailback Xavier Woods were going to Naugatuck. You could bet the ranch on it.
Sure enough, in late July Naugatuck athletic director Tom Pompei confirmed to the NVL Football blog that the students’ families had been in touch with him regarding a transfer to Naugatuck. It was only a matter of clearing up “some red tape,” Pompei told reporter Kyle Brennan, and the athletes would be enrolled shortly.
It turns out that ‘red tape’ is more like a big, giant ball of tangled fishing line, and there are multiple sides tugging at it.
Meme Martin, who is Javon Martins’s mother and Coggins’ legal guardian for the past five years (Ortiz is her brother), told the Republican-American she’s in financial straits after losing her job, she owes Sacred Heart tuition for the previous school year, and she hasn’t yet found a place to live in Naugatuck. “As soon as I find a place, I am over there ASAP,” she told the newspaper.
There’s also an issue over her son’s and Coggins’ school transcripts. Since she owes the school money, she can’t get them released.
“I asked if I can work out a payment plan so we can go about our business, but they said that it couldn’t (start) no later than the middle of September. There’s no way I could pay that (full) amount. I have called people to try to get a loan, but I am having no luck. They are not making it easy.”
On the other hand, Sacred Heart athletic director Jon Carroll told the Republican-American that if there is a legal change of address, the two students could transfer and play this season. (In that case, would that mean Martin can get the transcripts released?)
Read the whole story at the Republican-American.
Bottom line: It doesn’t look like Coggins or Martin will be wearing Naugy uniforms in the foreseeable future. But this is starting to go far beyond football. Now it’s getting perilously close to interrupting their actual schooling.
Yipes. Just… Yipes.
Let’s hope this gets sorted out soon.
So what you are saying is that there is a pretty good chance that Coggins can go to B.C without playing his last two seasons of High School ball?
I doubt that. This will be figured out.
Why was he able to stay in school last year if he didn’t pay tuition?
Schools allow installment plans
There is a certain ex Connecticut coach that could clear up this situation in a matter of hours…
Clearly a situation that could only be possible in the NVL. Does anyone in the NVL actually play for the school in the town where they live?
Isn’t Naugatucks AD the head of the NVL AD’s.
The mother hasnt found a place to live in naugatuck. Shady? Hopefully no one loses their job over these kids.
This really isnt good for highschool football. It goes on all the time and nobody does anything!!!!