Response to Frequently Asked Questions

Roosevelt High School FAQ in response to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) sanctions for alleged recruiting violations.  

1. What happened? 

The WIAA Executive Board hired a “fact finder” to investigate allegations of illegal recruiting by the Roosevelt High School football program.  The fact finder inquiry recommended sanctions for Roosevelt to the Executive Board based on the following rule violations:  

1. 3.3.0 Membership  
2. 18.0.0 Student Standards for Interscholastic Eligibility  
3. 27.0.0 Illegal Recruiting  
4. 28.0.0  Rule Violations and Penalties  

2. What are the sanctions? 

The sanctions include the following:  

1. $2,500 fines issued to Roosevelt coaches, principal, athletic director, district director and to Seattle Public Schools Athletic Department 
2. Roosevelt football program forfeiture of games for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons and returning any awards or trophies earned during those seasons.   
3. One year suspension of football coaches 
4. One year ban for Roosevelt post season play (2025-26 season) & three-year probation for the Roosevelt athletic programs, The Metro League and SPS athletics 
5. All Roosevelt High School transfers must submit paperwork to the WIAA for review 
6. Any past transfer who submitted false information must sit out one calendar year 

3. What is the district doing? 

SPS has exercised the right to appeal the sanctions in order to ask for a reconsideration, which follows the guidance set forth by the WIAA appeals process.   The appeal was heard by the Executive Board during the Aug. 17, 2025, meeting.  It is not expected that a decision on this appeal will be made by the WIAA until late September.  Updates on the appeal will be shared as information is available. 

The district is also actively working to institute additional accountability measures around eligibility and coaches training.   

4. What does this mean for student-athletes at Roosevelt? 

Student-athletes will have the opportunity to participate and compete in all sport programs and participate in postseason (the road to state) play.  The football team, however, will not have the opportunity to go to post-season play for the school year 2025-26.  

**Note: If your student participated in the 2024-25 football season and was not involved in alleged recruiting activity, they are not “personally” at fault nor should feel like they’ve done anything wrong.  

5. Can students still participate in regular-season games? 

Yes. Regular-season participation will continue, but postseason or championship eligibility is impacted for the football program only. All other athletic programming does not have any limitation to participation. 

6. What if my child transferred to Roosevelt — are they affected? 

The WIAA will review all transfer cases. If a transfer was found to be motivated or assisted by illegal recruiting, that student may be declared ineligible for one calendar year.  Transfer rules have shifted since the 2024-25 school year.   

A student who transfers during the “Window of Transfer” which is the natural beak between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next school year, does have eligibility to participate but might have limitations depending on the nature of transfer.   If you are concerned about your child’s eligibility, contact the district athletic office immediately to clarify your situation (contact information below). 

7. Will my child’s chances for college recruitment be hurt? 

While sanctions may limit exposure at postseason events, student-athletes can still: 

• Compete during the regular season 
• Attend showcase events and camps 
• Submit highlight reels and academic records directly to colleges 
• Be contacted by college recruiters 

Coaches and counselors at Roosevelt will continue supporting athletes seeking college opportunities. 

9. After the one-year suspension, will the coaches be able to return? 

All coaches hired for SPS coaching assignments move through a rigorous hiring process.  Eligibility for these positions is determined by experience, interview and reference checks.  According to SPS policy and WIAA policy, former coaches will be eligible to apply for open positions after the one-year suspension is served. 

10. What is the school and district doing to prevent this from happening again? 

SPS, in collaboration with Roosevelt High School, is: 

• Conducting independent external and internal reviews of the WIAA findings 
• Providing additional training to coaches and athletic staff on WIAA compliance 
• Enhancing oversight of student transfers and creating additional process for all student transfer paperwork 
• Reaffirming its commitment to ethical conduct in education based athletic participation.   
• Creating additional checkpoints with the district athletic office to help support student eligibility process.   

11. Who can I contact with questions or concerns related to the upcoming school year? 

Acting Principal: Ruth Medsker 
206-252-4815 
rmedsker@seattleschools.org 

12. Who can I contact with questions about 2025-26 Athletic Programming? 

Acting Athletic Director and Administrative Intern: Robert Gardner 
206-252-4810 
rcgardner@seattleschools.org  

13. Who can I contact with questions or concerns about 2024-25 athletics and sanctions, or 2025-26 Athletics eligibility given these sanctions: 

District Athletic Eligibility Chair: Tara Davis 
206-252-1791 
tadavis@seattleschools.org 

14. Who can I contact with questions or concerns about School Leadership Support given the current and ongoing WIAA Report Investigation? 

NE Regional Executive Director of Schools: Dr. Mike McCarthy 
206-252-0114 
mjmccarthy@seattleschools.org  

We understand this is a difficult time for our student-athletes and families. We are committed to transparency, accountability, and doing everything we can to support our students.