Baseball: Burbank Burroughs cancels its season
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The administration at Burroughs High School in Burbank has canceled the varsity baseball season, Athletic Director Marty Garrison confirmed Tuesday.
Principal Emilio Urioste Jr. said 18 players were disciplined and four varsity coaches, including the head coach, were dismissed as the result of an incident during a spring break tournament in Arizona that involved the ‘coaching staff making inappropriate decisions involving young people.’
The school released a statement Tuesday revealing that during a trip to Arizona, ‘an adult coach purchased beer and made it available to students while in their hotel rooms. Eleven team members admitted to drinking beer during this incident. Seven team members admitted to being aware of the beer but not participating in the drinking.’
Coach J.R. Schwer told the Burbank Leader he and three assistants who were present at the mid-March tournament were fired by Urioste on Monday. He acknowledged that a large number of players were served alcohol by an assistant coach, whom he declined to name.
Schwer said he only became aware of the incident last Friday.
“I do my best to hire the best coaches that I can, and we do everything to take care of the kids. For a coach to do what he did...” Schwer said, his voice trailing off. “I don’t think the kids have to suffer by Burbank having their season taken away from them. ... I just feel terrible for the kids.”
The 11 students have been suspended five days from school and four weeks from the baseball team. The seven other players received two days suspension from school and four weeks suspension from the baseball team.
Former Burroughs Coach Jose Valle will take over the program on an interim basis.
The team will forfeit the remaining games on its varsity schedule. The junior varsity team will continue to play.
School officials said a report has been filed with the Burbank Police Department.
-- Eric Sondheimer