The Covina Valley Unified School District has launched an investigation into the handling of the SGV Bowl all-star football game that local coaches were involved with hosting at Covina District Field last month, according to a letter obtained by the Southern California News Group.
The distribution of proceeds collected at the game as well as events that took place at the contest are part of the probe, based on the district’s letter to CVUSD staff Thursday.
The letter from Manuel Correa, the district’s chief business officer, states that the field was rented for use on Jan. 13 on behalf of Covina High’s football booster club. The application was submitted by Covina’s football coach Kevin Glaspy.
This week, the teaching staff at Covina was told that Glaspy has been replaced as football coach, and that he had also been removed as the school’s athletic director and track and field coach. Glaspy was placed on administrative leave, according to sources.
Not explanation was given about the removal of Glaspy from his positions at the school.
Covina’s Gridiron Booster club is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for the school’s football program.
The application to use the field required the booster club to provide “facility rental application documents,” which include proof of insurance and “specialized permits” if required by law. The district office approved the field use application “as a fundraiser to support the Covina High School football program,” according to the letter.
“The District has since been made aware of issues surrounding the fundraising event and is conducting a thorough investigation with the assistance of legal counsel,” Correa’s letter states. “As the investigation is ongoing, the District and its representatives are unable to make public comments at this time.”
I’ve obtained a letter sent by the Covina Valley Unified school District confirming an investigation of the SGV Bowl, and the field use permit granted to the Covina High Gridiron Boosters. Read it. pic.twitter.com/JY2TM64FZt
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) February 2, 2024
Glaspy has not returned messages seeking comment.
It appears that officials for CVUSD and its lawyers are investigating how revenue from the SGV Bowl was used and distributed.
Covina’s football booster club rented the field, but were proceeds from the game shared with other groups and other booster clubs? That might be part of what the district is looking into.
Besides ticket sales, money was also collected from parking fees and snack bar sales.
Covina District Field is shared by three programs, Covina, Northview and South Hills, and all three football teams were involved at some level with hosting the game.
Nogales’ newly hired coach, Matt Villasenor, and Baldwin Park coach Robert Maxie were also very involved in the handling of January’s contest and its promotion.
Villasenor and Maxie helped create the inaugural SGV Bowl last year. That game was played at Charter Oak with the help of the school’s coach and athletic director, Dominic Farrar. Last year’s game resulted in the SGV Bowl making a $5,000 donation to the American Cancer Society.
January’s SGV Bowl was such a huge success that organizers Robert Maxie, Dominic Farrar and Matt Villasenor proudly donated a $5,000 check today to the American Cancer Society in the name of legends Lou Farrar, Jim Bonds and Greg Gano. @TheMatt_V @Coach_Maxie626 @CharterOakHigh pic.twitter.com/qfZvlnG8SN
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) February 21, 2023
What role Villasenor and Maxie had in revenue sharing, if any, from this year’s SGV Bowl is unclear. Also unclear is how ticket sales from the game were distributed.
In the letter obtained by SCNG, Correa stats that “All funds raised by C-VUSD approved booster organizations must be exclusively used for the support of the school program.”
Glaspy has been on Covina’s football staff for 33 years, mostly as an assistant. He became the school’s head football coach this past season.
The Jan. 13 SGV Bowl was played in front of a packed crowd. Two local rappers performed on the field, one prior to the game and another at halftime surrounded by players. A large group of spectators rushed onto the field during the halftime performance.
There were no reported serious issues as a result of the large crowd, but local police were summoned to the stadium toward the end of the contest to clear the crowd.
Whether a special permit was needed for the rappers to perform isn’t clear. There seem to be several areas the district is looking into, including the level of security at the game.
“Private and non-profit organizations renting district facilities must provide proof of insurance, the maximum number of people attending the event, required custodial staff, security and specialized permits if required by law,” Correa explained in his letter.
The next Covina-Valley Unified school board meeting is Feb. 13. It is not clear if there will be public discussion about Glaspy’s removal or the ongoing investigation.
Wild scene here at the SGV bowl! 310 Babii comes on at half and the stands empty onto the field! @ChemicalAT @JMMediStatMike @GabrielNDuarte_ @jschirmer_est79 pic.twitter.com/Aa3N3CYSFL
— James_Brock (@JamesBrock1350) January 14, 2024
