Recruiting mistake cost coach job
Player facing sex charge shouldn’t have been on team, says U of S
A recruit who was facing a sexual assault charge in Alberta when he joined the University of Saskatchewan men’s volleyball team would not have been allowed on the roster last season had school brass known about the accusation, two high-ranking U of S officials say.
Huskie Athletics chief athletics officer Shawn Burt and Dean of Kinesiology Chad London said in an interview that school officials only learned of the charges and guilty plea by Matthew Alan Meyer on Tuesday when comment was sought by Prince Albert Daily Herald reporter Evan Radford.
After removing Meyer from the team that day, the school fired Brian Gavlas on Thursday after 25 years as men’s volleyball head coach.
On Monday in Medicine Hat, Meyer was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to a January 2016 sexual assault while he was an 18-year-old studentathlete at Medicine Hat College. When the Prince Albert native joined the Huskies for the 201718 season, the charge had been laid but not yet proven in court.
“He would have been told absolutely not. A complete non-starter,” Burt said on Friday when asked if the school would have accepted Meyer onto the men’s volleyball roster.
“That type of conduct is completely unacceptable. We’re about providing a safe environment and that would have been an unequivocal no.”
Gavlas this week said he “was aware of the charge” prior to Meyer joining the Huskies. He said a decision was made for Meyer “to be supported and part of a passion and a sport that he enjoyed and a group of guys that could support him.”
Gavlas, who guided the Huskies to a pair of U- Sports national titles after taking over as head coach in 1992, said Meyer “made a very bad choice and decision with his actions and what he did for one night. And it’s cost him dearly.
“It’s obviously cost the victim. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not being flippant about that situation, but I think people who are in my position have to do everything they can to give young adults and teenagers an opportunity to grow and develop and improve on their character and improve on their choices and improve on their lifestyles, whatever the case is.”
When Gavlas met with school officials this week, “the feedback was very consistent, directly consistent, with what was published,” Burt said.
London said it’s “difficult to speculate on someone’s thought process and how they went through that ... Regardless of the thought process, however, it was the wrong decision.”
Burt said Gavlas’s decision to recruit Meyer and not alert school officials to the legal situation “was certainly a significant (factor)” in the firing. Citing privacy rules, a university spokeswoman said the school could not disclose whether Gavlas was fired with or without cause. Attempts to reach Gavlas for comment were unsuccessful.
London said the school will look closely at the Huskie Athletics code of conduct, the most recent version of which was approved in 2010. The school will also “review of all our processes related to the recruitment, screening and selection of our student-athletes, as well as policies related to conduct of our employees and leaders as well,” London said.
The code of conduct does not specifically mention sexual assault. It includes a passage about student-athletes conducting themselves “in a manner in which (their) behaviour will not be considered a form of harassment, including comments and/or conduct, which is insulting, intimidating, hurtful, malicious, degrading or otherwise offensive to an individual or group of individuals, or which creates an uncomfortable environment for anyone involved in Huskie Athletics, at the University of Saskatchewan or in the general public.”
Under the code, student-athletes can face penalties including a written warning, suspension from the team or from competition, and the removal or suspension of athletic scholarships and awards. They’re also subject to the school’s standard of student conduct in nonacademic matters, under which penalties can include suspension or expulsion.
London said if a situation “with the exact same circumstances” faced a current member of Huskie Athletics, the school would take immediate action and remove the person from the roster.
“Each situation, as we know, is a little bit different. That’s why we have our Huskie Athletics code of conduct, which outlines the disciplinary process should an allegation be raised, an incident occur. Then that code of conduct and the related processes would kick in,” London said.
“The hearing board has the opportunity to work through the case and make a determination as to the appropriate action to be taken for that particular case.”
U of S President Peter Stoicheff, who was not made available despite multiple interview requests through school representatives, was kept “apprised of everything and updated on the progress of things,” Burt said.
“Because we did have to spring into action so quickly, we moved forward and we did so with his understanding. We have had tremendous support right across campus with respect to this decision.”