Girls Basketball Coaches At Texas School Found Guilty Of Recruiting Violations For Top Players In Nation

The school, which plays in the University Interscholastic League, recently hired four-time state champion Andrea Robinson as its new head coach.

The 13-5A district executive committee in Texas has found the girls’ basketball coaches of Oak Cliff Faith Family School guilty of recruiting violations.

They found the coaches withheld information regarding the 13 players who transferred to the Dallas charter school during the off-season. The school, which plays in the University Interscholastic League, recently hired four-time state champion Andrea Robinson as the new head coach. The Dallas Morning News confirmed her former employer, DeSoto High School, also accused Robinson of the violations.

Robinson, alongside her assistant coaches Kadi Creel and Jordan Jones, will now face punishment for their actions, which will be determined by the UIL’s state executive committee. As for the players, the DEC will determine their eligibility for the upcoming basketball season.

Prior to the six-hour hearing on Oct. 17 that led to this guilty verdict, the school’s athletic director denied the accusations. Robinson also remained adamant that they abided by regulations as the school realigned from 4A to 5A. Moreover, Oak Cliff has an open enrollment policy with an attendance zone covering the Dallas Independent School District.

Four of the recruits rank within the top 100 players in the nation. Many are assumed to be eyeing spots on a Division 1 collegiate team’s roster. Some include a five-star junior forward, Amari Byles, and a four-star junior combo guard, Amaya “Sunshine” Garcia. Both also attended DeSoto.

However, the hearing showed Creel had impermissible contact with one of the recruits. Moreover, some of them hailed from the same AAU program. A coach from another school stated, with photographs to back his assertion, that Jones also reached out to another athlete.

The UIL strictly forbids students from transferring to athletic programs. Given the DEC can only issue reprimands to coaches, they reported their findings to the state committee, which has the authority to implement suspensions. The maximum length of suspension is three years.

The hearing also stated that two of the recruits have already begun working out with the team despite not having approved Previous Athletic Participation Forms (PAPF). The UIL recently approved a proposal for its executive committee to investigate schools with a heightened number of these forms. It will go into effect in August 2025.