Tom Brady's high school facing two-year football playoff ban

The Central Coast Section has placed the Serra (San Mateo, Calif.) football team on two years probation and banned it from postseason play during that time because of the program's decision to forfeit a consolation football game at Milpitas on Dec. 5.

In addition, the rest of the school's athletic teams are on probation until the end of the 2015-16 season and Serra must make financial restitution of more than $6,000 for game officials, potential concession revenue and gate receipts.

The sanctions were handed down Thursday, the same week Serra's favorite son and Super Bowl hero Tom Brady has been at the center of a national debate entitled "deflategate."

"The very nature of interscholastic competition is founded on respect, commitment to team, school, league, community and also to each of your team's opponents," CCS Commissioner Nancy Lazenby Blaser wrote in a report sent to Serra's president, principal and athletic director. "Fulfilling your commitments to your opponents and playing your best is the starndard of commitment acceptable to the members schools of the CIF and CCS."

Serra football coach Patrick Walsh, with the backing of his administration, said on the day of the forfeit it was a safety issue he felt he could not ignore. The consolation games — only in the Open Division — were added last May as a trial run in case the CIF adopts a plan to expand the State Bowl Championships.

Walsh knew of possible sanctions when his team won a 28-0 consolation game at Palma-Salinas the week before the Milpitas game, but he "was walking on eggshells the entire game. It just didn't feel right then."

Walsh said that feeling grew throughout the week of the Milpitas game, and after conferring with administrators, he decided to not have his players board the bus.

"I love football and I love Serra High School with all my heart," he said at the time. "Most important, I love the kids who are entrusted to me on a yearly basis and their families. I stand behind my decision to forfeit tonight's football game, and I am grateful for the support of the Serra administration. ... I struggled with this for two weeks, and ultimately determined that I can't justify one injured Serra or Milpitas player in a consolation football game."

In Thursday's release, Blaser said the school's decision not to play Milpitas "undermines the very foundation of an organization like the CCS, formed by its member schools. … If Serra was concerned with the playoff format and had safety concerns based on its team composition, it should not have agreed to enter the playoffs."

Blaser said Serra will have a chance to appeal the sanctions.

On Thursday, Walsh said in a release that he still stands behind the decision not to play, but wished he had made that call earlier.

"The reason why it was so difficult to make the decision that we did was because of the potential sanctions for our football team in 2015. However, I stand behind my decision to this day and will never feel otherwise.

"At the time I was making the decision I knew my only regret that I should have made this determination sooner. Moving forward, we will carefully review the document from CCS and will explore our options regarding a possible appeal."

Reaction to the sanctions has been split and impassioned among readers of Bay Area media. Those who support CCS believe Walsh and Serra should have simply complied with CCS rule.

"Serra and all private high schools are guests in the CIF/CCS," wrote Fred Cesano, a varsity soccer coach at Carlmont and Burlingame, who attended Serra for one year in the 1960s. He was the chairperson for the Peninsula Athletic League in the CCS for 12 years. "They must abide by the rules that the good people at CCS set down. ... Do I agree with the third-place game? Not really. But, somehow this game was voted for by a board of coaches and not the CCS board."

Those who support Walsh and his decision believe the sanctions are well out of line, and that the consolation games were a bad idea to begin with, given the unnecessary threat to player safety.

"Coach Walsh and Serra should be commended," said Piedmont resident Steven Humphries. "Consolation formats are suited for basketball and baseball tournaments. There is no reason to play meaningless consolation playoff games that add additional physical risk to player safety."

So why even play the games? The answer is complex.

The games were implemented because of a possible change in the CIF football structure where non-section champions would be considered for regional play. Now only champions can move on. With that in mind, the CCS decided it needed a trial run to consider an additional round.

The commissioners would maintain they don't invent the bylaws — principals and coaches do — but the CCS enforces them.

Cesano, though he vehemently disagrees with Walsh's stance, thinks a compromise can still be met.

"I'm pretty sure if coach Walsh goes to a face-to-face meeting with the CCS board and expresses his views convincingly and with honesty and passion and apologies for his bad decision, the CCS will reinstate Serra High School," he said. "I would bet on this."

Another reader and former Serra player Joseph Hoyt wrote that he agreed with Serra's stance, but because of the late decision, it should pay the fine.

"Make Serra refund CCS for the financial benefits it would have received," he wrote. "But don't take away the amazing experience that is meaningful in high school football."

Hoyt has started an on-line petition to stop the two-year ban. As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, he had 379 signatures.

Look for coaches' reaction later.