WIAA brings the hammer down on Roosevelt High School football program
Accusations of recruiting have been swirling around Seattle’s Roosevelt High School football program, after an influx of transfers paved the way for a Class 3A state tournament semifinal appearance for the Roughriders in the 2024 season.
On Monday morning, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) announced it is bringing the hammer down on the program.
After a months-long investigation, the WIAA executive board assessed penalties to the high school and Seattle Public Schools as level three violations, including:
- A $2,500 fine and one-year suspension from coaching at a WIAA member school for head coach Sam Adams
- A $2,500 fine and one-year suspension from coaching at a WIAA member school for coach Saul Patu
- A $2,500 fine for coach Dominique Skeen
- A $2,500 fine for Roosevelt principal Tami Brewer
- A $2,500 fine for Roosevelt athletic director Danny Thompson, three years of probation and three years of suspension from serving on any WIAA committees
- Three years of probation for the Roosevelt High School athletic department
- For the Roosevelt High School football program: Forfeiture of all games in which ineligible students participated in 2023 and 2024 football games, including postseason games, which may result in vacating league, district, or State trophies/placings
- For the Roosevelt High School football program: A one-year postseason ban on competition, beginning with the 2025 season
- For the Roosevelt High School athletic department: All paperwork on every transfer must be submitted to the District 2 Eligibility Committee for review and determination for eligibility status for three years, commencing with the 2025-26 school year
- For any transfer student who provided false information to gain eligibility, that student would be ineligible for interscholastic competition for one calendar year
The WIAA also fined to Seattle Public Schools executive athletic director Pat McCarthy and Seattle Public Schools’ athletic department.
The decision likely comes as welcome news to coaches around the Puget Sound area, who had players plucked from their rosters ahead of the 2024 season. Roosevelt opens the season on Sept. 6 against Camas, which finished runner-up in the Class 4A state tournament last season, losing to Keith Ross’ Sumner Spartans in the championship game at Husky Stadium.
This story was originally published June 11, 2025 at 9:21 AM.
