Football, lies, and videotape: High School Edition

[Deety]

So, last football season, a scout from Ohio University shows up to observe a high school practice in PA... and apparently videotape it. Someone notices that the scout happens to look quite a bit like the father of the opposing QB...

TV story

LINK

Parents, practice and videotape

By Paul Schofield
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
...

Last week, two days before Mars played Shenango in a WPIAL Class AA Tri-County North game, Frank Colavecchia, the father of Shenango quarterback Rocco Colavecchia, allegedly filmed a Mars practice and made a compact disc for his son to watch. Frank told Mars coach Scott Heinauer he was a recruiter from Ohio University and he was there to see Mars quarterback D.J. Cannon.

Heinauer said he doesn't believe Colavecchia watched the CD, but he is angry nonetheless. Colavecchia threw for 457 yards in a 41-35 Shenango victory
...

WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley said Frank Colavecchia's actions didn't break any PIAA or WPIAL rules, but O'Malley admitted it constituted unacceptable behavior.

"It's an unwritten rule that most people don't break," O'Malley said. "It's the first time something like this has been documented.

"We have a seminar (today) for the new athletic directors, and it's something we'll mention. We want them to be aware what is acceptable and the expected behavior of coaches, athletes and fans."
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Guess what?

LINK

Beaver dad allegedly filmed Beaver Falls workout

Saturday, October 27, 2007
By Colin Dunlap, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Call it a sequel -- something like "WPIAL Tapegate 2" would fit.

One year after a high-profile videotaping incident at a WPIAL high school football practice, apparently something similar happened at Beaver Falls' practice Thursday evening.

According to Beaver Falls coach Ryan Matsook, parents of some of his players witnessed a person they identified as a Beaver Area parent secretly videotaping Beaver Falls' practice. He was not further identified.

Beaver Falls defeated Beaver, 19-0, last night. That kept the Bobcats from winning their first conference title since 1987.

Also according to Matsook, the Beaver Falls parents approached the man in an attempt to ascertain what he was doing and to confiscate the tape. The man hurried to his vehicle and fled.

Matsook said he was standing on the practice field when he immediately called Beaver coach Jeff Beltz.

"Yes, I'm mad, most definitely," Matsook said.

"But I am 150,000 percent confident this incident had nothing to do with Jeff Beltz or anyone on his staff telling that man to come to our practice and videotape us.

"Jeff Beltz is a class act and runs a class program and he would never do something like this.

"What this comes down to is a crazy parent who acted like a jerk and tarnished a matchup between two great football teams."
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Ah, the lure of false glory and scholarship dollars. We're going to see more of these stories as technology makes it ever easier to cheat in this way. So what consequences should be imposed when foul play is discovered?