Zach Golson says in lawsuit AHSAA had ‘predetermined outcome in mind’ and was ‘coming after’ MGM

In a lawsuit filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court, former Mary G. Montgomery head football coach Zach Golson said Alabama High School Athletic Association Executive Director Heath Harmon (above) and investigator Chuck Anderson had already determined his guilt before he was interviewed. Golson also said Mobile County Public School System Superintendent Chresal Threadgill and MGM Principal David Diaz defamed him. Golson is seeking to have his suspension lifted and compensatory and punitive damages, and wants the AHSAA to be forced to give him due process and reveal all the evidence it has to prove Golson intentionally broke recruiting rules. (Jimmy Wigfield/Call News) 

 

 

By JIMMY WIGFIELD

In an unprecedented lawsuit against the top echelons of power in the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Mobile County Public School System, former Mary G. Montgomery head football coach Zach Golson said constantly redrawn school zones create confusion about where a student can play and insisted the AHSAA had already determined he was guilty of recruiting violations before he was interviewed.

In May, Golson was escorted off campus and removed from his job by the MCPSS two weeks before AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon announced sanctions against Golson and MGM. The school was given one year of restrictive probation and a one-year playoff ban and Golson was suspended for a year by the AHSAA.

Golson said Baker High School turned in Mary G. Montgomery because two Causey Middle School eight graders zoned for Baker had chosen to enroll at MGM and attended an annual freshman welcoming ceremony there. Golson said any contact with those players was unintentional and that they came to the ceremony on their own. In the lawsuit, Golson said Blount High School also submitted a complaint alleging recruiting violations.

Golson said in the lawsuit that he was denied due process guaranteed him by the U.S. Constitution and he wants a state circuit court to force the AHSAA to publicly reveal all evidence it developed in the investigation.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in Montgomery County Circuit Court by Golson’s AEA-appointed attorney Tom Loper, who is based in Mobile.

Golson is suing the AHSAA and Harmon, AHSAA investigator Chuck Anderson — a former head football coach at Robertsdale who famously had his right arm severed in a shark attack in 2000 at Orange Beach — MCPSS Superintendent Chresal Threadgill and MGM Principal David Diaz.

Golson said in the lawsuit that the MCPSS regularly redraws its school districts based on population and demographics, commonly resulting in uncertainty among students and staff as to where middle school students can play in high school. MGM and Blount have overlapping school zones at Semmes and Scarborough middle schools.

Golson said in the lawsuit that Anderson interviewed him for less than an hour and, the day before that, Anderson was heard telling other coaches and school leaders that MGM had “been recruiting for years” and that they were “coming after” them and the football program. Golson said such statements showed the AHSAA, Harmon and Anderson had “a predetermined outcome in mind” and lacked impartiality. Golson said representatives from at least one rival high school helped steer the investigation.

In the lawsuit, Golson seeks:

• An injunction providing him due process from the defendants and directing the AHSAA and Harmon to rescind his suspension.

• A declaratory judgment that actions by the AHSAA and Harmon violated Golson’s equal-protection rights under the 14^th Amendment.

• A permanent injunction directing the AHSAA and Harmon to provide written notice of the allegations against him, the evidence supporting those allegations and to give him a fair and impartial hearing.

• Compensatory damages for lost wages, lost benefits, future economic loss and emotional distress in an amount to be determined at trial.

• Punitive damages against individual defendants acting in their individual capacities for conduct showing “reckless or callous indifference” to federally protected rights.

Golson said in the lawsuit that he and his students were harmed although the AHSAA’s investigation failed to establish or provide proof that Golson offered inducements, directed organized recruiting efforts or intentionally sought to gain an unfair competitive advantage over another member school.

Golson said Threadgill and Diaz relied on false allegations, defamed him and terminated him as MGM’s coach despite not conducting their own investigation.

Allegations were made against Golson to the AHSAA by the principal at a rival high school and the defendants made public, defamatory statements regarding those allegations to the detriment of Golson’s career and reputation, Golson said in the lawsuit.

Golson said the AHSAA and Harmon did not allow him an appeal of his suspension nor provide him with an explanation clarifying what he had done wrong.

Golson said in the lawsuit he believed the AHSAA would fairly distinguish between intentional violations of the recruiting rule and a technical violation. He denied he intentionally broke any rules.