Here’s a letter that the Santa Margarita administration sent the school parents Sunday:

Dear Football Parents:

As you are aware Coach Harry Welch is currently on administrative leave while Santa Margarita Catholic High School Administration and Diocese Of Orange officials conduct a joint review of the matter.

You may have read recent media blogs and elsewhere that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file criminal charges.  This decision does not relieve the school and the diocese of their obligation to completely review the circumstances reported, and until such time, Coach Welch will remain on leave.

Because of the laws of California which protect the privacy of employees, neither the school nor the diocese is at liberty to discuss the details or report any further on this matter at this time.  We ask for your patience and cooperation while the school and the diocese complete their joint review.   The safety of our students is, and will remain, our priority.

Sincerely,

Raymond R. Dunne                                                             Paul M. Carey

Principal                                                                               President       

More football news from the OCVarsity blog:

The Orange County District Attorney’s office will not file charges against Santa Margarita football coach Harry Welch in connection to an Orange County Sheriff investigation that the veteran coach allegedly “pushed or shoved” one of his players last month, a spokesperson for the district attorney said Thursday.

“We declined to file charges in this case based on a thorough review of the available evidence and the law,” said district attorney spokesperson Farrah Emami.

“We don’t believe we can prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt or that a jury would return a guilty verdict.”

The Sheriff’s department said earlier this week that Santa Margarita received an anonymous email from a “third party” alleging that a football coach at the school “pushed or shoved” a football player on Dec. 13 – just days before the Eagles’ dramatic, 42-37, victory against Bellarmine of San Jose in the CIF State Division 1 bowl game.

Read the rest of this entry »

Update 1/26/11:  No charges to be filed against Santa Margarita’s  Welch

Update: Alleged assault case at Santa Margarita turned over to DA

More controversy surfaced Monday in the Santa Margarita football program, which just last month basked in the glow of a state championship.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said that it is investigating an alleged assault of a Santa Margarita football player by a coach at the school but declined to name the coach involved.

The Diocese of Orange, however, said Monday that Santa Margarita football coach Harry Welch has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into a personnel incident that attracted law enforcement to the private, Catholic school last week.

O.C. Sherriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino said no charges have been filed in the alleged assault case but that the investigation is ongoing.

“We are actively investigating the incident,” he said. “There are some conflicting statements that we are trying to sort out … to see if the elements of a crime exist.”

Amormino said Santa Margarita received an anonymous email from a “third party” alleging that a football coach at the school “pushed or shoved” a football player from the school Dec. 13.

Read the rest of this entry »