“Coach (Tae) Norwood shouldn't be certified to be in a number one place at a state-regulated college.”
These phrases, initially written in all caps, have been the opening sentence of a five-page letter drafted by a participant on the Cal Poly Humboldt basketball group who had not beforehand been interviewed by the Occasions-Commonplace. That participant, who will likely be recognized as Participant F attributable to a concern of retaliation, reaffirmed the claims of the primary article detailing alleged misconduct throughout the males’s basketball program. In an interview with the Occasions-Commonplace, that participant additionally added further particulars in regards to the scope of alleged misconduct and the impact it had on the group.
“He bamboozled me to return out right here,” mentioned Participant F. “He was the one which was inflicting all the issues. He was the one which had us in psychological funks, in melancholy, in suicidal ideas.”
The statements from Participant F, along with feedback made by gamers in earlier interviews, will likely be detailed all through this text. Given the wide-ranging nature of the allegations, this text presents snapshots of the varied cases of misconduct that gamers talked about in interviews.
On Tuesday, Cal Poly Humboldt launched a press release explaining its response to the continuing allegations.
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“Along with the inquiries being performed by various campus items, together with Intercollegiate Athletics, an out of doors agency is being retained to hold out an unbiased investigation,” learn the opening sentence of the assertion.
The college said the timeline for the investigation was not sure. The college additionally linked assets for college kids to hunt help.
“Lumberjack Basketball has a robust historical past of success within the classroom, on the courtroom, and locally. A deal with the well-being and growth of the student-athletes has been an enormous a part of that, and Cal Poly Humboldt is dedicated to persevering with the legacy,” the college said. “Cal Poly Humboldt values and helps all college students, school, and workers, and seeks to keep up a optimistic studying surroundings for all.”
Norwood didn't reply to a request for remark.
‘The presidential suite’
Participant F defined that one of many first cases of Norwood’s habits got here on the group’s season-opening street journey to Vancouver, British Columbia. He defined Norwood would often keep in suites versus the common lodging for the remainder of the group.
“In every single place we went, he had the suite,” mentioned Participant F. “He had the presidential suite.”
The participant defined how he was dumbfounded when the group went into Norwood’s resort room for a movie session, solely to understand the room was stuffed with smoke from a hookah.
“I vividly keep in mind we went in there and as quickly as you open the door, it’s only a cloud that smacks you proper in your face,” Participant F continued. “It’s such as you stroll in. You sit down. Your eyes are watering, your chest is getting fumbled up.”
Different gamers said the habits was a relentless theme of street journeys.
“He simply sends the cardboard and stays on the resort and does his factor,” mentioned Participant C. “And smokes his hookah.”
“It was each street journey,” Participant F mentioned. “Coach Norwood, as a result of he ain’t hit his hookah, he could be in a temper that was tyrannical. Virtually like he wanted to hit the hookah to remain functionally sane.”
For the gamers, it foreshadowed a season stuffed with questionable habits. In hindsight, Participant F was left questioning how this sort of habits was allowed at a state college.
“Who did the analysis on his character?” mentioned Participant F. “Who did the analysis on how he conducts himself off the courtroom?”
Cal Poly Humboldt was requested whether or not data of expense experiences might affirm or refute the experiences Norwood stayed in higher-echelon lodging when the group was touring. They provided this response along with offering references to the Cal State College system journey coverage:
“The College requires that every one journey bills for the applications throughout the athletics division be reviewed by way of the required campus system to make sure adherence to insurance policies.”
Indifference to tragedy
Close to the center of the season, Participant A defined how he needed to endure the tragic lack of a detailed good friend again residence.
“Considered one of my buddies died again residence and no person knew however me,” mentioned Participant A. “(Norwood) was simply tweaking on all people and I can keep in mind vividly him telling me principally like, ‘it ain’t s— you are able to do now, he’s gone.’ “
The response was framed within the context of basketball, the participant mentioned, with a complete disregard for private well-being.
“Like, I didn’t speak to him. He came upon that my companion died within the morning earlier than that,” Participant A continued. “The subsequent dialog that I had with him was principally, ‘I don’t give a f—. You higher be able to play.’”
The response was troublesome to grasp. However the expertise is one other illustration of the surroundings that gamers skilled each day.
“He simply received shot 20 instances,” mentioned Participant A. “And also you’re telling me that, ‘you higher be able to play this recreation in a pair hours.’ “
Threats of retaliation
The Occasions-Commonplace reviewed a recording of an early season assembly during which Norwood tried to dissuade gamers from leaving by utilizing an instance of a previous participant, implying he would impede their capability to discover a new college.
“I don’t launch no person,” Norwood might be heard saying on the recording, “except I really feel like releasing them.”
“Ask Jacob Washington,” he added, referring to a former participant. “I would like him to know that, ’trigger it ain’t gonna occur.”
“That goes for Berenbaum. That goes for Jaden, and Marlon, and Cam,” Norwood mentioned. “It goes for everyone.”
The feedback gave the impression to be an instance of the form of ways used to retain gamers by eliminating the perceived choice of leaving this system. It additionally affirms why many gamers expressed that they spent your complete season underneath concern of the specter of retaliation.
Points with meals
A recurring theme among the many gamers interviewed was the dearth of meals on the street. Amongst many points was the meal schedule, or lack thereof, because the group could be making ready for key video games.
“We are able to’t be in a Denny’s two hours earlier than a playoff recreation.” mentioned one participant who was not quoted within the first article and will likely be recognized as Participant G. He went on to clarify how the restrict for meals on the street was $12 per participant, hardly sufficient for a group of athletes which might be largely 6-foot-5 or taller and weigh over 200 kilos.
“Considered one of our assistant coaches needed to come out of his pocket to present us like a $16 or $18 restrict,” Participant G continued. “That was our first meal (of the day).”
One participant detailed an occasion, particularly on the group’s last street journey in late February, when the group didn't eat for 9 hours whereas on the street.
“I logged that day as a result of it was outrageous,” mentioned Participant D. “We received up at 6 a.m., we ain’t get our first meal till 3 p.m. and we ain’t eat our second meal ’til 12 a.m.”
“We ate no breakfast beforehand,” added Participant C. “We went straight to the airport, no meals, after which ate lunch at 3 p.m.”
The group defined that the erratic schedule made it troublesome to be aggressive. Except for the very fact it was a stark distinction to the premise of their recruitment, Participant A defined that the problems with meals have been comparable at residence, because the group practiced so late that the eating corridor was closed and the group didn’t have entry to their meal plan.
“Which is a part of our scholarship, that we've got to have the ability to eat,” mentioned Participant A. “So then we’re going residence at 9, 10 o’clock at evening. We don’t eat something. And then you definitely received a get up at 6 or 7 within the morning and do it another time.”
Senior Evening
One of the vital distinguished exterior indicators of dysfunction throughout the males’s basketball program got here within the group’s last residence recreation towards Cal Poly Pomona. As is commonplace on the earth of school sports activities, the ultimate residence recreation is a devoted “Senior Evening” the place gamers and their dad and mom are usually acknowledged in a ceremony previous to the beginning of the sport.
Humboldt’s personal athletics web site nonetheless identifies the Feb. 18 recreation on the schedule towards Pomona as Senior Evening.
However there was no ceremony. No honors. No phrases of gratitude to college students or their dad and mom. On the time, it was said there could be a banquet as an alternative.
“All folks need on senior day is to stroll on the market with their household and buddies and be acknowledged,” mentioned Participant B. “Not solely did the banquet not occur, (Norwood’s) getting mad after the sport on the seniors getting items from everybody and so they’re not within the locker room.”
“That’s an accustomed factor in basketball,” Participant B continued. “Everybody does senior evening. It was only a full, blatant disrespect.”
“My mother drove six hours up right here to be right here for my senior evening,” mentioned Participant E. “I’ve been in faculty 5 years. Like a senior evening is meant to be a particular evening. Final minute, he tells us we’re not gonna have a senior evening.”
Different gamers had dad and mom fly in from throughout the nation over 2,000 miles away, solely to reach and be informed there could be no pregame ceremony or honors of any sort.
The gamers have been additional dismayed after they acquired their senior items in an insulting method.
“(Norwood) mentioned, ‘F— ya’ll, you’re not getting a senior banquet,’” mentioned Participant E. “Simply arms ’em to us within the movie room. That’s precisely as a quote. He mentioned, ‘F— ya’ll. Ya’ll ain’t getting a senior banquet.’ “
“Once we received the plaque after we lastly received our senior stuff in,” mentioned Participant F, “he principally spit in our face.”
Cal Poly Humboldt had this to say in regards to the lack of senior evening ceremonies: “Resulting from unexpected logistical issues, there was no senior recognition ceremony held earlier than the ultimate residence recreation of the season.”
‘Don’t f— my cash up’
On the finish of the season, gamers are given nameless experiences to overview their coaches. However a number of gamers attested to the truth that Norwood would attempt to sway outcomes along with his aggressive ways.
“We received these nameless letters,” mentioned Participant G. “These nameless end-of-the-year experiences we might write. So you recognize, all of us was attending to it this yr. We have been simply writing what we wished to say.”
“He adopted me and two of my teammates into the toilet,” Participant G continued. “He noticed us from outdoors the burden room, he got here within the weight room. We ducked off.”
“He adopted us into the burden room, adopted us into the toilet,” Participant G mentioned. “We’re simply making an attempt to get out of his method.”
Participant G, together with Participant A, have been each current within the restroom as Norwood allegedly tried to affect the outcomes of the nameless overview.
“He gon’ pull as much as us actually like, ‘Hey, you recognize these finish of yr experiences, they higher be good. Be sure you guys write great things, ‘ ” mentioned Participant G. “He thinks he controls all the pieces.”
“Don’t f— my cash up,” Participant G added, quoting Norwood.
Cal Poly Humboldt offered this assertion concerning the teaching overview course of.
“All coaches are evaluated following the method outlined in appendix M (https://hraps.humboldt.edu/humboldt-faculty-handbook-appendix-m) and in accordance with their contract. A head coach analysis requires the coach to supply the next: nameless evaluations accomplished by the student-athletes, three letters of analysis, and a self-evaluation. These paperwork are reviewed by the athletic director to finish their efficiency analysis, the place efficiency highlights, deficiencies, and areas of enchancment are mentioned. The scholar evaluations are performed with out the coach and are utterly nameless.”
‘We tried to talk up’
The ultimate sentence in Participant F’s letter explains a lot of why the problems spiraled into public view because the group seemed for accountability.
“We tried to talk up greater than as soon as and nothing has occurred and, personally, I believe it must be taken a bit extra critically as a result of if nothing occurs now, he'll proceed to mess with college students’ psychological well being, livelihoods and future.”
Participant F echoed the emotions in his interview. He described an occasion the place he and Participant A have been pulled apart as Norwood allegedly said that he doesn’t care about his gamers or coaches.
“He’ll sit there and inform me and (Participant A) all the pieces,” mentioned Participant F. “Principally saying that, ‘You assume I care about any of those guys? I don’t care about any of those guys. I don’t even care about not one of the coaches.’ “
“He mentioned that to us earlier than,” Participant F continued. “So how am I supposed to take a look at you as my coach?”