The Long Beach Unified School District has concluded an internal investigation that uncovered transfer rule violations involving seven athletes from Long Beach Poly High School. Consequently, the district has imposed penalties on three football coaches, including the removal of head coach Justin Utupo.
On March 15, 2024, a district spokesperson announced the findings of the investigation, which centered on violations of California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) rule 202. This rule mandates that all student-athletes must submit accurate transfer paperwork. As a result of these violations, seven athletes have been declared ineligible for a period of two years.
In a formal statement, the district confirmed that Utupo, who had only recently taken the helm at Long Beach Poly after transitioning from Lakewood High School, has been dismissed from his position. The release indicated that Poly’s walk-on head coach has also been removed from coaching duties and will not be permitted to coach in the district moving forward.
Additionally, one assistant coach who resigned will be barred from future coaching roles, while another assistant has been reassigned to a non-coaching position as a campus staff assistant. The district emphasized that these actions were taken because “three coaches engaged in unethical conduct inconsistent with CIF eligibility rules.”
Utupo expressed his surprise at the district’s announcement, stating he was unaware of the decision when he met with his players on the same day he resigned. His tenure at Long Beach Poly, a program with a storied history including 20 CIF titles, ended following a season that concluded with a 5-5 record. Following the investigation’s outcome, the school announced that the football team would not participate in the Southern Section playoffs.
In light of this incident, the district has committed to conducting a comprehensive review of all athletic programs to ensure that “protocols, training, and expectations are clearly understood and consistently applied.” Officials are also awaiting any additional sanctions from the Southern Section in relation to the violations.
The seven athletes involved have been listed in the Southern Section transfer portal as having been denied eligibility for two years due to their infractions under bylaw 202. This situation showcases the serious implications of adherence to athletic eligibility rules and the consequences that can arise from noncompliance.
As the Long Beach Unified School District takes steps to address these violations, the focus now shifts to ensuring that all athletic programs within the district operate within the established guidelines.
