Valencia Censures Stiman : Football: Coach broke rules by meeting eighth-graders and parents.

Brian Stiman, football coach at Valencia High, has been reprimanded by his principal after holding an illegal meeting with eighth-graders and their parents.

Stiman’s team played a junior varsity schedule last fall in the school’s first year of existence and will begin play at the varsity level in September.

Valencia Principal Paul Priesz would not reveal terms of the punishment, but said Stiman was “dealt with accordingly.”

Stiman declined to comment, citing a district policy regarding personnel matters.

“We handled the situation and it will not happen again,” Priesz said. “It was a mistake, but it was not purposely made. It was a misinterpretation of the rules.”

Stiman, 37, violated Southern Section rules pertaining to undue influence by conducting a meeting with junior high students and their parents at Valencia last month. An athletic administrator in the William S. Hart High School District said the students were contacted by phone.

The administrator, who requested anonymity, said he talked with three students at Placerita Junior High who told him they attended the meeting. Placerita is located in Valencia, but is closest to Hart High in Newhall.

There have also been reports that students at Castaic Intermediate, a Valencia feeder school, have been seen wearing Valencia football shirts.

“[Stiman] has turned off a lot of people with this,” the administrator said. “I know he’s trying to build a program, but you can get overzealous.”

Other coaches in the district, which also includes Canyon and Saugus, said Stiman called the meeting at Valencia to promote his program and get the jump on recruiting. Coaches and boosters are prohibited from contacting junior high students until they graduate next week.

“[Stiman] gave players and parents information about his program,” Hart football Coach Mike Herrington said. “He tried to sell them spirit packs and things like that. . . . For him to take advantage of the rule like that, it’s a little upsetting.”

This is not the first time Stiman has been caught conducting an illegal gathering. As an assistant coach at Canyon in 1991, he was photographed by a local newspaper watching Canyon players hitting a blocking dummy during a spring practice. Southern Section rules prohibit the use of blocking dummies and sleds in the off-season.

The incident led to a two-year court battle between Harry Welch, then Canyon coach, and the Southern Section. Welch admitted a violation had occurred, but fought a recommended suspension by the Southern Section and won an undisclosed settlement in 1993.

Last month’s rules violation was reported by Valencia to the Hart District Athletic Council, which met May 31 at Saugus High.

The council, consisting of athletic directors and administrators, recommended that Priesz, the Valencia principal, handle the matter.

Saugus Athletic Director Joe Stadum said the violation was not considered serious by a majority of the council.

“In the grand scheme of things, there are infractions, misdemeanors and felonies,” Stadum said. “This was an infraction.”

Others, though, said Stiman deserves a strict penalty.

“It’s ridiculous,” said a football coach who requested anonymity. “This is the second violation of a CIF rule by Brian Stiman. I think he just got a reprimand [from Valencia] and that was it. I don’t know how many reprimands you get before they finally do something.”

Said an administrator: “I’d probably end up suspending him a game or two. But it’s not my decision.”

Priesz said the violation was “dealt with more harshly” than similar incidents in the district. Priesz, though, seemed confused about details of the illegal meeting.

At first he said students were not involved. But when told reports from several sources, including administrators, contradicted that contention, he replied, “I don’t know if there were students.”

Bill Clark, assistant commissioner for the Southern Section, said he contacted Priesz on Wednesday and was satisfied with the principal’s course of action.

“It doesn’t appear to be a serious offense,” Clark said. “The principal is going to respond to our inquiry and we will review the correspondence.”