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Snowboard coaches investigated Parents allege alcohol provided By Jonel Aleccia Three North Medford High School snowboarding coaches will face police questioning following parent complaints that the men furnished alcohol and possibly marijuana to students at a state competition last weekend. School officials from Medford and Ashland agreed Thursday to seek investigations of head snowboarding coach Sean Crosby, 30, of Medford, and assistant coaches William Peterson and Brendan Boynton, both of Ashland. In addition, district personnel said they planned to question several of the at least two dozen students who traveled to Mount Hood Meadows March 2-4 for the state high school snowboarding championships. "The main question in my mind is, �Did an adult provide alcohol to a kid?�" said Bruce Howell, athletic director for the Medford district. "In my mind, the answer is, �We still don�t know.�" But the possibility that coaches could have provided illegal substances to students incensed at least one parent. "I�m pissed. I think it�s a serious crime," said Louise Rouse, of Ashland, whose 15-year-old son, Hudson Thomas, is on the school team. "If it�s supplied to them by someone they look up to, how are they supposed to say �No�?" Adults could face misdemeanor charges of furnishing alcohol to minors or felony charges of delivering a controlled substance to minors. Students could face suspension from school or school activities, depending on the campus. But any queries likely will be complicated by a Wednesday skateboarding accident that left Crosby with serious head injuries. He remained in intensive care at Rogue Valley Medical Center Thursday after striking his head at the Bear Creek Skateboard Park in Medford. Crosby was not wearing a helmet, said Medford Police Lt. Tim George. In addition, hospital personnel found less than an ounce of marijuana in Crosby�s pants pocket when he was admitted, George said. "He could face a citation down the road," George said. Crosby, Peterson and Boynton could not be reached for comment Thursday night. The matter was raised by officials of the Medford Ski Education Foundation, a group that supervises ski and snowboarding teams, after parents complained that adults were intoxicated on the trip, Howell said. "We had some adults that were consuming alcohol," he said. "Marijuana has come up, the term has come up." Bill Little, president of the foundation, questioned Crosby before Wednesday�s skateboard accident, Howell said. That conversation, along with discussion with students, led district officials to seek police involvement. Perhaps three or four students at North and "a few" at Ashland will be questioned, Howell said. No South High students were thought to be involved. Ashland Athletic Director Jim Nagel declined specific comment on the issue, saying he hadn�t talked to parents. Some 30 students each are enrolled in snowboarding teams at North, South and Ashland high schools, according to coaches. The teams are officially classified as school clubs, not sports, but participants are subject to the same rules and sanctions as other athletes. In Ashland, students can be expelled from school, but promptly readmitted on a contract, if they�re caught using alcohol or drugs. However, Howell said it�s still unclear exactly what went on at the hotel where the snowboarders stayed. "Could I tell you 100 percent a kid was doing it? I couldn�t tell you that," he said. Richard Glimpse, a parent of two South High students who went on the trip, said he saw no sign of irregular behavior. "When I was called about it later on, it was news to me," he said. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.