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Mountain Pointe Coach Accused Of Leaking Football, Basketball Info

By Holliday Moore, Bridget Dowd
Published: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 3:05pm
Updated: Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 11:14am
Tempe Union High School District
Justin Hager

Administrators, teachers and students are asking why a coach would share game strategies and athletes' personal information with the competition.

On Wednesday, the governing board for the Tempe Union High School District voted not to accept the resignation of Mountain Pointe High School coach Justin Hager, who sent emails with game strategies and player records to a number of opposing coaches.

The board will move forward with a formal statement of charges. This is the first step a school district has to take to dismiss a certified employee.

“The members of the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board are fierce advocates for students,” Governing Board President Berdetta Hodge said in a statement. “The action tonight demonstrates our commitment to putting students first and ensuring all adults on our campuses adhere to our core values and beliefs.”

A district investigation found Hager sent emails with game strategies and player eligibility records to a number of opposing coaches. Now, the Arizona Interscholastic Association is investigating why all but one school failed to report the emails earlier.

Until Hager resigned on Friday, he was both a teacher and a coach for Mountain Pointe — varsity coach for the girls basketball team and an assistant coach for the football team.

Principal Tomika Banks says the "students, families and staff are heartbroken" after learning Hager may have compromised championship games and scholarships by leaking information against the football and boys basketball teams dating back to 2017.

Education