Angela Hall’s son is not for sale.
Angela Hall, mother of Mullen High School senior Ray Hall, has alleged a recruiter offered their family financial compensation this past summer if her son attended Artesia High School in Lakewood, Calif.
Angela’s allegations have prompted an internal investigation at the suburban Los Angeles school district where the Hall family was contemplating moving this summer before returning to Colorado.
The Hall family spent part of June in California to visit family and had interest in moving there, partly because Angela Hall is battling multiple sclerosis, which many patients say is made easier living at sea level.
Ray Hall, a 6-foot-11 all-state center for the Mustangs, was put in contact with Roy White, a recruiter for the Los Angeles-based RBC West club team. Several players from RBC West also play for Artesia.
Angela Hall said the courtship became suspect when White tried to convince the Hall family to live in an apartment near the school.
“It was odd,” Angela Hall said Monday. “Being in Colorado, I never dealt with people like that who all of a sudden will just try to steer you in one area.”
Angela Hall said her son decided he felt more comfortable in Colorado, so the family returned before school started. Angela Hall alleges that when White learned of their plans, he offered to help pay rent and utilities.
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, White has denied offering the Halls financial assistance. Artesia coach Scott Pera has been put on paid leave until the conclusion of the investigation, which is expected to wrap up this week.
Angela Hall said she has received numerous death threats via e-mail and phone since returning to Denver and had a strange man knock at the door to remind her the threats were real.
The Halls said they reported the recruiting incident as a matter of principle.
“We didn’t do this for anything else other than to show our kid how to do the right thing,” Angela Hall said.
“I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose, but the people on the other side have a lot to lose,” she added.
Mullen coach Porter Cutrell said White had flown out to Denver last season to watch Hall on several occasions.
“I think ultimately we try to teach the kids about recruiting, some of the things involved in the high level of it,” Cutrell said Monday. “(Hall) has lived part of that, at least been exposed to it and gotten some experience.
“As a result, he’s better for it and understands some things, including about himself and the dark side, the down side of it. … It can be such a beautiful and cool thing, but, honestly, there’s another side to it.”
Angela Hall said Ray is “where he belongs” at Mullen. Hall averaged 20 points last season as the Mustangs went 14-12 and advanced to the Class 5A state tournament.
Colorado High School Activities Association commissioner Bill Reader said he has heard no accusations that Hall has done anything to affect his eligibility.
Staff writer Neil H. Devlin contributed to this report.
