Mullen High School has yet to officially turn in a report alleging violations in its football program to the state athletics association more than five weeks after it went public with its intent to do so.
The Denver-area private school, which announced Thursday that president Ryan Clement for the 2012-13 school year, self-reported alleged violations to the Colorado High School Activities Association in early June, but not in the format required by the CHSAA. At that time, the CHSAA informed Mullen that it needed to resubmit the report, which took aim at what it said were violations in former coach Dave Logan’s program but did not name him. The CHSAA still hasn’t received the report in the proper format.
CHSAA commissioner Paul Angelico said he met with Mullen principal Jim Gmelich recently and they discussed “the process and the steps he needs to take.” Angelico hasn’t heard from Gmelich since that meeting, but said he expects to soon.
Gmelich and Carl Unrein couldn’t be reached for comment. Unrein will replace Clement as Mullen president this month.
Meanwhile, Clement’s decision to not seek renewal of his contract has made waves in the high school community. Clement fired Logan in January and was heavily criticized by Mullen supporters in the aftermath.
A source close to the situation said Friday he didn’t think Clement’s decision to leave Mullen was directly related to the fallout from firing Logan. Rather, the source said, it was a combination of dealing with a dwindling enrollment, fundraising challenges and issues regarding an aging campus.
From the school’s perspective, the source said, the change in leadership “isn’t really about (sports and football). The more serious people at the school have viewed that as kind of a distraction from where we need to head.”
A message left for Clement wasn’t returned.
Unrein is giving up a high-profile job as president and CEO of the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation to become Mullen’s president. He served on Mullen’s board of trustees last school year.
With three presidents in three school years, Mullen is looking to Unrein as a long-term solution.
Ryan Casey: 303-954-1983, rcasey@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jryancasey
