The Selma Bandits youth football program is facing community backlash after allegations surfaced that a player was bullied and cut from the team by head coach Roger Garcia for participating in travel baseball.
The controversy started after Bre Cavazos, a hairstylist and the player’s mother, shared a public Facebook post describing what she called “unprofessional” and “wrong” treatment of her son.
According to Cavazos, her son had been balancing football with the Bandits and baseball on a travel team. When she and her husband voiced concerns about the way their child was treated, the situation escalated.
She wrote,
My son just got cut from the Selma Bandits for playing travel baseball.. got bullied for it by the coach, then got cut because us as his parents, spoke up. That’s so wrong in so many ways and unprofessional. At the end of the day, these are kids and it got taken from him. We encourage positivity and our kids to play more than one sport Roger Garcia
Bre Cavazos
The post gained a wave of reactions from parents, coaches, and community members. Jerry Weaver, a graduate of Selma High School and a former youth coach, criticized the decision, saying,
That’s 🐎💩. It’s not like they are 1 step from the pro’s and need to focus on one sport. I coached youth sports for many years… if a kid misses because of another sport or activity, so be it. If a kid misses because he’s home playing X Box, then address that accordingly. Kids shouldn’t be punished for being active.
Jerry Weaver
Adrian Cisneros commented that coaches often want players to be fully committed to one sport. He added,
I feel like theres missing information here. I can see that as a coach you would want no distractions from your players especially if they are traveling for another sport. It can be alot for a kid to handle two sports and traveling as well as school and friends.
Adrian Cisneros
Questions about fairness and finances also surfaced. Parents pointed out that youth sports, such as football, soccer, and wrestling, require families to pay participation fees.
Joe N Antoinette Barron said,
Sad part is parents pay to have their children in football, soccer, cheer, wrestling, these are extracurricular sports that parents pay to have their children in. Coaches have no right to cut anyone from a team that a parent has paid for them to be on. This is not high school. so do the parents get their money back if a coach cuts a child from the team?
Joe N Antoinette Barron
Community members also highlighted longstanding concerns about the Selma Bandits program. Some described the organization as “cliquish.” Priscilla Cabrera, a Sierra Valley College graduate, commented,
Dang girl that sucks and it’s not right at all. They better give you your money back. I’m not too impressed with the program as a whole, but it’s the only program in town. Bandits is so clicky and if you’re not in with the cool parents they stay giving dirty looks. I just kill them with kindness 😂 Sometimes “adults” act more like kids than the kids. I hope you get refunded. At the end of the day it’s their loss. They should be urgingmulti-talented athletes not bringing them down. These kinds of reason is exactly why Selma loses good athletes and people!! Wishing you guys best of luck! 🤍🤍
Priscilla Cabrera
Others pointed out that the controversy is not new. Stephanie Romero said,
It’s not the first time! But they will deny it or try and switch up the story to cover their asses.
Stephanie Romero
However, for now, families in Selma are left questioning the program’s values and whether their children will be supported if they choose to pursue more than one passion.
