Ozel Sonasno took to the Lyford Community Page to share concerns about a high school football transfer that’s stirring up questions in Raymondville, Texas.
The transfer of student-athlete Traeshaun Washington from Cuero to the Raymondville Bearkats has sparked allegations of improper recruiting.
Above all, what’s raising eyebrows is the timing of his transfer, which happened around the same time his father reportedly received a job offer from the Raymondville Independent School District.
Some community members are wondering if this job offer was a way to lure Traeshaun to the Bearkats’ football program.
Adding to the speculation is a connection between the Washington family and Raymondville’s head football coach, William Littleton.
A few years ago, William’s father, Bill Littleton, was the head coach in Cuero, where Traeshaun played football and his family lived.
Now, with William coaching in Raymondville, some are questioning whether old ties played a role in the transfer and the job offer to Traeshaun’s father.
Meanwhile, details about the job itself are questionable. Some say it’s a paraprofessional role, others say it’s in maintenance, and a few claim it might be a newly created position.
In Texas, high school sports are governed by the University Interscholastic League (UIL), which has strict rules prohibiting the offering of incentives to athletes to switch schools for sports-related reasons.
These rules are in place to maintain fairness and prevent schools from “recruiting” players with promises of jobs or other benefits.
If the job offer to Mr. Washington was tied to Traeshaun’s transfer, it could potentially break these rules.
Meanwhile, public records requests have been filed to dig deeper.
These requests target personnel files and communications involving William Littleton (the Athletic Director and Head Coach), Lauro Oscar Gutierrez (Raymondville ISD’s Chief of Police), and Stetson Roane (the Superintendent of Schools).
At this point, these concerns are just allegations. No official findings have been made, and the community is being asked to share any information that could help clarify what happened.
