Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok LLP is proud to announce a successful settlement on behalf of a local high school student-athlete in a high-stakes eligibility dispute against the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and CIF-Southern Section (CIF-SS)
The Background:
Following her sophomore track season at JSerra Catholic High School, H.N. participated strictly as an “unattached” runner in two open, off-season track meets in May 2025: the Titan Tune-Up and the Franson Last Chance Meet. Unbeknownst to the family, CIF considered this a violation of Bylaw 215, which prohibits high schoolers from competing in intercollegiate contests.
Rather than providing timely notice, a fair investigation, or a hearing, CIF-SS waited nine months to take action. On February 19, 2026—just two days before the start of H.N.’s junior season—CIF-SS Commissioner Mike West unilaterally issued an email declaring her permanently ineligible to compete in high school track and field for the remainder of her career.
Our Legal Strategy:
Led by partners Mark A. Amador, along with associate Francesca V. Urrego, our firm immediately filed a civil lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court.
We sought a Writ of Mandate, Declaratory Relief, and injunctive relief to halt the violation of H.N.’s procedural due process right.
Our team aggressively argued that the lifetime ban was an arbitrary, capricious abuse of discretion that disproportionately punished a minor for an inadvertent procedural violation.
We gathered evidence demonstrating that other athletes routinely ran in similar mixed fields without facing any career-ending consequences. Furthermore, the firm successfully highlighted the profound and irreparable harm the ban inflicted on H.N.’s finite college recruiting window and her present Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earning potential.
The Result
After the court set an Order to Show Cause hearing for a Preliminary Injunction, our firm successfully negotiated a favorable Settlement and Release Agreement with the CIF and CIF-SS.
Under the terms of the settlement, the devastating lifetime ban has been officially reduced.
We are thrilled to report that our client will be fully eligible to participate in high school athletics for her senior year (the 2026-2027 school year), allowing her to reclaim her athletic career and collegiate recruiting prospects. In exchange, the pending legal actions and arbitration requests have been dismissed.
Wingert Grebing remains fiercely committed to protecting the due process rights of student-athletes and ensuring that governing bodies are held accountable for fair and uniform enforcement of their rules.