Pierce College Coach Accused Of Renting Locker Room To Players

WOODLAND HILLS, CA — Pierce College's head football coach is under investigation for allegedly charging up to $400 to rent locker room space to players rendered homeless after they were evicted from their overcrowded apartment.

Carlos Woods is under formal internal investigation because he allegedly collected $300-400 from players, who needed somewhere to sleep. Many of the players had been recruited from out of state with promises that they would be able to bunk in an apartment with teammates at low cost. But 30 players were quickly evicted from their overcrowded apartment. Many had nowhere to turn, sleeping in their cars or ultimately in the locker room, according to a report by The Roundup, the college's newspaper.

Dean of Student Services and Equity Genice Sarcedo-Magruder, who is also the acting athletic director, told the paper an investigation was launched after multiple complaints were filed by students and staff.

Woods reportedly declined to comment on the complaints.

At least four players made their home in the locker room this semester, The Roundup reported. They had been among a group of at least 30 players who were living in a three-bedroom apartment at De Soto Avenue and Vanowen Street. One player likened the conditions to a camp or a jail.

Woods is also facing other allegations such as recruiting out-of-state players and allowing other ineligible players to compete in games.

Jose Cordova, a former player who no longer attends the college, told the paper that players in the apartment slept in bunk beds and on cots in any available space.

"Coach Woods told me that I was valid to move to L.A. from Orlando, Florida, and that my housing would be set up with other players coming in and returning athletes," Cordova said. "Woods told me that it would be four to five players in a three-bedroom, and we would all split the bills and each pay $350 for rent 'everything included."'

He said that once he arrived, however, it felt like the coach had packed nearly the whole team into the apartment and when they received eviction notices on their door, the coach said they would have until the end of the 2018 fall semester to live there, and then would be on their own. Many of the players were from out of state, he said, adding that he ended up homeless, living out of his car.

Woods left his previous job, as an assistant football coach at Gavilan College in 2017, after he and another coach were placed on leave for accusations of recruiting and benefits violations that resulted in 17 players being dismissed, according to San Benito Newspaper.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.