Placer Parents Looking For Answers After Coach Put On Unexpected Leave

AUBURN (CBS13) — Placer High School in the hot seat again after parents say a soccer coach has been placed on administrative leave. But this is not the first controversy for the Placer County school and parents are now asking for transparency from the school district.

"She's a great mentor for the kids," said mom Nancy James. "My daughter loves her!"

Under the haze of Friday night lights, the Placer High soccer team took on Oakmont High. But as much as they dominated the field, the girls were missing a key part of their team.

CBS13 learned that girls' assistant coach Megan Montoya has been benched and is now on administrative leave. We asked Placer Union High School District to confirm but they never answered our calls.

CBS13 stopped by Montoya's house to get some answers. She politely answered the door and initially said she couldn't say much about the situation.

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"About the administrative leave, can you tell us why?" asked CBS13 Reporter Macy Jenkins.

"No, to be honest with you I haven't even really been told why yet," Montoya said.

And parents on the team say they're stumped too.

"I have no idea," James said. "No idea at all."

"I haven't heard anything from the school or the district as to what's going on so I'm kind of concerning as a parent to not have some transparency," said Theresa Gartrell.

We met Gartrell at the game who says she learned about Montoya last night.

"Only thing that I've heard is through our daughter who just let us know that their coach had let them know that she was on administrative leave," she told CBS13.

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This happened less than a month after Placer High suspended the JV Boys' Basketball team while investigating hazing allegations.

"There's another issue at the school already. Just makes me wonder what's going on on our sports teams," Gartrell said.

Montoya says she's been with Placer High for the last decade and hopes the district's action doesn't sideline her coaching career.

"How are you feeling right now, not knowing what's happening?" Jenkins asked.

"It's pretty frustrating especially since I know I didn't do anything wrong but anytime an adult is put on leave it makes you look really bad. So, it's been a frustrating blow to my reputation," Montoya said.

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She wouldn't give any further details but James said she hopes this turns out in Montoya's favor.

"But it's a shame," James said. "The girls miss her."

CBS13 tried to get in touch with school district administration all day. Several phone calls and texts later, we stopped by the district spokesperson home, but she wasn't there.

We even approached the principal off camera and he simply said he had no comment.