Last December, the Cerritos Junior College basketball team had a big lead late in the game, so head coach Russ May subbed in Kade West. It was the first time West had ever played, but he received a standing ovation from fans of both teams because he is autistic and deaf. LA Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke joined Kelvin Washington on “LA Times Today” and shared how what should have been a beautiful moment turned into a nightmare for the Cerritos basketball team. 

West took a basketball course with Russ May at Cerritos College and eventually became an honorary member of the junior college’s team. However, Kade was unable to complete the required 12 units to be eligible to play on the team, so he wasn’t able to participate in games.

“He had to apply for an eligibility waiver with the California Community College Athletic Association. They waited a month, and didn’t hear anything back. They didn’t know if he was eligible or not,” Plaschke said. But West was brought in to play at the end of the game, anyway.

The CCCA approved West’s waiver four days after that game. But the damage was done. West was stripped of his jersey for a week and Coach May was suspended for a game. Cerritos College had to forfeit their win. Plaschke described May’s response to the controversy.

“[May’s] sense of integrity, his sense of goodness took over, and he could help himself. He said, ‘I thought I’d be suspended. That’s okay. I’ll take the suspension.’ He didn’t play on everything else,” Plaschke said. “Were Coach May and the Cerritos College Basketball team wrong for playing Kade West that game? Officially, yes. But where is the spirit of it all? Where is the spirit of sports? Why couldn’t they just overlook this?”

West will need to reapply for a waiver to play in the next season.

Watch the full interview above.

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