UW Parents Prevented From Meeting Players After Pac-12 Championship Game
SEATTLE -- As the clock struck 0:00 on the scoreboard at Levi Stadium on Friday night a majority of Washington players were expecting to be greeted by their parents to celebrate their Pac-12 Championship victory over Colorado.
Instead, parents were restricted from getting onto the field following the game by Levi Stadium security and left with waving to players from the stands before wandering around the stadium to find the team after the trophy presentation.
"No explanation," said Kam Warner, the mother of sophomore wide receiver Chico McClatcher on the response from stadium security when a group of parents tried to get down to the field after the game.
"It was a challenge to find the kids after the game. Some parents found them. Me and a small group were confused and happened to stumbled upon them," Warner said with a laugh. "It was kinda dissappointing that kids could only wave at you from the field. Put a damper on the moment."
Warner said the amount of parents and friends that traveled down from Washington to watch the team play in its first Pac-12 Championship game was "the most I've seen". UW coach Chris Petersen has emphasized building a fence around the state of Washington to keep the top prospects home and playing for the Huskies.
McClatcher signed with Washington in 2015 after working during his senior season to become academically eligible to enroll at UW. Late in the process the four-star athlete out of Federal Way High School (Federal Way, Washington) cancelled an official visit to Boise State in favor of Washington, with his commitment coming at the end of his trip.
In total Petersen has signed or landed a commitment from 23 in-state players since being hired in December 2013. Only one of those players, linebacker Drew Lewis, has been dismissed from the program in that same stretch.
That total includes five verbal commitments from 2017 prospects within the state, with 5-star OT Foster Sarell still uncommitted and scheduled to take his official visit to Washington next weekend Dec. 9-11.