Antelope boys’ soccer coach fired, team’s season canceled because of ineligible player

The Antelope High School boys’ soccer team canceled the remaining four games on the schedule after self-reporting that it played an ineligible player, athletic director Cory Clonce confirmed Thursday. The team was 6-0-2 and will likely have to forfeit all its games played with the player.

Antelope soccer coach Paul Benvenuti was fired Thursday by the school for the violation. Benvenuti has been with the Antelope program since 2014. During his time, he was a volunteer coach, the junior varsity head coach and most recently the varsity head coach.

According to the coach, a player who played the previous three seasons graduated early from the school. The player continued to play after graduating last year. After a game against Roseville on Tuesday, a Roseville parent reported an ineligible player played, which launched an investigation by Antelope.

“We’re talking about kids,” Benvenuti said. “These aren’t pro players, they aren’t getting paid. There are no pro contracts. We’re talking about kids under 18 and you’re talking about punishing a kid for graduating early.

“I haven’t got clarification yet, but it’s my understanding the player graduated early. I had the same thing happen last year with another kid who graduated early. What I was told is he could play the first six games of the season and then he’s ineligible after that. I assumed the same thing with this kid because he was homeschooling and he told me he was going to try and graduate early. … (Antelope High School) told me we need you to go on record to provide a statement and told them I was not going to do that.

“I didn’t do anything wrong, I let a kid play soccer that went to Antelope High School,” he said. “He has been going to Antelope since he was a freshman. Whatever rule there is that because he graduated early or he was homeschooled or whatever the case may be ... I disagree with it and I would do it again if they gave me the chance.”

Last season, Benvenuti was suspended for four games by the school after receiving probation from the Sac-Joaquin Section rules. In that incident, according to Benvenuti, an Antelope soccer player moved from Saudi Arabia to the United States to play soccer. The player allegedly tried out for a academy team in Saudi Arabia, but didn’t make the team, according to the coach. Benvenuti was the player’s host family.

“There’s one video of a 20 minute tryout,” Benvenuti said. “The section said he played for the academy and they know that because they have video proof.”

Benvenuti has been an area coach for 21 years. He is a club coach at Placer United and also serves as a volunteer assistant on the William Jessup University men’s soccer staff.

“I don’t coach for the money,” he said. “I have been coaching for 21 years and I just started getting paid four years ago. I would give the money they were going to pay back to the club so kids could play for free.”