The first high school basketball practice is still more than five weeks away, but already there is talk among Clark County fans about the decision of the Chatman family to move into the boundaries of Evergreen Public Schools.
Jordan Chatman, the only sophomore to be voted as a first-team all-league selection last year in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League, is now a Union High School student based on residency. Chatman helped Skyview to the league’s regular-season crown in the 2009-10 season and is considered one of the best returning players in Southwest Washington.
That he chose to go to Union — the program that won the Class 3A state championship last season — has made him the target of critical comments on the Internet.
But according to the officials at two high schools, the Chatman family has done nothing outside of the rules of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.
The Chatmans moved to within the Union boundary.
“They supplied all the necessary documents to enroll as a student here, based off their residency,” said Cale Piland, the school’s athletic coordinator.
Chatman, who also was named to The Columbian’s All-Region team as a sophomore, is a full-time Running Start student at Clark College. His new residency and the fact that he withdrew from Skyview and enrolled at Union now makes him a Titan for any sport he chooses to play.
“They’ve gone about doing everything the right way,” Union boys basketball coach Maco Hamilton said.
Chatman was required by Union officials to wait until the move was official before working out with the Titans this summer.
“Jordan was not allowed to participate in any fashion with our boys basketball program until he had withdrawn from Skyview and was enrolled as a student at Union,” Piland said.
Chatman’s move to Union is one of many involving high-profile basketball players who have switched schools.
Former All-Region basketball player Nikki Bond left Skyview for Battle Ground. The family moved from their home in Vancouver to property north of Battle Ground. A school official at Battle Ground confirmed the documentation signed by the family. And a starter on Prairie’s girls basketball team last year, Emily Rowe, has left the program and is enrolled at St. Mary’s Academy in Portland.
The Chatman story is more interesting when considering Jordan’s sister, Jessica Chatman, a freshman who is enrolled at Evergreen High School. It might be unusual for a family to make a move and then have siblings going to different schools, but according to athletic officials, this is within the rules, as well.
Piland explained that an in-district boundary exemption was granted to Jessica Chatman, a freshman. Boundary exemptions from the other three high schools in the district to Union are closed because Union is at capacity, he said. But students who live in the Union boundary can be granted exemptions to the older schools.
Keenan Burris, Evergreen’s athletic coordinator, confirmed Jessica Chatman’s standing at his high school.
“Kids go to school where they want to,” said Burris, adding the he ensures the families “follow proper channels.” That’s what the Chatman family did.
“A freshman in our district can apply for a boundary exemption,” Burris said.
Evergreen girls basketball coach Jay Foreman, who endured his share of criticism last season regarding athletes moving to play for him, said he learned that Jessica Chatman — considered a rising star in girls basketball — was coming to Evergreen from a anonymous online commentator.
“I found out from a blogger she was coming here,” Foreman said. “Was I pleasantly surprised? Yeah.”
The Chatman family was contacted for this story but declined comment.
