Former student suing for wrestling injuries

A former North Central High School student claims his leg was so badly injured during a 2001 wrestling match that he had to drop out of school, racked up debts and was unable to develop a proper career. Now he’s suing.

Issac Davis, 21, and his parents, Randall and Theresa Davis, filed a lawsuit in Spokane County Superior Court on Tuesday to recover money for injuries and damages from North Central, the school district and coaches.

Spokane Public Schools officials declined to comment on the pending lawsuit.

Charles Hamilton, a Seattle-based attorney, said Davis dropped out of school and still lives in Spokane.

“We believe it is a very serious injury,” Hamilton said. “I consider this an interesting case. I certainly don’t consider it frivolous.”

The lawsuit also names two former wrestling coaches at North Central – Randy Cloke and Ronald Beard – who in 2002 resigned from their jobs over investigations they mistreated student wrestlers while on a trip in Idaho.

According a Feb. 13, 2002, Spokesman-Review story, the coaches were in a Sandpoint motel bar when several wrestlers left their room for a late-night snowball fight outside the team’s motel. The coaches allegedly chased five wrestlers and forced them to strip in their motel room. Students and parents complained. The teachers were put on paid leave. Both men denied taking off the boys’ clothes.

Neither Cloke nor Beard could be reached for comment.

The lawsuit claims that Davis was wrongfully pressured to compete in the heavyweight division. That put Davis, who preferred the 215-weight class, competing against much heavier opponents.

During a Dec. 5, 2001, match with Lewis and Clark High School, Davis’ right leg was injured by a much heavier opponent.

According to the lawsuit, Davis went through a series of surgeries and developed a permanent “impairment” to his right leg. The lawsuit claims the coaches were negligent in training and supervising Davis.

After his injuries, according to the lawsuit, the school refused to provide accommodations for Davis’ “physical disability,” and that caused him to drop out of school prematurely.

Davis accrued health care expenses as a result of his injury, diminished earnings capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, along with pain and suffering, according to the lawsuit. No further details of his injuries were mentioned in the lawsuit.