Menlo College suspends soccer coach Menlo College suspends soccer coach (August 31, 2005)

By Alexandria Rocha

Palo Alto Weekly

Jeff van Gastel of San Jose, recently suspended as a Menlo College women's soccer coach, is scheduled to be arraigned September 12 in Santa Clara County Superior Court on misdemeanor criminal charges of providing alcohol to four 18-year-old women soccer players at a San Jose party on June 7.

The party was reportedly for the De Anza Force Soccer Club team only, not for the teams at Menlo College or Palo Alto High School, where he also coached.

Mr. van Gastel is the founder and president of the De Anza Force club in Cupertino, and coached two of the nine girls' teams in the club. He was also president of a regional league that represents nearly 300 soccer teams.

California Youth Soccer Association chairman John Murphy said Mr. van Gastel has been suspended from all activities connected or relating to the CYSA and any affiliated leagues or operations.

Mr. van Gastel served as Paly's varsity girls' soccer coach for six years, and resigned about three weeks ago to take a job at Menlo College as an assistant women's soccer coach. Learning of the charges last week, Menlo College officials suspended him "from all duties."

"The college had no knowledge of the allegations until [August 24] and is currently conducting an investigation," Caitlin Collier, the college's director of athletics, wrote in an e-mail to the Palo Alto Weekly.

Mr. van Gastel was arrested August 10 for providing alcohol to four 18-year-old women players at an end-of-the-season barbecue that turned into an all-night party, which he hosted at his parents' house in San Jose on June 7.

The misdemeanor alcohol charges stem from an initial allegation of sexual assault made by two of the women involved and their parents. Mr. van Gastel had sex with three of the women players, after reportedly providing them with beer and margaritas, according to the police reports filed with the courts.

But a San Jose Police Department report filed with the court concluded that the women were not minors and didn't appear to be forced into any sexual activity. No other charges have been filed, and Deputy District Attorney Michael Fletcher said he is not aware of any further investigation regarding the sexual assault allegations.

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