WSU Player Plans To Tell All In Book -- Derek Sparks Cites Recruiting Inducements, Grade Changing

As a high-school football player in the late 1980s, Derek Sparks had a reputation as a fast mover - on the field and between schools.

He was as famous for his transfers as he was for his touchdowns. He rushed for 63 TDs, at three Southern California schools - after he had transferred from a Texas school.

His profile has been considerably lower the past few years, but as Sparks prepares for his final season as a Washington State running back, he is collaborating with a Los Angeles writer on a book telling of his tumultuous prep career.

The story will portray Sparks as a victim of unscrupulous high-school recruiters and academic fraud.

"It goes into deep detail," said Sparks, a fifth-year senior at WSU. "The chaos, the inducements, the grade changing, scouts coming on campus, cars and money, airline tickets. . . . "

The book also will touch on a little-known aspect of Sparks' controversial career - a $40 million lawsuit he filed against Montclair Prep of Van Nuys, Calif., months after his 1991 graduation from Santa Ana's Mater Dei, the fourth high school he attended.

Sparks, who played for Montclair Prep as a junior, sued the school for allegedly lowering his grades and misrepresenting his academic standing to college scouts after he and a cousin, Leland Sparks, transferred to Mater Dei in the fall of 1990.

The suit was settled out of court. Sparks said he was awarded an annuity to be paid over his lifetime but would not reveal the amount because of a gag order.

Sparks said he has used the annuity to, among other things, buy a car for his mother and donate $10,000 to Mater Dei and $5,000 to his fraternity at Washington State.

Mater Dei Principal Patrick Murphy confirmed the donation, saying the money was used to help build two computer labs at the school last summer.

Vernon "Doc" Simpson, owner and principal of Montclair Prep, said Sparks' award was considerably less than the $40 million sought in the lawsuit. The decision to settle was made at the recommendation of lawyers representing the school's insurance company, he said.

He denied that Montclair Prep tampered with Sparks' grades or intentionally damaged the player's reputation.

Sparks contends that several colleges, among them his No. 1 choice, UCLA, stopped recruiting him because of the confusion surrounding his academic standing after his transfer to Mater Dei. He said only WSU, Illinois and Arkansas offered him scholarships.

A UCLA source supported Sparks' contention, confirming that there was a hold-up in getting grades from Montclair Prep.

Sparks, 22, says he has put the past behind him but wanted to show that the problems he encountered in high school are common among prized young athletes. He says his book will expose the corruption in prep and college athletics.

"It's a story someone can learn from because it's true," he said.

Since going to WSU, Sparks has had two shoulder operations, sat out the 1993 season and has run for only three touchdowns.

The 6-foot, 220-pound tailback had a good spring practice, though, and is eager to show he can carry the ball 20 times a game rather than play only as a short-yardage specialist, as he did last season.

"Coach (Mike) Price said he's going to let me carry the load," said Sparks.