Former Spanish Springs Cheer Coach Challenges Citation and School District Trespass Warning Form After Speaking Out on Alleged Misconduct

A local mom and former cheer volunteer coach at Spanish Springs High School is challenging a “surreptitious electronic surveillance” citation as well as a district-issued trespass warning after speaking out about alleged misconduct involving school employees overseeing its cheer program.

Chantel Blunk, who says she coached at the Sparks high school for nearly six years, is also considering legal action.

Blunk alleges she was labeled “problematic” and “toxic” after raising concerns about the program.

Those concerns included claims that immigration enforcement threats were made toward student athletes, allegations of racism, accusations of unfairly structured tryout score sheets and reports that students were told they had “punchable faces.”  

“I’m a fair coach and I focus on teamwork,” Blunk said in a statement to Our Town Reno. “I would never yell at them, cuss at them, or threaten them in any way.”

According to court records, the citation filed in Sparks Justice Court on January 28th stems from a September 24th meeting with the Athletic Director at Spanish Springs Art Anderson.  The separate trespass warning was requested by Principal Sean Hall on January 12th. 

Blunk said that on January 12th there was also a meeting with Principal Hall during which she says she was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which she refused, stating she wanted to continue looking into concerns about the program.  She also alleges she was required to surrender her phone during the meeting.  

“At that moment, I knew where this was already going,” Blunk said, adding she was removed from her coaching role that day. 

The trespass notice, later signed by Area Superintendent Lauren Ford, was marked as served on January 22nd.

Blunk said the order has prevented her from attending school events, including her daughter’s final cheer performance this winter, and may impact her ability to attend her daughter’s upcoming graduation in June.

Blunk, a graduate of Hug High, is a widow whose husband, a Navy veteran, was killed while protecting a friend during the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting.  

“I’ve never missed anything. That was the first,” she says of missing her daughter’s last cheer performance and always being there for her kids.  

Blunk has since shared details of the situation on social media, including video of a January meeting to which her daughter was denied entry by a police officer, who warned she could be arrested if she persisted.

Multiple meetings involving students, parents, and staff followed her dismissal.

After previously hearing of issues with the school’s cheer program, the Washoe County School District had released this statement to Our Town Reno earlier this year: “Regarding Spanish Springs High School’s (SSHS) cheer program, in partnership with students, staff, and parents, the District is conducting a comprehensive review of SSHS cheer program to determine next steps for the cheer season. This is a priority given the limited number of weeks remaining and cheer families will be provided an update as soon as possible. Please understand we are not able to provide information related to confidential student and employee information. WCSD remains committed to supporting our students, families, and staff. While we are unable to share specific details regarding confidential student and staff matters, we appreciate the understanding and patience of our students, families, and staff as this important work continues.” 

After we sent out an email yesterday to Principal Hall as well as to school district officials to get a response concerning the new information provided by Blunk, a school district official wrote back “we will look into this.”  We did not hear back today but will update this story if we do.  

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