Student sues coaches, Lakeland

RATHDRUM - A Lakeland High senior has filed a tort claim against the Lakeland School District, claiming two boys' basketball coaches caused him "emotional distress" and didn't give him a fair chance at making the team.

Wesley Bremer, 18, filed the claim seeking $1 million against coaches Trent Derrick and Greg Ward and alleging two separate incidents. Derrick is also the school's athletic director.

The school board recently tabled the claim indefinitely.

Derrick said there is no merit to the claim and declined to comment further. Bremer, his father Gary, Ward and the school district all declined to comment.

Bremer claims Derrick made "certain retaliatory and prejudicial statements" to him two days before tryouts in November that made it obvious he wouldn't get a fair chance to make the team.

In the filing, Bremer said he didn't attend school the next day because he was so upset, but his parents convinced him to go on Friday and to attend the tryouts that day and Saturday.

During the first day of tryouts, Bremer claims Ward mentioned the earlier conversation between him and Derrick in an attempt to impair his performance.

"(Bremer) was not able to adequately perform to his normal standards during the tryout as a result of the conduct of Trent Derrick and Greg Ward and, consequently, did not make any basketball team," the claim states.

The claim states that Bremer believes the remarks were the result of an injury during football practice several weeks earlier from a play that Bremer was involved with. He also believes the alleged conduct is retaliation for his parents no longer financially supporting the booster club and their statements of dissatisfaction regarding the direction of the Lakeland High football and basketball programs.

Bremer has suffered "intentional infliction of emotional distress" and defamation of character and has been illegally retaliated against and bullied, the claim states.