A thread to share news, stories, and comments about swim coaches in trouble
Mark Schubert Faces Lawsuit For Wrongful Termination Amid Allegations of Sexual Misconduct By Another Coach - Full Complaint Available; USA Swimming Updated Response
-- September 18, 2012
"The lawsuit was filed by attorney Robert Allard on Rianda's behalf."
Summons
Mon Sep 17, 2012
“Schubert, Former Olympic Team Coach, Sued for Protecting Swim Coach from Sex Abuse Charges”
USA Swimming Responds to Statements in Mark Schubert Lawsuit
USSwimNscandal.com
We are the watchdog group for USA Swimming. Our objectives are to protect athletes and end corruption from the leaders
Rick Curl Permanently Banned from USA Swimming
September 19, 2012
Currin's attorney, Robert Allard, released the following statement to Swimming World
Kelley's NPR Interview
Aug 10, 2012
Widespread Sex Abuse of Young Female Swimmers Continues To Plague USA Swimming
there's now even a legal specialty
Swim Coach Sexual Abuse Lawyers
B. Robert Allard
USA SWIMMING'S SAFE SPORT PROGRAMMING
INDIVIDUALS PERMANENTLY SUSPENDED OR INELIGIBLE
USA SWIMMING SAFE SPORT ABUSE REPORTING FORM
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The base problem will never be over. Young athletic girls, dripping wet in barely any clothing, coached by young men (mostly), several hours per day, creates an atmosphere ripe with temptation that is difficult to resist for some coaches. Considering the size of USA Swimming (400,000), it is frankly amazing that this doesn't happen more often.
I don't know. I don't think men are truly as incapable of resisting temptation as our culture likes to tell them they are.
I agree. The machinations of a few Masters swimmers will not change anything about the long-standing issues between adult male coaches and *** or teenage female swimmers. There is often an intense relationship that occasionally crosses the moral line of acceptance, as well as the legal line of statutory rape or sexual harassment. It is a tiny relative number of coaches that succumb to their weakness and the vast majority pay for it with withering scrutiny.
The original poster can lock this thread at any time. Until he does, we can only surmise that he has not had enough of this topic, even though it has nothing to do with Masters swimming directly.
Some of us, who've been swimming since the 80's (and earlier), are actually really glad all of this is finally coming to light. I have heard these kinds of rumors about Mitch Ivey since I was in high school in the 80's. Of course times have changed and we no longer look askance at the underaged female swimmer (which is exactly what society used to do in these instances). It's about time the adult coaches are held responsible for abusing their positions and these relationships.
"This is one thread that I would like to see end... because the problem is stopped. I hate the way it keeps coming back with new reports of problems"
What do you mean by the problem is stopped? Is it because the coach's behavior has already been brought to light by the media? Just curious
I read this to mean that he wished the thread would stop because coaches were no longer taking advantage of young swimmers and that there would no longer be a need for the thread to continue. I did not read it as stop the thread to hide the problem.
I don't think the problem's stopped. I think there are many who haven't been caught. There has to be a some USMS swimmers who were victims & suffer in silence.
A friend of mine & her sister were victims of a coach who hasn't been caught. She said she's made peace, forgiven him & moved on. She said her sister said "He ruined my life." This coach was never caught, he retired from coaching, he's well thoguht of in his community and has a pool named after him.
The problem isn't over, USA swimming now has SAFE SPORT, families might be more likely to find out and report and law enforcement might be more motivated to pursue and prosecute, but culprits have to be caught and victims (who might not think of themselves as victims) have to find the courage to speak up and when a child does, the adults around the child need to help them do the right thing.
I wish this was over.
Do you think you will find them on the forums? Just how do you think USMS should go about investigating the atrocities promulgated by these coaches?
I don't think we will find them on these forums. I'm just sharing info to provide topics for discussion.
I don't think USMS should investigate accusations against USA Swimming coaches by USA swimming athletes.
USMS should investigate accusations against USMS coaches by USMS swimmers.
"it is frankly amazing that this doesn't happen more often.
my guess is it has happened many times than reported sometimes
Young athletic girls, dripping wet in barely any clothing, coached by young men (mostly), several hours per day, creates an atmosphere ripe with temptation that is difficult to resist for some coaches. Considering the size of USA Swimming (400,000), it is frankly amazing that this doesn't happen more often.
The child's clothing, or lack thereof, is not the problem; girls don't typically show up in church "dripping wet in barely any clothing" but they were abused just the same. The root problem is an adult exploiting a power imbalance while having access to a child without other adults around. Describing the issue as "oung athletic girls, dripping wet in barely any clothing" sexualizes or romanticizes a relationship that is not sexual or romantic but instead is abusive and exploitative; whether intentional or not, that characterization shifts some blame to the girls.
The child's clothing, or lack thereof, is not the problem; girls don't typically show up in church "dripping wet in barely any clothing" but they were abused just the same. The root problem is an adult exploiting a power imbalance while having access to a child without other adults around. Describing the issue as "oung athletic girls, dripping wet in barely any clothing" sexualizes or romanticizes a relationship that is not sexual or romantic but instead is abusive and exploitative; whether intentional or not, that characterization shifts some blame to the girls.
While I agree that the root problem is definitely a power imbalance, the characterization of the girls was a description of the circumstance, not the issue. It is possible that some of the girls actually liked some of the extra attention, but neither does that lay any blame upon them. All blame must lie with the adult perpetrator. They were in charge at all times, they alone must be held accountable.
....creates an atmosphere ripe with temptation that is difficult to resist for some coaches. Considering the size of USA Swimming (400,000), it is frankly amazing that this doesn't happen more often.
Child abuse isn't a temptation. It's a crime. What is amazing is that people marginalize the impact by referring to it as a temptation and that it is amazing that it doesn't happen more often.
Child abuse isn't a temptation. It's a crime. What is amazing is that people marginalize the impact by referring to it as a temptation and that it is amazing that it doesn't happen more often.
This.
Society used to silently condone this behavior. In fact, Michael's argument about temptation excused the older men and stigmatized the young women when this kind of thing occurred. It seems kind of harsh that these older coaches are getting called out now when no one seemed to care 30+ years ago. And, yet, when I think of how they've affected young athletes' lives, it's not harsh at all.
