Coaches Safe sport reporting retaliation

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LAnderson

Coach
Proud Parent
I am stunned right now. I reported the head coach anonymously to safe sport for emotional abuse. I have known this woman for a few years and I was actually leery to go work at this gym but know and love the owner. Against my better judgement, I have been working there for almost a year. Lots going on particularly with one family but I am even leery to discuss any of it because she is so vindictive. Monday I was fired for a very vague reason, no details at all but that her and I didn't have the relationship she wanted. The timing unfortunately lines up and even though I reported anonymously, I am pretty sure she suspects it was me. No way to prove any of it. Am thinking it is time to retire from this career, too many bad coaches who get away with treating kids horribly and whistleblowers are the ones punished. I think it going to be very hard for the gymnastics community to get rid of these bad eggs.
 
Sorry to hear it. That all sounds like a real shame.

Not a surprise, but a shame.
 
I am stunned right now. I reported the head coach anonymously to safe sport for emotional abuse. I have known this woman for a few years and I was actually leery to go work at this gym but know and love the owner. Against my better judgement, I have been working there for almost a year. Lots going on particularly with one family but I am even leery to discuss any of it because she is so vindictive. Monday I was fired for a very vague reason, no details at all but that her and I didn't have the relationship she wanted. The timing unfortunately lines up and even though I reported anonymously, I am pretty sure she suspects it was me. No way to prove any of it. Am thinking it is time to retire from this career, too many bad coaches who get away with treating kids horribly and whistleblowers are the ones punished. I think it going to be very hard for the gymnastics community to get rid of these bad eggs.
And unfortunately not enough gym owners, coaches or parents get how often this happens. They think it's paranoia instead.
 
If you enjoy coaching... then I would just find a new gym. There are plenty of good gyms out there.
 
I’m more surprised that your complaint got back to the gym so quickly unless you told anyone else you were filing it.

Don’t quit - the kids need good (as in good people, not good at gymnastics) coaches who are willing to do the right thing. There are parents who will move their child to a gym with a coach that has a reputation for being a good person (our gym is currently overflowing, legit doubled in size in under a year).

If you and every other person who wants to do good but is burnt leaves - you leave only the bad eggs behind. It’s a ****ty deal for you, but also for the kids. We drive an hour out of the way and past at least 10 gyms to go to ours because it is the ONLY one that doesn’t have a solid reputation for emotion and verbal abuse. We need more people who are just… decent human beings.
 
I’m more surprised that your complaint got back to the gym so quickly unless you told anyone else you were filing it.

Don’t quit - the kids need good (as in good people, not good at gymnastics) coaches who are willing to do the right thing. There are parents who will move their child to a gym with a coach that has a reputation for being a good person (our gym is currently overflowing, legit doubled in size in under a year).

If you and every other person who wants to do good but is burnt leaves - you leave only the bad eggs behind. It’s a ****ty deal for you, but also for the kids. We drive an hour out of the way and past at least 10 gyms to go to ours because it is the ONLY one that doesn’t have a solid reputation for emotion and verbal abuse. We need more people who are just… decent human beings.
I'm surprised that it got back so quickly also, but it did. I'm looking into what I can do next.
 
I'm surprised that it got back so quickly also, but it did. I'm looking into what I can do next.
And I actually didn't tell anyone, I knew better. Was already afraid of retaliation so only my husband knew and he has nothing to do with the gymnastics community.
 
It wouldnt surprise me if they are aware you are not a fan of this coaches style already and/or if its a smaller gym if they were notified of a complaint they may have just said if it wasn't me and it wasn't you it must have been LAnderson. Its a shame that they immediately look at you instead of look at what would have caused a person to file a complaint.
 
Were you told by Safe Sport that your name would be disclosed? Because my child was. (My child is currently in the middle of a criminal case against her former gymnastics coach for sexual assault and battery.)

When she and the other victims reported the sexual abuse (as well as the emotional & mental abuse and mishandling of injuries) to Safe Sport, the victims had to agree to their identity being disclosed to proceed with a Safe Sport investigation.

Well, technically only their initials went on the notification the coach received, but that’s very easy to figure out….

I don’t agree with that requirement as I think it’s a huge reason more victims don’t speak their truth, but it is currently Safe Sport’s standard procedure.
 
Were you told by Safe Sport that your name would be disclosed? Because my child was. (My child is currently in the middle of a criminal case against her former gymnastics coach for sexual assault and battery.)

When she and the other victims reported the sexual abuse (as well as the emotional & mental abuse and mishandling of injuries) to Safe Sport, the victims had to agree to their identity being disclosed to proceed with a Safe Sport investigation.

Well, technically only their initials went on the notification the coach received, but that’s very easy to figure out….

I don’t agree with that requirement as I think it’s a huge reason more victims don’t speak their truth, but it is currently Safe Sport’s standard procedure.
Ahh I reread your post and see you stated you reported anonymously. If you used an email address or entered a phone number that has been in USAG or Safe Sport’s database, they may have been able to identify you. However, I have been very impressed with Safe Sport staff and I really don’t believe they would have disclosed anything without discussing with you and getting your approval.
 
Talked to a Safe Sport advisor and am going to submit another report for retaliation. What do I have to lose at this point? If I can get something done about this coach, that's what I need to do. She is a nasty piece of work and gaslights and emotionally abuses not only the kids but other employees also. There have been numerous complaints about her from parents and I heard after I got fired that another coach also filed with Safesport in the last week. The owner is just letting it continue.
 
Talked to a Safe Sport advisor and am going to submit another report for retaliation. What do I have to lose at this point? If I can get something done about this coach, that's what I need to do. She is a nasty piece of work and gaslights and emotionally abuses not only the kids but other employees also. There have been numerous complaints about her from parents and I heard after I got fired that another coach also filed with Safesport in the last week. The owner is just letting it continue.
Do you have any idea why the owner isn't acting on this? You said in your OP that you loved the owner. I wonder if he/she is being gaslighted/bullied/intimidated by this toxic coach. Or, maybe the owner doesn't want the gym to be labeled as one with a coach that has been investigated?
 
Were you told by Safe Sport that your name would be disclosed? Because my child was. (My child is currently in the middle of a criminal case against her former gymnastics coach for sexual assault and battery.)

When she and the other victims reported the sexual abuse (as well as the emotional & mental abuse and mishandling of injuries) to Safe Sport, the victims had to agree to their identity being disclosed to proceed with a Safe Sport investigation.

Well, technically only their initials went on the notification the coach received, but that’s very easy to figure out….

I don’t agree with that requirement as I think it’s a huge reason more victims don’t speak their truth, but it is currently Safe Sport’s standard procedure.
I am so sorry
 
Were you told by Safe Sport that your name would be disclosed? Because my child was. (My child is currently in the middle of a criminal case against her former gymnastics coach for sexual assault and battery.)

When she and the other victims reported the sexual abuse (as well as the emotional & mental abuse and mishandling of injuries) to Safe Sport, the victims had to agree to their identity being disclosed to proceed with a Safe Sport investigation.

Well, technically only their initials went on the notification the coach received, but that’s very easy to figure out….

I don’t agree with that requirement as I think it’s a huge reason more victims don’t speak their truth, but it is currently Safe Sport’s standard procedure.
I'm so sorry for what your daughter has gone through
 
I am so sorry
Do you have any idea why the owner isn't acting on this? You said in your OP that you loved the owner. I wonder if he/she is being gaslighted/bullied/intimidated by this toxic coach. Or, maybe the owner doesn't want the gym to be labeled as one with a coach that has been investigated?
Unfortunately the owner has had numerous toxic coaches since I've known her that she has not acted on. I just came back to this gym after years away hoping that things had changed but they have not. I guess I love her as a person but she is showing me that she is a terrible owner.
 
Were you told by Safe Sport that your name would be disclosed? Because my child was. (My child is currently in the middle of a criminal case against her former gymnastics coach for sexual assault and battery.)

When she and the other victims reported the sexual abuse (as well as the emotional & mental abuse and mishandling of injuries) to Safe Sport, the victims had to agree to their identity being disclosed to proceed with a Safe Sport investigation.

Well, technically only their initials went on the notification the coach received, but that’s very easy to figure out….

I don’t agree with that requirement as I think it’s a huge reason more victims don’t speak their truth, but it is currently Safe Sport’s standard procedure.
I agree, it is so hard to report because I knew when I did it that she may find out and she is vindictive. The kid I reported about, well her family will probably not cooperate because they are personally involved with this coach but I just could not stand by and watch this. Now I am having to worry about my own daughter who works there (she is over 18) because she may be retaliated against also because she is my daughter. I don't regret it though, we will never get these kind of coaches out until people start standing up against them.
 

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