WAG Maggie Haney suspended

[profmom]

It seems designed to send a serious message. I hope it does. I also want to acknowledge Flipfloppy's post. The issue is painful and difficult for many people in the gymnastics community, but some have had direct traumatizing experiences, and whenever we discuss things, we need to keep this in mind.

I wonder what happens in gyms where the owners and most of the coaches are basically OK but there's one outlier? Even with everything that has happened, I think it's hard to get rid of a coach who gets results, and we certainly saw a lot of people rallying around Haney.

 

[LJL07]

There are so many complaints filed against many other coaches for the exact same behaviors. I would love to know what usag intends to do with those complaints. They sure haven’t done a thing yet with most of them, and they get “lost.” I just saw that Amy Nyman was also suspended. Interesting.

 

[bookworm]

And Levine , the co owner of MG Elite is on the list too....so that gym is basically done.

 

[LJL07]

And Levine , the co owner of MG Elite is on the list too....so that gym is basically done.

Well they were warned and kept it up, so I’m glad this happened. Our former gym coach and owner operated the same way to a T. The scenario where they made fun of the child and asked if she had Tourette’s was a daily occurrence. Unfortunately, it was compulsory kids and level 7s, so usag didn’t feel it was important enough to take action. And parents are clamoring to get their kids on her team because they “win.”

 

[lovofu]

There are so many complaints filed against many other coaches for the exact same behaviors. I would love to know what usag intends to do with those complaints. They sure haven’t done a thing yet with most of them, and they get “lost.” I just saw that Amy Nyman was also suspended. Interesting.

I have personal knowledge of an investigation in which 14 families complained that was completed over 18 months ago and no action has been taken YET. Sometimes the abuse is ignoring gymnasts whose parents ask questions and inappropriate actions that are allowed by the HC and Owner.

 

[louninak1213]

I wasn't expecting it to be 8 years. However, I am glad that they took drastic measures. Coaching has to evolve and if she is stuck in the old ways, things need to be done for the safety of the athletes. I have had some old school coaches in my day and it isn't always easy to feel good about yourself.

It is our job as coaches to help them grow. The gymnasts aren't perfect. We need to be critical at times, but also know how to be supportive and help them as people. I hope many other coaches can learn from this and learn to grow properly.

 

[LJL07]

I have personal knowledge of an investigation in which 14 families complained that was completed over 18 months ago and no action has been taken YET. Sometimes the abuse is ignoring gymnasts whose parents ask questions and inappropriate actions that are allowed by the HC and Owner.

I believe it. It wasn’t 14 families in our case, but quite a few. We were really given the run around. I don’t know what happened with the complaint. Was it closed? Is it open and pending? Will we ever know? Probably not. It’s sad and terrible.

 

[Gymsanity]

Since I can't reply to @JBS 's PM, which I presume was sent to all members:

JBS, it is extremely inappropriate to send a PM about abuse to all members. Especially in the gymnastics community, there are many people who are survivors of abuse. If I click on the main forum, I can choose to avoid threads about abuse and, psychologically, the threads/news about abuse aren't being forced upon: the choice to engage in news or conversation is mine and that control over exposure to information is really important for survivors. I can also choose to engage with the news when I feel ready and capable of engaging with it. A PM - especially a PM that I can't reply to - can be extremely triggering for survivors. Please don't ever do that again.

As soon as I figured out how to turn off email notifications for PMs, I'll be leaving Chalkbucket for a while so I won't be back to engage in conversation about this post. Please follow best practice guidelines, especially when so many in the gymnastics community are survivors of abuse.

Haven't we all been 'abused' in one form or another? If you are still suffering to that degree I would suggest that you seek professional help and if you already have, get some more. Sincerely wishing you the best of luck.

 

[JBS]

Since I can't reply to @JBS 's PM, which I presume was sent to all members:

JBS, it is extremely inappropriate to send a PM about abuse to all members. Especially in the gymnastics community, there are many people who are survivors of abuse. If I click on the main forum, I can choose to avoid threads about abuse and, psychologically, the threads/news about abuse aren't being forced upon: the choice to engage in news or conversation is mine and that control over exposure to information is really important for survivors. I can also choose to engage with the news when I feel ready and capable of engaging with it. A PM - especially a PM that I can't reply to - can be extremely triggering for survivors. Please don't ever do that again.

As soon as I figured out how to turn off email notifications for PMs, I'll be leaving Chalkbucket for a while so I won't be back to engage in conversation about this post. Please follow best practice guidelines, especially when so many in the gymnastics community are survivors of abuse.

I have read your posts in the past so I do understand what you are saying. I am not going to argue.

However... this is regular news in the world... and this is a regular website. ChalkBucket is doing what it needs to do to sustain itself right now... and that includes driving discussion so everyone can learn more.

This news could potentially cause very positive changes in the gymnastics community.

If you would like your account deleted... let me know.

Everyone is able to update their communication preferences at the following link...

Link Removed

Basically... I'm telling everyone that if they do not want notifications from ChalkBucket... turn them off as it is your choice.

 

[Mish]

I have read your posts in the past so I do understand what you are saying. I am not going to argue.

However... this is regular news in the world... and this is a regular website. ChalkBucket is doing what it needs to do to sustain itself right now... and that includes driving discussion so everyone can learn more.

This news could potentially cause very positive changes in the gymnastics community.

If you would like your account deleted... let me know.

Everyone is able to update their communication preferences at the following link...

Link Removed

Basically... I'm telling everyone that if they do not want notifications from ChalkBucket... turn them off as it is your choice.

I was wondering also, why they come through as a private message though? Not complaining, just asking?

 

[Flyaway]

Laurie shared her story on Instagram. I encourage you all to check it out. Maggie was gas-lighting her something terrible.

 

[JBS]

I was wondering also, why they come through as a private message though? Not complaining, just asking?

I have the option to send mass emails... PM's... or "alerts" through the software. Really just experimenting with them to try and get the site to pick back up again... which it is. Everyone needs to understand that I am only trying to make a great site better... this site.

 

[JBS]

 

[sbonham]

After coaching gymnastics (both WAG (club level) and MAG (club, high school and university)) for eleven years I taught kinesiology, coaching techniques for eight - then did my doctoral work in instructional design/technology. In my final years before retirement I had an opportunity to help document one of the best (regarding results) and most respected (by his ATHLETES - which is what counts!) coaches I have had the pleasure of knowing. He's not a gymnastics coach. He was a football coach, but he had a coaching "Fhilosophy" (sic) he called his Four F Fhilosophy. A LOT of coaches (in ALL Sports!) would do well to implement something similar. My apologies fro the crudeness of this video - it was a "Leadership class project" - and they only had the single camera. BUT - the message is worth suffering thru the nonprofessional camera work. The coach is Erk Russell; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erk_Russell
Erk's 4 F Fhilosophy Video:

 

[JBS]

After coaching gymnastics (both WAG (club level) and MAG (club, high school and university)) for eleven years I taught kinesiology, coaching techniques for eight - then did my doctoral work in instructional design/technology. In my final years before retirement I had an opportunity to help document one of the best (regarding results) and most respected (by his ATHLETES - which is what counts!) coaches I have had the pleasure of knowing. He's not a gymnastics coach. He was a football coach, but he had a coaching "Fhilosophy" (sic) he called his Four F Fhilosophy. A LOT of coaches (in ALL Sports!) would do well to implement something similar. My apologies fro the crudeness of this video - it was a "Leadership class project" - and they only had the single camera. BUT - the message is worth suffering thru the nonprofessional camera work. The coach is Erk Russell; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erk_Russell
Erk's 4 F Fhilosophy Video:

I was wondering how this related to this thread... then I got to the "be firm... it doesn't mean cruel or mean".

 

[profmom]

Wow. This is devastating. I am so glad she is in a better environment now, but it's just awful that she had to endure all of that. This makes her comeback even more impressive given that she has clearly been able to make the transition physically to doing gymnastics in a woman's body. The mental strength it must have taken is almost unfathomable.

 

[3rd_time_around]

But will it change the PARENTS culture? Cause there were many many at the gym that still supported her and the line to get in that gym was still long. Parents are also to blame seriously just the leotards they allowed their kids to wear, which I am sure was a take it or leave the gym kinda thing, kinda says it all ........

Arrogance gets misinterpreted or accepted veiled in the name of pride and parents accept that cause that Div 1 scholarship is all that matters. As long as their kid is on the “ best team” so many will look the other way or justify behavior. Just my two cents cause there are so many more out there not on the National level, I am always amazed to see intelligent people sucked in by it all.

Yes, the Leotards! So inappropriate. She pushed the limits, and now everyone has to be under restrictions because of her. What was she thinking?

 

[Twallace]

EIGHT YEARS! Wow, definitely didn't expect that.

Funny enough, last night I was watching a YouTube video from about 7 years ago of Laurie on bars at an elite competition. She fell twice and the way Maggie acted... if looks could kill. The first comment was something along the lines of 'Nice gymnast, coach needs to chill'. Basically, anyone with eyes can see the attitude at that gym.

If you go back and look at the 2016 Olympics Laurie's demeanor and response to Maggie or lack there of was very noticeable. I didn't notice it then, but watched when it was on NBC Sports the other week and me and my daughter both recognized how she really didn't seem to want to have anything to do with her.

 

[TumbleTimes4]

But will it change the PARENTS culture? Cause there were many many at the gym that still supported her and the line to get in that gym was still long. Parents are also to blame seriously just the leotards they allowed their kids to wear, which I am sure was a take it or leave the gym kinda thing, kinda says it all ........

Arrogance gets misinterpreted or accepted veiled in the name of pride and parents accept that cause that Div 1 scholarship is all that matters. As long as their kid is on the “ best team” so many will look the other way or justify behavior. Just my two cents cause there are so many more out there not on the National level, I am always amazed to see intelligent people sucked in by it all.

So much this. If the letter that was circulating before the trial when she was first suspended really was written by Olivia Greaves’ mother, then that just shows that there are still parents willing to risk abuse for results and glory. As long as those parents exist, there will always be abusive coaches. Hopefully this will be a wake up call to parents and coaches alike and Laurie’s words will make them think long and hard.

 

[Akl597]

Every time I look at that list...I find someone new that I "know"

I looked at the list just out of curiosity, not expecting to see anyone that I knew. But one of the names on there is the head coach from the first gym we went to. My girls were never on the team, just in the rec program, but we do know people who are on the team there. Is there any way to get more information - when they were put on the list, why they're on the list, etc? He's in the Pending Resolution section. I've always been glad we left that gym, but now I'm even more happy about it.