WAG Maggie Haney suspended

[LJL07]

Sometimes I look back and realise that it was not worth it. Is it ever worth leaving your kid in bad coaching situations so they can participate in their sport? I might start a new topic on this question.

No, it is not. I did it, and I can't understand why we put up with that for so long. My kids are not going to the Olympics. But why do all the parents leave their kids in these awful situations over high compulsory scores? They have no way of knowing if their child will make it to level 10 at that point, let alone the Olympics or collegiate gymnastics. But they do. I don't know what it is about gymnastics, but parents become very, very attached. I can understand the upper levels and elites at Haney's gym and being afraid to rock the boat. As difficult as it is to get USAG to respond to complaints, it would be so intimidating to speak out against Haney. I've gotten more vocal about our experience, but I also worry it could potentially "blackball" my girls--they are just optional level gymnasts, but it feels like speaking up is still frowned upon.

 

[MuggleMom]

Most of these coaches are just coaching the way they were coached themselves and that’s not necessarily a good thing

This is what gets me so confused! Don't they remember how awful it was to be coached that way, how, at times, counterproductive? We have a coach from another country with notoriously difficult coaching situations and she said she could never coach there because she never wanted to make girls feel the way they made her feel...it was sad to hear. She is a good coach now too she can be a bit strict but she doesnt make the kids feel bad about themselves.

I think if you are getting into a sport just to win you are doing it all wrong. It seems that the worst of these coaches would rather do anything to have a few "winners" than be a good coach to the masses. That to me would be a huge red flag. If you can't find a level of success even with "meager" talent then you aren't a good coach. Sports should be for all kids who are willing to put in the work. Now what success looks like for each kid will obviously vary but the goal shouldnt be winning at any cost.

 

[chalkbowl]

This is what gets me so confused! Don't they remember how awful it was to be coached that way, how, at times, counterproductive? We have a coach from another country with notoriously difficult coaching situations and she said she could never coach there because she never wanted to make girls feel the way they made her feel...it was sad to hear. She is a good coach now too she can be a bit strict but she doesnt make the kids feel bad about themselves.

I think if you are getting into a sport just to win you are doing it all wrong. It seems that the worst of these coaches would rather do anything to have a few "winners" than be a good coach to the masses. That to me would be a huge red flag. If you can't find a level of success even with "meager" talent then you aren't a good coach. Sports should be for all kids who are willing to put in the work. Now what success looks like for each kid will obviously vary but the goal shouldnt be winning at any cost.

THIS x100!!!! When I was done with gymnastics my senior year of HS, I wanted NOTHING to do with the sport. I've tried to remember what my coaches did that made me feel like an awful gymnast, and I've tried to change. I'm not saying i've been 100% perfect all the time, I was definitely harsher towards the beginning of my coaching career than I am now. However, at this point in my coaching career most people are pretty surprised to hear the stories of how I was coached.

 

[aerials]

Is it because it doesn’t involve elite athletes? So if it’s not elite gymnasts, it’s ok to treat little girls like this? I will never understand.

This!! I also know of a coach that has multiple complaints and...nothing from USAG

the gym doesn't have elites either...so I guess those girls are not important enough for USAG

 

[Tigtimes]

“My coaching techniques were at all times, well-intended; meant specifically to lead her to her personal goal of achieving Olympic gold,” Haney said, according to TODAY. “If the pursuit of excellence and the rigor of my coaching style has resulted in any harm to any gymnast that has been a part of my team, I am truly sorry.”

Maggie Haney issued a statement, most likely written by her lawyer but just yuck.

 

[MuggleMom]

“If the pursuit of excellence and the rigor of my coaching style has resulted in any harm to any gymnast that has been a part of my team, I am truly sorry.”

Ughhh...the first part...if the persuit of excellence....like sorry if you didnt want to be excellent it wouldnt have been so bad. It puts it all back to you have to be horrible to make a good gymnast. If she had just said "If my coaching has resulted in any harm..." it would have been much better but you are still trying to justify your behavior. I agree gross.

 

[LJL07]

Gymnasts Push for Lasting Change After a Coach Is Suspended for Abuse (Published 2020)

When Maggie Haney, the prominent coach of an Olympian, was barred for eight years after being accused of emotional abuse, gymnasts saw an opening to press for other cases to go forward and to demand broader change.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Flyaway]

Justification of behavior while apologizing is a crappy non-apology. No. Just no.

 

[bogwoppit]

“My coaching techniques were at all times, well-intended; meant specifically to lead her to her personal goal of achieving Olympic gold,” Haney said, according to TODAY. “If the pursuit of excellence and the rigor of my coaching style has resulted in any harm to any gymnast that has been a part of my team, I am truly sorry.”

Maggie Haney issued a statement, most likely written by her lawyer but just yuck.

She still thinks she is innocent. That is scary. She has a child.

 

[txgymfan]

She still thinks she is innocent. That is scary. She has a child.

Sadly, most abusers think they are innocent. Some ( many? ) of her victims will always think they “deserved “ to be treated the way they were. I took care of two girls who’s mother was physically and emotionally abusive. One of the few things I can write, is that she beat them with hangers. They have never recognized that they were abused nor did it ever go to court. Sadly, by age 8 the older was repeating the behavior on her younger sister.

The girls did get counseling but I never thought it was enough.

 

[flippin out]

Special Report: Maggie Haney still working with gymnasts despite suspension

Photographs show Olympic coach continuing work with young gymnasts

www.ocregister.com

So I guess some parents will continue to pay to have their kids trained by Maggie regardless of the fact that she was suspended (for 8 years!).
I guess the next step would be to put a ban on kids who train with a banned coach— they are not allowed to register for USAG under any gym for a set amount of time. I know it’s a parents decision, but banning a kid from USAG status is only way to stop them from training with a banned coach and then simply attending meets with someone USAG approved. Maybe when their kid is banned from USAG those parents will “see the light”

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

This is so disgusting and dumbfounding to me. I agree. The only real solution would appear to be to ban the athletes from USAG competitions.

If he hadn't gone to jail, would parents have kept sending their gymnasts to Nassar too? Is there literally nothing parents won't subject their kids to for some perceived "edge"?

 

[flippin out]

If he hadn't gone to jail, would parents have kept sending their gymnasts to Nassar too? Is there literally nothing parents won't subject their kids to for some perceived "edge"?

Yes. As disgusting as that is the answer is yes. To this day I hear people doubt that what he did was wrong “after all look how many he helped”. And yes, he didn’t abuse every patient, and he did help many....after all if he wasn’t helping some how could he continue his success rate (and his source of potential victims coming to him)? But that does not mean that I or anyone else should ever gamble on being the lucky ones that would get help and not abuse. It’s just crazy to me how some people rationalize things to fit what they want.

 

[QuietColours]

A. This is horrible and gross. USAG can only do so much if she isn't training at a USAG gym. I would like to hear, for example, NCAA speak up that they will not recruit gymnasts training under coaches that are banned or have long term suspensions.

B. I get that MG Elite has apparently withdrawn from USAG, but they train out of Monmouth Gymnastics. Has Monmouth also withdrawn? If they are deliberately allowing Maggie to use their space, shouldn't they be facing sanctions?

 

[amiandjim]

Monmouth is also not a member club according to a quick search on the USAG site.

 

[Flippin'A]

So are they not going to have elites anymore? Because only USAG offers an elite program in the United States. Are they banking on USAG being replaced? I'm just glad the new organization has said they will follow USAG's banned and suspended list.

I think there are always going to be parents who will put their kid's gymnastics ahead of their wellbeing. They might not think of it in those terms, they might be in denial or have convinced themselves that it's not as bad as it looks, but that's what it comes down to. That's why it's so important to have competent governing bodies who can put limitations on these things. Someone has to be the one looking out for the kids and saying no.

 

[flippin out]

curious....is it possible that one of the girls in that photo of Haney running is her daughter? I know absolutely nothing about her family other than her daughter does gymnastics. No idea how old she is or anything. Is it possible that it's her kid? If it is, it still doesn't take away from the fact that she is obviously still training kids and being paid to train them (according to the venmo talk anyway).....but was wondering if she would explain away that photo by saying she "wasn't training anyone in that photo, merely exercising with her daughter and a friend of her daughter"

 

[amiandjim]

One of them was her daughter, yes.

 

[bookworm]

It’s still a bad look for someone who’s been suspended and not supposed to be around minor athletes (the one who’s not her daughter) ... and they aren’t “exercising “ in their neighborhood, they’re running around the gym named in the sanction . That’s how tone deaf Haney is...

 

[flippin out]

@bookworm I agree, but I’m calling it now.....she’s gonna try and explain that photo away by saying it was her being mom not coach. Not saying it’s the truth (we all know it’s her training not mothering) but that’s what she’s gonna try for. Or maybe I’m wrong....maybe she’s ballsy enough to say screw you I’ll do whatever I want and you have no way to stop me