Parents Sharp's home raided last night

[amiandjim]

He was referring to Don Peters

Are you sure? I have no firsthand knowledge but I did read in the comments on a People article that Sharp had been let go from a gym in 1991 for similar conduct. Also, I thought Peters only coached at SCATS but I'm no expert.

 

[Seeker]

what? the victim's name is protected and NOT in the public domain. nobody knows who it is unless they're not keeping their mouths shut.

There are enough details provided in the court documents and police interviews that that someone savvy enough can likely narrow it down within a very narrow margin. Just because the name was redacted doesn't mean that the persons' privacy in intact.

Either way -- there were a lot of very specific and personal details provided and given that the victim is a minor it seems like they would have/should have locked those files.

 

[GymmieC]

that was my point in my earlier post. dragging Sam's name thru all this when she spent...oh...about 3 minutes at his gym post Olympics. now they continue to drag Bridget's name thru all this also.

IT TARNISHES THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS! KEEP THEIR NAMES OUT OF IT!!

Oops sorry for the misunderstanding. I 100% agree.

 

[l.c.o]

So if it was a female it would make you feel better?

Then I hope they don't have to drive... (Okay low blow...but you get the jist)

Yes I would, to a point, if I'm completely honest.

There seems to be about 10 or so girls that go to these meets each year. Two coaches, one male, one female. 5:1 kids/adult ratio of middle and high school kids isn't bad. 10:1 female coaches to female kids seems a little high, though I suppose it depends on the maturity of the children.

Is it possible that my daughter could be hurt by a female coach? Absolutely. But when your middle-school aged DD is already developing crushes on the male population, I think it's more likely my kid would think it's "ok" and be flattered by attention by a male coach than female.

This is heading into discussion about sexuality, so, I think I'll leave it there for now. But for the record, I have zero qualms about sexuality no matter where someone falls on the spectrum.

As to whether I'd have reservations about sending her with all female coaching, probably. I also haven't yet sent her to a sleep-away camp yet. Am I over-protective? Probably. But she's the only her I've got.

All this to say I really don't think I have anything to worry about with even our male coach. He seems like a great, positive role model for the kids. And my DD pretty much adores him, so therein comes the tiny niggling (overprotective and likely completely ridiculous) worry.

Point is, when it comes time to decide whether to send her... If I keep her home I'm paranoid and overprotective. But if I send her and in the smallest, most minuscule chance something did happen? With ANY coach or person of authority? Oh my. I'd hate myself.

This is the frustration. A few truly bad people ruin this for so many legitimately great people.

As to driving, carpool dads drive her all the time with other kids. And yes my DD will drive someday - please don't remind me. DD starting counting down the years this past bday.

 

[l.c.o]

Meant to add a quick anecdote.

We moved into our home almost four years ago. It is bracketed by train tracks, one set maybe 50 yards away from my living room. The other is a bit further.

Yep. The noise sucks sometimes, but mostly we're used to it.

Anyway, I worried about derailment even before moving in. I'm not the most paranoid person, but seriously. It was something that truly made me worry. DH assured me the odds were so low. I logically understood that. But still I envisioned the kids being bowled over by giant train cars while playing in the yard.

Well, last summer? Trains collided on the two tracks and IT DERAILED OMG right here by my house. My DH was stopped at the crossing and saw it happen. Due to our location, they couldn't come home and I couldn't get out of my subdivision. People were evacuated and it took ages to clean up and repair the tracks.

Thankfully, no one was hurt and there were no train cars in my yard. And somehow? This derailment eased my fears.

So. Yes. Most often, things are just fine. And sometimes you're on the wrong side of statistics.

 

[bookworm]

that was my point in my earlier post. dragging Sam's name thru all this when she spent...oh...about 3 minutes at his gym post Olympics. now they continue to drag Bridget's name thru all this also.

IT TARNISHES THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS! KEEP THEIR NAMES OUT OF IT!!

I really disagree with this.... the fact that Bridget Sloan's longtime coach and Sam Peczek's post Olympic few month coach of convenience turned out to be a sexual predator does not tarnish THEIR accomplishments one iota in my book....they were/are both tremendous gymnasts, Olympians, NCAA dominators but does Sharp as their past coach make it less of an accomplishment? I'm not seeing why it would....they had nothing to do with his sordid sideshow....

I do think it must be a very sad time for both girls ( and all the Sharp's gymnasts) and their families to know that someone they spent countless training hours with has betrayed them with his actions...

 

[AmandaLynn]

If summer camps can plan for shuttle runs from airports to camp, then USAG should be able to figure it out too. These developmental camps must have certain check in times ... meaning that gymnasts should be coming in within a certain time period. Have coaches submit travel itineraries and set up shuttle bus runs to pick up from the airport or airports.

The ranch is quite far from the nearest airport. It would be difficult to offer multiple shuttles back and forth.

 

[gymjunkie]

would you please PM me who you're talking about so that i can take care of this? thank you.

This was so long ago and I don't know his name. One of my former teammates later became a gym owner in that state and now works for USAG. I can check with her and see if she knows his name & if he is still involved in the sport.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I really disagree with this.... the fact that Bridget Sloan's longtime coach and Sam Peczek's post Olympic few month coach of convenience turned out to be a sexual predator does not tarnish THEIR accomplishments one iota in my book....they were/are both tremendous gymnasts, Olympians, NCAA dominators but does Sharp as their past coach make it less of an accomplishment? I'm not seeing why it would....they had nothing to do with his sordid sideshow....

I do think it must be a very sad time for both girls ( and all the Sharp's gymnasts) and their families to know that someone they spent countless training hours with has betrayed them with his actions...

i understand what you mean. i mean that their names should NOT be part of the discussion in the media. it will follow them. understand? always to have an asterisk after their names when gymnastics come on. don't think today. think the next 5 Olympic Games. when they show past team members. their videos. and then HIM!

remember, i've been in gymnastics a long, long time...

 

[Deleted member D3987]

What? Sharp?

yes

 

[Deleted member D3987]

He was referring to Don Peters

no. Sharp

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Were there charges filed? Wonder how he passed the background check...

that was the old days...

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Are you sure? I have no firsthand knowledge but I did read in the comments on a People article that Sharp had been let go from a gym in 1991 for similar conduct. Also, I thought Peters only coached at SCATS but I'm no expert.

no. he worked for Muriel Grossfeld before that.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

The ranch is quite far from the nearest airport. It would be difficult to offer multiple shuttles back and forth.

but they do from time to time.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

that was the old days...

Amazing that 1991 is considered the old days. But I do know that in figure skating (which was my sport), it took some pretty horrible situations for any kid to tell. A close friend of mine that I trained with back then recently came forward with his story of abuse.

No one thought it odd that this boy lived with his coach and that his coach regularly allowed him to drive his fancy cars and gave him money to take the group out for lunch during break, etc. As it turns out some terrible things were happening to him.

But I remember being creeped out by the way certain male coaches would spot and coach. It never occurred to me to say anything to anyone, because what I experienced happened in the open, on the ice, during training sessions.

And no one ever ever talked about that kind of thing. We were still a "stranger danger" society to some extent.

 

[raenndrops]

The ranch is quite far from the nearest airport. It would be difficult to offer multiple shuttles back and forth.

That is why you would submit your itinerary in advance... if check in is during a certain block of time, then the flights need to be arriving during another certain block of time... have busses waiting at the airport to pick them up - maybe with a staggered schedule (based on how long check in lasts... have an early, mid, and last call).

If each coach is currently getting a rental car, the costs could possibly be more than covered. If not, maybe the parents would be willing to pony up a little more for the security of not having their gymnast alone with a coach.

 

[Ali'sMom]

The ranch is quite far from the nearest airport. It would be difficult to offer multiple shuttles back and forth.

They do it for summer camp. The flights need to arrive between certain times. The girls might be waiting a little bit, but there is a person from the Ranch waiting for them when their flights arrive, and then gets them to the shuttle. Well, school bus, I believe, but yes, every Monday of summer camp a bus picks girls up at the airport and every Saturday it brings them back. Flights need to be made during, I think, a 5 hour window each way.
Now keep in mind, not all girls bring a coach to summer camp, so this is seemingly necessary. Maybe since the number of coaches coming for developmental camp, etc are higher, they assume that the gymmies can easily be driven from the airport?

 

[ZJsMom]

that was the old days...

Was USAG aware of that? I'm a little freaked out by the fact that there seemed to be signs here if someone wanted to look, and at the same time, he was a national team coach, located in the same city as USAG, and USAG was giving him awards and accolades. I feel like there must have been some willingness to turn a blind eye.

 

[ZJsMom]

Was USAG aware of that? I'm a little freaked out by the fact that there seemed to be signs here if someone wanted to look, and at the same time, he was a national team coach, located in the same city as USAG, and USAG was giving him awards and accolades. I feel like there must have been some willingness to turn a blind eye.

By "that" I mean the firing.

I also looked at his bio on his website and noticed he was the head coach at MAC for only one year. It seems a little odd to take on a head coach position and leave after a year. It made me wonder if there was some situation there that lead to his short tenure.

 

[COz]

... his coach regularly allowed him to drive his fancy cars and gave him money to take the group out for lunch during break, etc.

All other things aside, seems like ice skating is somewhat better paid than gymnastics coaching!