WAG Some news on Geddert himself - suspended

[BachFlyer]

No clue, my daughter competes for Twistars and no communication went out to the families like that. The media is a joke.

As someone who is not at Twistars, but very close to the story who has been hearing about the behind the scenes proceedings for the past year and a half, I have not found the media to be a joke whatsoever. I actually feel the media, especially local media, has been doing a great job of factually reporting things as they become publicly known. I do fault the national media for not paying attention to the magnitude of the impending story sooner, and also for suddenly appearing on the scene, reporting the story as if it is only a story about the high profile elite girls that were abused, without focusing as much on Rachel Denhollander or the vast number of unknown girls and the depths of, and connections between the head-turning by MSU, USAG and Twistars.

I feel confident in saying that if you are an upper level family in Michigan, stories about verbal, emotional and physical abuse by your Head Coach are already on your radar, and certainly did not begin with this story and situation. What has come out has been more first-hand detail and specifics from actual gymnasts that trained there (instead of hearsay), and of course MUCH more detail about the situation with Nassar. But gymnasts move. Parents talk. The people we are hearing from are confirming or adding to things people have been hearing for years. To pretend as though his behavior is completely fabricated seems a big stretch.

 

[Seeker]

This is exactly true, @BachFlyer. This is not totally new information nor is this a true surprise to anyone who has been involved in high level gymnastics in Region 5 for any amount of time.

Coaches know.
Judges know.
Parents know.
Others Gymnasts know (just ask anyone who’s rotated with them at any meet).
National team staff most definitely know as well...anyone who spends any time at camp could not possibly be in the dark.

What I believe is likely a surprise even to those with knowledge of the behavior is the extreme level of abuse being described during the victims statements. I was quite taken aback at some of those statements and I’m pretty hard to surprise in this situation. I think the other bit of new information is the contract situation with L10’s that essentially doesn’t allow them to leave and other gyms in the area being unwilling to accept these athletes — the combination of these two scenarios created a very hostile environment for the athletes caught in the middle and that absolutely cannot continue.

 

[BachFlyer]

This is exactly true, @BachFlyer.
What I believe is likely a surprise even to those with knowledge of the behavior is the extreme level of abuse being described during the victims statements. I was quite taken aback at some of those statements and I’m pretty hard to surprise in this situation. I think the other bit of new information is the contract situation with L10’s that essentially doesn’t allow them to leave and other gyms in the area being unwilling to accept these athletes — the combination of these two scenarios created a very hostile environment for the athletes caught in the middle and that absolutely cannot continue.

Well said, agreed!

 

[bookworm]

No clue, my daughter competes for Twistars and no communication went out to the families like that. The media is a joke.

And this is what has allowed that debacle to flourish up at Twistars...the fact that you as the parent of a gymnast there think that ALL the stuff in the media, the first hand accounts by gymnasts and families, including his most famous protégé Jordyn Weiber , that your former HC has been charged with assault in the past on more than one occasion, he was suspended by USAG ...and you think the media is a joke? No joking here. As Bach Flyer has pointed out , it has been known for years what has gone on there. Choosing to ignore it and stay is one thing but saying that the media reporting it is a joke is flat out false.

 

[ProvB]

“Documents filed with the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Thursday Jan. 25 Kathryn Geddert, wife of John Geddert, is now Twistars' president and resident agent.”

https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2018/01/29/john-geddert-twistars/1070396001/

 

[SMH]

“Documents filed with the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Thursday Jan. 25 Kathryn Geddert, wife of John Geddert, is now Twistars' president and resident agent.”

https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2018/01/29/john-geddert-twistars/1070396001/

As if this makes any difference what so ever ....and the website is wiped clean of mention of him?

 

[Seeker]

It is probably a necessary interim legal step to remove John as he is suspended and will likely be banned soon. It is widely rumored that the gym is for sale, but due to the suspension by usag, John cannot be the owner.

 

[gymdog]

A lot of this whipping up support reminds me of the sexual assault case against a coach at Bieger's gym a few years ago. Jana Bieger actually testified in support of the coach and more than a dozen parents and gymnasts demonstrated in support at the case at the bail hearing - how awful must this have been for the 10 year old having to testify knowing that her teammates and their parents were very publicly supporting her abuser. It turned out that the coach had previous sexual assault arrests - yet had not been banned by USAG
Link Removed

From what I recall she didn't really testify "in support" per se but had been coaching or out on the floor at the same time and testified she did not witness it. I'll have to reread but I don't really recall the Bieger's throwing much defense behind him.

 

[gymdog]

Reread, that is essentially what she testified under questioning by his defense attorney. Since I don't know whether she actively sought after that opportunity or was subpoenaed because she could say that without lying (she did say "she didn't have her eyes on him all the time") it's hard to judge. While there were some parents at the gym who supported him at the time (he had worked at another area gym and had some "followers" including the victim), I can't find much that verifies the Bieger family or gym itself was behind that.

As I recall it was kind of reported that way at first and in some blog posts like that, but then when I looked at closer at what happened in court I'm just not sure that spin is accurate. I wasn't there in court so I can only go by what limited amount was relayed in the media. But remember if you are present at the time of a crime like this and are questioned and honestly say you didn't see it, you could be subpoenaed by the defense even if you don't really want to be. So I don't know that we can fairly conclude that Jana "supported" him. If she honestly didn't witness it there wasn't much else she could say under oath except what she said "that she didn't have her eyes on him all the time."

 

[SMH]

Gedderts suspension has lead to Twistars member status be put under review by USAG. Is this another reason he changed everything over to his wife?
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...-twistars-membership-under-review/1078619001/

 

[LindyHopper]

Gedderts suspension has lead to Twistars member status be put under review by USAG. Is this another reason he changed everything over to his wife?
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...-twistars-membership-under-review/1078619001/

Gah! I've exceeded my monthly limit of 5 articles... Can you give a summary?

 

[flippin out]

Gedderts suspension has lead to Twistars member status be put under review by USAG. Is this another reason he changed everything over to his wife?
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...-twistars-membership-under-review/1078619001/

Was just coming on to post this link.

 

[GymMom4]

Gah! I've exceeded my monthly limit of 5 articles... Can you give a summary?

Same here.

 

[strawberries]

Gah! I've exceeded my monthly limit of 5 articles... Can you give a summary?

And me.

What were the odds we’d all exceed our monthly limit from the Lansing State Journal....

 

[flippin out]

I was able to read — I copied the article and pasted for those not able to view.

LANSING -- The suspension of a former U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach who worked with Larry Nassar could affect hundreds of families who belong to the club he founded.

John Geddert, 60, of Grand Ledge, is a one-time U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics coach. He was suspended by USA Gymnastics Jan. 22.

It added John Geddert is prohibited from having contact with any member clubs or coaching at sanctioned events and "the membership of any club or individual associating with a suspended individual is subject to termination."

If Twistars loses its member status, it could prohibit gymnasts who train there from competing at USAG sanctioned events that get exposure to college coaches, said Tom Jones, an East Lansing parent of a former Twistars gymnast. Jones' daughter, now 20, trained at Twistars at 9410 Davis Hwy. for eight years and is a collegiate gymnast out of state.

“There’s one Jordyn Wieber for every 10,000 or 100,000 that come through there," Jones said of Twistars. "But there are dozens of girls that get full-ride college scholarships. There are typically three to five every year.”

For now, gymnasts at Twistars remain eligible to compete in USAG sanctioned events at member clubs while officials review Geddert's suspension, according to the organization's statement.

Twistars has a national reputation as one of the best USAG member clubs in the country and is one of 93 member clubs in Michigan. There's also a Twistars facility in DeWitt Township that's not listed on USAG's website as a member club.

John Geddert has been accused by several former Twistars gymnasts of being an abusive coach who required them to be treated by Nassar. He was suspended by USAG on Jan. 22.

Nassar, 54, the former MSU sports medicine doctor, was sentenced last week to 40 to 175 years in prison for multiple sexual assault charges in Ingham County, most related to assaults on his patients. He already has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on child pornography charges.

Nassar is scheduled to be sentenced beginning Wednesday on additional charges in Eaton County, related to his work at the Twistars facility in Dimondale.

Hours after Geddert was suspended by USAG last week, he sent an email to "Twistars families" that said he plans to retire.


In its statement, USAG said the suspension of an individual's membership are not affected by a member's resignation, cancellation or retirement of his or her membership.

Three days after news of the suspension, the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory affairs confirmed Geddert transferred management of Twsitars USA Inc. to Kathryn Geddert, his wife.

Messages left this week with the Gedderts haven't been returned

John Geddert coached the gold medal winning 2012 U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team in the London games.

Contact Eric Lacy at (517) 377-1206 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @EricLacy.

 

[flippin out]

Now, question is—does him changing over the owner to Kathryn (in name) change this? Or does sleeping with said suspended person (being married to) constitute “associating with suspended person” and make them subject to club termination?

Side note—years ago John had live feed cameras installed in the gym. Assuming they are still active, who believes that he is not glued to screens and calling shots from afar? That would very hard to prove/disprove

 

[bogwoppit]

Now, question is—does him changing over the owner to Kathryn (in name) change this? Or does sleeping with said suspended person (being married to) constitute “associating with suspended person” and make them subject to club termination?

Side note—years ago John had live feed cameras installed in the gym. Assuming they are still active, who believes that he is not glued to screens and calling shots from afar? That would very hard to prove/disprove

It should not be enough for him to transfer ownership to her. That is just playing paper games.

 

[LindyHopper]

And me.

What were the odds we’d all exceed our monthly limit from the Lansing State Journal....

Haha!

 

[sewgood]

I thought that someone who is permanently ineligible cannot benefit in any way,directly or indirectly, including financially, from a member gym. To me, that says it should not be contributing to the household income of someone who is banned, but who knows how USAG interprets it.

 

[coachmolly]

I thought that someone who is permanently ineligible cannot benefit in any way,directly or indirectly, including financially, from a member gym. To me, that says it should not be contributing to the household income of someone who is banned, but who knows how USAG interprets it.

I'm pretty sure there is a rule at lest similar to that, though I cannot point to where it is exactly. I think right in the rest of the info about membership standing. I imagine this was just a quick fix for the time being while they wait for a buyer to come through, but it's definitely not enough.