WAG Some news on Geddert himself - suspended

[sewgood]

? Please don't lump me into your frustrations with USAG. I use this site as a news source with this case (like many). I saw a post regarding liukin , who I haven't heard anything about. That doesn't mean things haven't been said , it just means I haven't heard . The speculation is and has been that Nastia was possibly spared by NASSAR because he feared Liukin would find out. So I was under the impression that he was not involved . The weighing of athletes mentioned above are a separate issue entirely . I do not nor ever will weigh kids , but it is a practice some gyms do including some colleges. So until a formal dismissal of such practices is implemented I really dont forsee
Any change or action.

Ok, but see, right there, is the problem. The weighing of athletes is NOT a separate issue. Have you listened to any of these victim impact statements this week? When you ramp up the anxiety about weight and food, of course they are ripe to run right into the arms of a sexual abuser who is grooming them by providing food when their coaches deny it! That's literally what grooming is. Providing things they need in order to garner trust.

 

[amiandjim]

Sorry this is long!

Here is the place where I think USAG has definitely dropped the ball and needs to change. Are parents partly responsible for allowing their children to remain in an abusive environment, absolutely!! But, I truly believe a large portion of parents don’t really know what is happening or that their have been past allegations.

I’m a huge gymnastics fan, so I’ve known there have been allegations against Geddert for years. That doesn’t mean they have been on the front page of the newspaper for years. That doesn’t mean that a random parent who signs their kid up for gymnastics, ends up on team, and is a level 7ish gymnast now has any idea (let’s take Nassar out of the equation for now and focus just on abusive coaching). So then, in a year or two, their child is finally actually coached by Geddert. They made the “big time.” It would probably take a while for the abuse to build up and the child to say a word, if she ever did at all. Then, it’s too late. Damage is done. That’s where USAG could have stepped in long ago and stopped the abuse but didn’t.

Let’s take the unnamed “abusive coaches” we have been talking about in another thread. Let’s say your child has been at that gym for a few years and is a level 7-8. Owner brings in new head coaches. Probably says they have NCAA experience. If you don’t know anything about NCAA gym, you have NO IDEA there have been complaints for years and they have been let go by 2 NCAA programs! NO IDEA. Sure, I would probably google them and find out quickly but a lot of parents wouldn’t. They would just trust the owner and “the process” as we are always told. I mean, 2-3 girls left bc they came, but no one publicized why. No one told the other parents, hey...you might want to rethink this! And USAG just gave them a membership and the ability to coach at meets without a second thought! That’s where they have failed! Ok, sorry for the rant. I just don’t understand how, now, at this time, they are allowing these coaches to continue.

 

[Flyaway]

from what i understand, she wants nothing to do with Elite anymore. She is at a great facility in florida.

If true it's a shame because she is the type of person who proves that a new culture in USA gymnastics (gymnast empowerment) works. But honestly? I don't blame her one bit if she wants out.

 

[bogwoppit]

Sorry this is long!

Here is the place where I think USAG has definitely dropped the ball and needs to change. Are parents partly responsible for allowing their children to remain in an abusive environment, absolutely!! But, I truly believe a large portion of parents don’t really know what is happening or that their have been past allegations.

I’m a huge gymnastics fan, so I’ve known there have been allegations against Geddert for years. That doesn’t mean they have been on the front page of the newspaper for years. That doesn’t mean that a random parent who signs their kid up for gymnastics, ends up on team, and is a level 7ish gymnast now has any idea (let’s take Nassar out of the equation for now and focus just on abusive coaching). So then, in a year or two, their child is finally actually coached by Geddert. They made the “big time.” It would probably take a while for the abuse to build up and the child to say a word, if she ever did at all. Then, it’s too late. Damage is done. That’s where USAG could have stepped in long ago and stopped the abuse but didn’t.

Let’s take the unnamed “abusive coaches” we have been talking about in another thread. Let’s say your child has been at that gym for a few years and is a level 7-8. Owner brings in new head coaches. Probably says they have NCAA experience. If you don’t know anything about NCAA gym, you have NO IDEA there have been complaints for years and they have been let go by 2 NCAA programs! NO IDEA. Sure, I would probably google them and find out quickly but a lot of parents wouldn’t. They would just trust the owner and “the process” as we are always told. I mean, 2-3 girls left bc they came, but no one publicized why. No one told the other parents, hey...you might want to rethink this! And USAG just gave them a membership and the ability to coach at meets without a second thought! That’s where they have failed! Ok, sorry for the rant. I just don’t understand how, now, at this time, they are allowing these coaches to continue.

It is definitely an issue, people like me and you "know" the coaches to avoid. But how do noobs? There are banned coach lists, but there are a ton of coaches out there that should be on a "avoid like the plague" list.

I think we could stand and name at least 10 big names that we would tell people to avoid with no hesitation. Maybe 20.

 

[amiandjim]

It is definitely an issue, people like me and you "know" the coaches to avoid. But how do noobs? There are banned coach lists, but there are a ton of coaches out there that should be on a "avoid like the plague" list.

I think we could stand and name at least 10 big names that we would tell people to avoid with no hesitation. Maybe 20.

Yes, yes we could! But we don’t, and maybe that’s part of the problem too.

 

[suds]

weigh-ins are still around. I have friends who came from gyms where their 8 year olds were being weighed.

No good comes from coaches weighing female gymnasts. None.
This is especially precarious for minors for a plethora of reasons.

Weight is especially useless data in athletes as muscle weighs more than fat.
Also, adequate hydration status will result in a higher weight.
Plus many, many more issues: psychological and otherwise.

Any coach or gym currently weighing gymnasts needs to stop immediately.

 

[LindyHopper]

Yes, yes we could! But we don’t, and maybe that’s part of the problem too.

We don't for fear of libel. We don't for fear of retribution, whether from the coaches themselves or their supporters. We don't for fear that we won't be believed. We don't for fear that our name will be dragged through the mud.

This is why anonymous reporting is valuable, but at the same time, people tend to doubt those who are anonymous.

 

[amiandjim]

Yes, Lindy Hopper. That’s why. And it’s sad.

 

[bogwoppit]

Yes, Lindy Hopper. That’s why. And it’s sad.

I definitely have warned people privately, but yes, the risk of legal action is probably the thing that stops me making lists here.

 

[GymFan96]

Liukin? I have seen nothing but excellence from Liukin each and every time I have had the pleasure of working with him. Did I miss something ?

Yeah I think you did. I’m assuming you weren’t at the camp where one of Valeri’s kids got severely ill with constant diarrhea among other symptoms and he made her keep practicing? When she got back home she was badly dehydrated. That is dangerous. Just one example.

Valeri is not even that impressive a coach. He’s had several kids with huge potential but only one Olympian. And that is largely due to his bad judgment calls such as Ohashi doing the pirouettes that ruined her shoulders, and Bross doing the DTY that ruined her knee.

The Karolyis have had various allegations of being too harsh, but at least they have the Olympic results to back themselves up (and they have never been proven to have done anything like the confirmed stories about Liukin!) Valeri does not have the intuition and potential to make Champions that Márta does, he doesn’t deserve this position!

 

[TumbleTimes4]

Anyone have a link that shows Judge Aquilina sentencing him? I missed it today.

 

[bogwoppit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=YLBLI7Lz4Xo

 

[Deleted member 14190]

They let Debbie van horn go (ranch trainer) . And president of MSU is gone

 

[sce]

Liukin has become NTC after Nassar was arrested. Why should he be pressured to resign?

He has a history of being abusive as a coach and was in the National
Team staff when Nassar worked with the national team. He had a lot of involvement with th camps over the years.

 

[sce]

I did not watch all the testimony nor have read/ heard anything about liukin , that is why I asked "did I miss something"..... and yes every time I have been with him I have seen nothing but professional behavior. What do you want me tot do lie about it?

Read Katelyn Ohashi’s blog for a beginning to understand the concerns about Valeri: https://www.google.com/amp/s/behindthemadnesssite.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/dear-standards/amp/

 

[ProvB]

They let Debbie van horn go (ranch trainer) . And president of MSU is gone

I’ve been looking for info on DeBbie van Horn being let go but can’t find info anywhere. Do you have a link or is this not public knowledge?

 

[sce]

I’ve been looking for info on DeBbie van Horn being let go but can’t find info anywhere. Do you have a link or is this not public knowledge?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

[Never You Mind]

I would like to know how such a policy would be enforceable. How can he make a gymnast stay?

When we left Twistars, after verbal abuse by John Geddert toward me and my partner, and threats toward our son who was on the team there, we gave no notice at all. John Geddert is the kind of person you don't want to interact with once he's mad at you. So, to avoid paying for the 30-day notice we were supposed to give, I snagged a fake credit card number off the internet (these are completely legit--it's not anybody's number. It's fake numbers that will pass the checksum test as valid numbers, but aren't actually associated with any read credit accounts. They're used in running tests of, for instance, billing software). I replaced the card number we had on file with Twistars for paying our monthly bill with that, and then emailed the gym to say we weren't coming back. I'm kind of like, "If they take me to court someday and the judge says I have to pay that bill, I will." But by then the first rumblings of the sex abuse scandal were being heard and I figure the Gedderts have bigger fish to fry.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Read Katelyn Ohashi’s blog for a beginning to understand the concerns about Valeri: https://www.google.com/amp/s/behindthemadnesssite.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/dear-standards/amp/

Everyone knew in the 90's how easy it was to create eating disorders . just stupid.... and it sounds like her mother wasn't much better....
Poor kid was surrounded

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I would like to know how such a policy would be enforceable. How can he make a gymnast stay?

When we left Twistars, after verbal abuse by John Geddert toward me and my partner, and threats toward our son who was on the team there, we gave no notice at all. John Geddert is the kind of person you don't want to interact with once he's mad at you. So, to avoid paying for the 30-day notice we were supposed to give, I snagged a fake credit card number off the internet (these are completely legit--it's not anybody's number. It's fake numbers that will pass the checksum test as valid numbers, but aren't actually associated with any read credit accounts. They're used in running tests of, for instance, billing software). I replaced the card number we had on file with Twistars for paying our monthly bill with that, and then emailed the gym to say we weren't coming back. I'm kind of like, "If they take me to court someday and the judge says I have to pay that bill, I will." But by then the first rumblings of the sex abuse scandal were being heard and I figure the Gedderts have bigger fish to fry.

Lol. Not sure if I would brag about that but good for you .