We’ve got a lot of dirty laundry in our sport. There are folks defining ethics considerably different than Webster. Others are all about the almighty dollar and there are far too many self-proclaimed authorities on the game whose advice is based on arrogance rather than expertise. While those individuals foul the air and litter the landscape with an abundance of unmitigated B.S., we continue to endure a far more serious issue that just simply will not go away. That all too common criminal inability of club and high school coaches to keep their hands off their athletes has reared its ugly head once again.
Follow the link below to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for details of the latest predatory relationship between a grown male coach and a minor athlete.
I’m sure his parents are proud of him. His college alma mater, which had previously inducted him into their Hall of Fame, must be thrilled to know that he continues to represent their institution in such an exemplary fashion. And no doubt his wife and two kids are chomping at the bit for him to be home in time for the holidays.
Spend a little more time on line and you’ll hear Mr. Wonderful apologize to his family on camera as he’s led to a car. He references a couple of “bad nights” and “bad decisions”.
You think?
WPXI TV Link
http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/breaking-pine-richland-basketball-coach-arrested-a/nn4hP/
The comments are bad enough but minimizing it that way, to the media no less, tells you what a compassionate intellectual giant we’re dealing with. Mr. Remorseful also says he’d take it back “in a heartbeat” right after he rationalizes his coaching style by saying “I’m not the first dude to make a mistake”. Guess being part of that fraternity of lowlifes and deviates who have abused their position makes it just a little more O.K.
Thanks for clearing that up. What a guy.
The reality is that again and again coaches continue to exploit the trust placed in them by both parents and athletes alike. Somehow a confusion continues to develop over just what exactly the role of a coach and mentor is in the life of an impressionable teenaged girl.
In this case she was 16 and felt like “she could tell him anything” and related to him “more than any friend”. The relationship became sexual in April and continued until last week. She bears no fault in this despite her misguided feelings for the man.
He was the adult.
He was the coach.
He was the predator.
You have to wonder if he’s really sorry….or just sorry that he got caught. This jackass called it a mistake. It’s not a mistake, it’s a crime. There is no explanation. There is no excuse.
At some point in the future, the young woman will realize how used and manipulated she was. Regardless of her “willingness” it was then and always will be incumbent upon the adult to defuse and minimize any feelings or situations that could evolve into something inappropriate. And his victim is far from the only person who will be scared by his actions.
It’s hard to imagine how her family and friends will look at situations over the next couple of years wondering just who they can trust and what might be going on when she leaves the house or goes on the road with a team again.
How about her teammates? He was both a club and high school coach. That’s two groups of young women who will endure at least one or two moments of “there but for the grace of God go I” when they think back on the situation. It’s been said that basketball creates lasting memories. Thanks to this poor excuse for a coach and his version of “one on one”, they’ll have something to reflect on for years to come.
The impact on his family goes without saying. Infidelities are hard to get past, especially the kind that lead to jail time. Try explaining to the kids that it was a “bad decision” or that you’re “not the first” one to do it. I’m sure that will smooth things over and enable them to implicitly trust adults as they mature since they could always count on dear ole’ Dad. Not that their well being was a priority in his choices anyway as they seemingly took a backseat to his own selfish needs. If there’s justice in the world he’ll find a new “girlfriend” behind bars who’ll mentor him exactly as he did the young lady.
In the bigger picture, let’s talk about the reach of his stupidity outside of his own immediate world. Every parent in high school and club basketball has to reassess, even if just for a moment, the coaches and situations they’re putting their daughter in. Greater care has to be taken to be sure that even the most trusted of individuals are never in a situation that could become awkward for either athlete or coach.
Below is a link to a column of mine that was run in 2012 on this sight with reminders, thoughts and suggestions for parents and coaches on this tragic topic. As you read it you’ll see that time doesn’t really change the accuracy, impact or importance of the message.
http://www.bluestarmedia.us/index.php/blogmain/marksblog/item/74-keep-your-eyes-open
Please share the above link or one to this column with anyone who may be a part of the women’s basketball landscape.
This isn’t a recruiting issue nor is it about evaluations, rankings or the evils of social media. All of that pales in comparison when you think of the potential impact on the life of even one young woman. I have no proof, but I’m sadly confident that for every case that comes to light there are many more buried under embarrassment, intimidation and misplaced trust. Players need to be told and ultimately reminded time and again what is and is not inappropriate behavior. They need to know for their own sakes but also for that of their teammates as well. There needs to be someone they can turn to if a coach’s behavior seems out of line, whether with themselves or another. Too many times we find out after the fact that “something didn’t seem right” yet nothing was said.
Have a conversation with your daughter…and then…have another. Experienced coaches should be counseling new and younger individuals running programs. Guidelines should be drawn before any travel and no team (high school or club) should be on the road with just one adult. There is absolutely no situation, on or off the court, that any coach should be alone with a single athlete. The circumstances prompting this article are a definitive example of what kind of situation can evolve from such carless behavior.
Not every incident has been at the hands of someone in their 20’s or 30’s either or even just men. Those who have impeccable reputations and spotless track records need to rethink how they do things and reassure their parents and athletes that they’re in safe, responsible hands. Because it’s been done a certain way for years doesn’t mean it’s not time to rethink an approach. Today, it’s important that parents place their trust in standards and actions, not reputations.
Each of us carries a responsibility to call into question any behavior that might indicate lines being crossed. It’s imperative not to be blinded by ego, exposure opportunities or the quest for scholarship dollars. While nobody wants to live in a world of paranoia, the environment we exist in today almost necessitates such an approach. Turning a blind eye or ignoring irresponsible behavior on the part of a coach can irreparably damage the future of another athlete’s career and worse yet…her life.
Mark Lewis is a national evaluator and photographer for Blue Star Basketball as well as the lead columnist for Blue Star Media. Twice ranked as one of the top 25 Division I assistant coaches in the game by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), he logged 25 years of college coaching experience at Memphis State, Cincinnati, Arizona State, Western Kentucky and Washington State. Lewis serves as a member of the prestigious McDonald’s All-American selection committee as well as the Naismith College Player and Coach of the Year committees.
