Lehigh Track Coach Insensitive Comments

Hiram dude wrote:

My first inclination is to question the accuracy of things like this. As an ncaa coach, I can definitely say that a lot of kids will lie about anything. While I do believe that the vast majority tend to be decent, there are too many that have an axe to grind because of their own deficiencies and insecurities.

With that being said any of these touching incidents are true then he absolutely deserves to lose his job.

I disagree with "kids will lie about anything." I think it's more accurate to say "kids will interpret words/actions vastly different than your intent."

This guy seems like a total weirdo who should absolutely not be in a position of power. Even if his words/actions were not intended to be predatory, they are inappropriate and he should find a new career.

Out of curiosity, how much would a position like this pay?

I am a DI coach and I know the Lehigh coach. Actually a good guy, cares deeply about the sport, and probably is a little socially awkward. His wife has been an assistant coach and is a great person. Sometimes coaches (as all people) do things that in hindsight shouldn't be done. If he is truly remorseful and wants to improve his life, then who are any of us to question that. I find it interesting when people come on letsrun and scream for someone to be fired. I would love to know how many times in their professional life they have screwed up and not gotten fired. We all make mistakes and if we can learn from them and improve isn't that the goal of our lives. What I would like is for athletes that do feel like something makes them uncomfortable to grow up and speak to the person, and let them know how they feel. Then, if the coach ignores that information then can them. There isn't a coach alive that hasn't made some athlete at some time feel uncomfortable with a joke, comment, decision. But if the coach doesn't know it, then that is part of the problem.

Tell him to stop touching his athletes next time you see him.

My coach throws his arm around me occasionally to encourage me and hugs me from time to time, should he be fired?

Kids today don’t need any other incentive to lie than vindictive nature. These kids have plenty of reason to lie and given the cloak of anonymity, they know EXACTLY what to say to get someone fired.

There is a big difference from making a mistake in your professional career, and sexually assaulting another person, in particular a subordinate....the behavior deserves criminal charges, not a wait and see if he can improve....say for example he was not doing the best at getting his athletes to reach their potential, perhaps by having them do too many hard workouts, etc...that would be a "mistake" that is worth waiting out. Committing assault against anyone, particularly his athletes, deserves intimidate termination....I don't think it is so much to ask a coach not to make ANY sexual remarks about athletes or around athletes, and to NOT touch their athletes....Its a VERY low bar, that this guy can't even reach....

There's a pretty big difference between making mistakes at work, and the wildly inappropriate and unprofessional conduct the Lehigh coach engaged in.

Second point: I'd imagine it'd be pretty intimidating for a female athlete to confront their own head coach about this kind of stuff. His comments and actions amount to sexual harassment, but NCAA T&F Coach wants the female athletes to speak in private with the coach first, rather than report it through the proper channels. Why? So he can manipulate or intimidate them into not reporting the incident? Would you want to be alone with someone who was swatting your butt and talking about how "everyone wants to sleep with you"? Is that what you would tell your daughter to do?

Here's a pro tip: Don't make sexually suggestive comments towards your athletes. Don't touch your athletes inappropriately. We aren't talking about borderline behavior here.

The responses from several posters claiming to be college coaches on this thread are very disturbing.

This is by far the best response on this thread. To add to it, even if the athlete brought up the situation with lets say the captain, how does that not put the captain in a position to be manipulated? The best choice is to go above the coach and talk to the SA. SA's are usually pretty darn good at understanding the situation and coming up with a solution.

navigating the shifting landscape of what speech is inappropriate can be difficult, but I don't recall any point in time where commenting on women's bodies was a good idea. But if all it amounted to was ill advised comments, that MIGHT be able to be fixed. If he touched an athlete's butt, that is something very different. Is it really that hard to NOT do something? I give the same speech at the beginning of each season, male or female, I will shake your hand and maybe put my hand on your shoulder. If that makes you feel uncomfortable, let me know...not a problem. If you are a hugger, which I am not, I accept side hugs in public places. If you need assistance, I always bring another person with me. I make it clear that I never want to do or say anything that would ever cause an athlete to feel uncomfortable or cause anyone to distrust the guidance I give them as a coach. When I coached HS, I gave this speech in front of the parents and I had nothing but positive comments (though that was a while ago, I would be curious to hear how this might have changed). When I coached college, I never had an issue. I ask a lot of my athletes and I need them to trust my guidance. I don't see how anyone can fulfill their obligation as a coach if your athletes are uncomfortable with you.

Saving this in case I ever become a HC

"The Brown and White was tipped to the allegations by a former athlete, who has since transferred, and investigated numerous allegations against the coach, reviewing reports and emails shared by sources and reaching out to dozens of individuals close to the team in order to obtain confirmation of certain claims. "

I was a high school coach for 20+ years. I'll never coach again. I was never subject to what this guy is going through but the tides changed in this regard to all of these things between 1995-2016.

Sounds like former athlete played a role in the investigation....sour grapes perhaps.

College coaches have to make calls on what you run and how you train and sometimes when collegiate athletes do not improve they point the finger at the coach. It is as simple as that. Maybe there was a discipline situation where the kid got in trouble.

The hitting with batons (sticks?) and inappropriate touching.....I don't know.....maybe a misinterpretation?

I saw some of this happen at the college level - with opposing coaches - but rarely at the high school level and I personally would never be involved with that behavior. When you are teacher, you tend to bring your habits from the classroom to the track and would never touch a kid. However, I see "numerous" and "multiple" used then we find out it is 5/120 athletes. Sounds like one of those transferred and the other quit the team. To be honest, I'm thinking there was more going on with those kids.

So now we are down to 3 kids, an assistant who possibly wants the head coaching job, and a parent.

The number should be zero but the adults here, I'd love to hear more about their takes....but I'm doubtful.

If he had crossed the line, they would have fired him. He must be a good coach and at the university level these days, if you go after someone's sexuality, you are GONE....so I'm thinking they didn't come up with much in the investigation.

Plenty of coaches would grab the Lehigh job in a second so the fact he did NOT get fired says to me the accusations were questionable at best, fabricated at worst.

I'm not saying the coach is innocent. I don't know him. However, I'm not sure why ANYONE would want to coach with these factors coming at them daily. If you have run in college (I ran D1) you have firsthand knowledge of these situations in one way or another. And there are plenty of bad coaches out there.

Hiram dude wrote:

My first inclination is to question the accuracy of things like this. As an ncaa coach, I can definitely say that a lot of kids will lie about anything. While I do believe that the vast majority tend to be decent, there are too many that have an axe to grind because of their own deficiencies and insecurities.

With that being said any of these touching incidents are true then he absolutely deserves to lose his job.

I don't know, It's possible, less likely to be inaccurate if there are lot's of complaints?

But young people( all people) will make a mess of things, covering up for themselves as you say ,or because they don't like someone. They can get rumors started out of that , and if a person is un-liked, or feared, it can snowball, or at least get exaggerated. One thing might be true, or maybe not . The whole story or some of the collaborating stuff could be invented.

Two examples:

This sounds like a 30 year old with the maturity of a 15 year old. Maybe not intentionally harassing but has no business coaching anyone.

If you need someone to explain talking about sex and hotness is inappropriate than you shouldn’t coach.

Rip wrote:

My coach throws his arm around me occasionally to encourage me and hugs me from time to time, should he be fired?

Does he slap, kick or touch your butt either before, during or after the hug? If so, yeah.

Wisdom right here.

Rip wrote:

My coach throws his arm around me occasionally to encourage me and hugs me from time to time, should he be fired?

Read the claims. He was doing more than hugging.

NCAA T&F Coach wrote:

I am a DI coach and I know the Lehigh coach. Actually a good guy, cares deeply about the sport, and probably is a little socially awkward. His wife has been an assistant coach and is a great person..

fyi- We aren't talking about his wife.

Pis Bill wrote:

longboat wrote:

Agree -- why is this person still employed?

Multiple complaints, but apparently through different channels -- Lehigh failing to connect the dots?

How is it we have an award named after Bill Bowerman, the super creeper who peed on his athlete in the shower?

Imagine if he coached in this day and age pulling that crap?