Oldrunner89 wrote:
How did they manage to get coaching roles in the sport if they were fired from a track organization from wrong doing?
Both Lauren and Nick grew up in Huntington and went to the university. That's why they got the jobs, that's why Lauren was given the job after Nick was fired, and that's why Lauren still has a job.
Reading some of these articles now just creep me out:
This town/university give off really creepy vibes. Hiding behind the guise of "Christianity" is disgusting.
SafeSport doesn’t govern the NAIA so they have no control. That would be up to the University. But since the University has failed to show they care in any way, I am hoping the NAIA takes action. I’m hoping the coaches of the other Crossroads League teams get together and refuse to let HU compete at the upcoming conference championships.
Oldrunner89 wrote:
I would also like to see if Let's run can ask some questions of the history between the Johnson's and the OTC.
Pat Casey's comments on twitter make it appear like there were significant issues caused by the Johnsons.
As someone who grew up in Indiana around the same time as the Johnsons, I had no idea that the separation from OTC may have been for unprofessional and/or illegal reasons.
would love an interview with OTC or a statement from the organization.
How did they manage to get coaching roles in the sport if they were fired from a track organization from wrong doing?
Obviously people behave inappropriately and get "recommended" into a new organization to avoid causing more problems at their current job. But this would appear like the start of a pattern of terrible behavior was not brought to light and led them conveniently right back to their alma mater and abusing young women.
OTC would never make a statement. Admitting that they were involved with a coach known for doping would be pretty massive. That being said, this is why I keep saying this could very well end up being a much larger story that goes beyond the events at Huntington University.
"How did they manage to get coaching roles in the sport if they were fired from a track organization from wrong doing?"
The answer: the Johnsons are long time friends with the Athletic Director at HU. This is why Nick was hired in the first place despite his sketchy past. This is why Lauren was hired after Nick was fired. HU was willing to sacrifice their "morals" (I put morals in quotes because obviously the school doesn't actually have any) to help out a husband and wife they are friends with.
hunter wheres the blow wrote:
Is anyone here familiar with the SafeSport process? If the University fails to act, is there another governing body like SafeSport that can take action here? Against Lauren specifically, whose enabling behavior clearly presents a danger to any athlete she coaches?
The US Center for SafeSport only has jurisdiction over US Olympic sport governing bodies like USATF and USA Gymnastics. Its was created largely due to the abuse of minors in Olympic sport. It's too bad the NCAA/NAIA systems don't put any real resources towards Safe Sport initiatives let alone anti-doping. It's a joke.
hunter wheres the blow wrote:
Is anyone here familiar with the SafeSport process? If the University fails to act, is there another governing body like SafeSport that can take action here? Against Lauren specifically, whose enabling behavior clearly presents a danger to any athlete she coaches?
According to the article, Nick Johnson is on the SafeSport list of banned coaches. But ......
SafeSport does not have jurisdiction over NAIA schools. I have no idea why. Maybe that's one reason why they've stayed there. The apparent lack of oversight (and potential tacit approval) by the university obviously played a huge part too.
OTC would not look bad for saying they found out one of their athletes/operations team members were actually wrongfully and were fired upon discovery. that's what is supposed to happen. obviously there could be more there.
And I understand how the Huntington U connection got them jobs. I just want to know what was known, when it was known, etc.
I am just surprised after never hearing any grumbling/rumors about their exit from OTC.
Scary to see multiple athletes at the university on the team posting the exact same word for word message supporting the coaching staff and university. Only makes you wonder this was a scripted message sent out by the coaching staff to continue to brainwash their athletes.
As crazy as it is, she's 18 now. is it wrong in every way? yes. but is the athlete allowed to choose as an 18yr old yes. In the old thread on this whole story, it states that the victim in the child seduction case filed for the restraining order to be removed this year.
Should everyone be appalled, yes. clearly manipulation.
The US Center for SafeSport is primarily funded by congress as well as the USOPC and 50+ NGB's. The NCAA/NAIA isn't going to allow SafeSport to administer an indepently run program to ensure their athletes are treated fairly just like they won't hire a third-party company to run a REAL anti-doping program for their athletes. These institutions care about money, not athletes
BillyTwigs05 wrote:
The US Center for SafeSport is primarily funded by congress as well as the USOPC and 50+ NGB's. The NCAA/NAIA isn't going to allow SafeSport to administer an indepently run program to ensure their athletes are treated fairly just like they won't hire a third-party company to run a REAL anti-doping program for their athletes. These institutions care about money, not athletes
If Michigan state and Penn state are indications of what's possible through a civil case, the university will surely find out that not caring about athlete well-being is going to cost them so much more money than any number of national titles could ever generate.
penn state was fined $73 million
it cost MSU $500million
I say this to highlight how backward the Huntington's priorities are in taking care of student safety. Morally, ethically, and financially.
the board is having a fit right now and running back through meeting minutes to determine what was brought in front of them to review nick/lauren johnson over the last 4 years. if any information got to the board given the ties between the AD and the Johnsons.
Wow there are a LOT of links to follow here, and LRC has done a good job of providing info while also trying to protect victims who have not identified themselves. Reading the court filing with all the allegations from the two former athletes who have bravely come forward is horrible, and we need to take those allegations seriously.
If you are still skeptical of the allegations and what kind of person Nick Johnson is, I would recommend starting to read the full police report. It's super long and I haven't even read half of it, but it goes into deep detail of the hard evidence that they have discovered, mainly about the relationship between Johnson and a minor. It includes interviews from the minor and their high school acquaintances, text messages and emails between Johnson and the minor, and all the plans that Johnson made to take her on a trip to Oregon and elaborately mask it as a recruiting visit. Here is a link to it again:
https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/full-police-report.pdf
The summary I get from it as that Nick Johnson has deeply brainwashed, coerced, and taken advantage of impressionable young athletes, more so than I initially thought. And the number of athletes affected as victims is probably only going to go up as more information is brought to the surface. It's infuriating and sad.
Normally grooming occurs when someone in a position of authority or trust spends a lot of time getting close to a minor with the intention of sex/a relationship once they're of legal age. This guy impersonated someone in a position of authority and did sexual acts (although allegedly not intercourse) with someone who was still a minor. I see grooming thrown around now in cases where it definitely isn't, and I hate that because it takes credibility away from actual cases of grooming like this one. This dude actually committed (and was charged with) fraud so that he could have almost-sex with a minor.
Both are true. The minor in question chose Huntington U after the events of kidnapping took place with knowledge Nick still hung around the team. Only brainwashing like grooming could cause this action.
And/or threats to leaks information that she didn’t want public.
All of Huntington athletics should be abolished and wiped from college sports history for this. They had the opportunity to take the proper action in 2020 when the allegations first arose, but they chose the easy way out. Hired his wife to replace him (while she was fully aware of everything he has done), kept the assistant coach around who was also knowledgable of everything, and still allows Nick Johnson to be around the athletes on the team (HU admins would have to be a different level of stupid to not be aware of that). Complete negligence on their end and it is disgusting that they opted to try and ignore it and hope it goes away.
But this should go way further than that. Nick Johnson and everyone involved should be put in prison no questions asked. Every day those coaches continue to wake up and interact with those athletes, the greater the odds that this behavior continues. Some media attention and a bit of traction online will not be enough to stop this. They will not stop until they are forced to.
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