And the parents should also know better
And the parents should also know better
Here is a link to local news coverage:
https://www.wane.com/news/huntington-university-coach-arrested-for-child-seduction-and-kidnapping/
Wow. Didn’t see this one coming. This is insane. I would of thought the next time we saw Huntington in the news was after they won the National XC title in the spring. Can’t imagine what the athletes and recruits are feeling. Talk about letting so many people down and altering so many peoples lives. I can’t imagine taking over that program.. will be a tough road ahead. Hoping the best for the victim, his wife and the people around the program.
In Indiana you only have to pay 10% of the bond to be released therefore he only had to pay $3,000
sickened wrote:
In Indiana you only have to pay 10% of the bond to be released therefore he only had to pay $3,000
Hence bail bonds. Well, I would hate to see those interest rates.
It’s surprising to see such serious charges, but not all surprising to see a bad guy finally get aired. Nick is manipulative and condescending. He’d be nice to a few athletes, but still gossip about them behind their backs, and cruel to everyone else in such a smiling, church boy way that it fooled the other coaches, at least for a while. He’s also a pathological liar. He would lie about the weirdest things, like he just couldn’t help the words coming out of his mouth. He wreaked havoc on our team in the sneakiest ways, psychologically toying with lower tier athletes for what seemed like a power trip.
He does give off a creepy youth pastor vibe in his photos.
Sounds a lot like another person who's in power right now in this country. At least for a few more weeks. I'm sorry you had to go through that experience.
Ha, admire his style, but trust me, this guy’s a rookie
This story keeps getting crazier! Johnson used the name “Jill Steele”
A quick google search of Jill Steele ...
Oregon University Assistant Athletic Director for Track and Field Operations
Johnson has ties to Oregon based off this past LetsRun article:
It should also be said that on the police log at the Huntington university police department on campus that Vice President Ron Coffey was made aware of certain things and failed to act a year ago. The campus police were called to the gym where they found the coach giving a hot oil massage to a female runner, after hours, in a dark classroom. Yes, you are reading this correctly. The Deputy that made the call contacted Ron Coffey and was advised that a coach can take care of their athletes. Does anyone else think these circumstances should have resulted in at least a thorough investigation? I mean hot oil massages in the gym after hours in the dark with a female athlete should have been the first clue something wasn't right. This can all be verified by the Huntington Co. Sheriff Department who tried to get the university to further into this call. If this would have been handled differently a year ago there may have not even been another victim.
In typical fashion of schools like these it seems someone that should have done something done nothing in hopes it would go away. This guy should be fired if he failed to address a coach giving hot oil massages after hours with no one else present.
If this is true and a VP knew of a “Hot oil” rub down in a dark room after hours with NO internal investigation this man should be fired immediately! He is an enabler to the coaches actions.
Hopefully the police report about the “Hot oil” rub down is in the hands of the university’s board of trustees and they will do what is right and fire this man.
Religious institution.
Too often, they try to bury things in order to avoid controversy and embarrassment. The leaders are conflicted by male sexual behaviors such as this. On one hand, it is a violation of school policy and Christian mores for him to do such things outside of his marriage. On the other, church elders probably see something right about this as it is "natural" for a man to have urges and for women to submissively acquiesce to those needs as God, in his infinite wisdom, intended by design. Patriarchy is the natural order of things in their belief system.
Instead of doing the right thing and working with the local authorities, they may have decided to use guilt/counseling/prayer/redemption (and maybe payoffs?) to keep the alleged abuser's actions "in the family". This plays out like so many similar sexual scandals from Jim Bakker to Jerry Falwell, Jr and Liberty U. to the Catholic Church.
Prosecute the coach. Investigate the school's administration. Prosecute any complicit parties with extreme prejudice. This should never have happened to begin with.
Well. This just keeps getting juicier.
Portland Hobby Jogger wrote:
Religious institution.
Too often, they try to bury things in order to avoid controversy and embarrassment. The leaders are conflicted by male sexual behaviors such as this. On one hand, it is a violation of school policy and Christian mores for him to do such things outside of his marriage. On the other, church elders probably see something right about this as it is "natural" for a man to have urges and for women to submissively acquiesce to those needs as God, in his infinite wisdom, intended by design. Patriarchy is the natural order of things in their belief system.
Instead of doing the right thing and working with the local authorities, they may have decided to use guilt/counseling/prayer/redemption (and maybe payoffs?) to keep the alleged abuser's actions "in the family". This plays out like so many similar sexual scandals from Jim Bakker to Jerry Falwell, Jr and Liberty U. to the Catholic Church.
Prosecute the coach. Investigate the school's administration. Prosecute any complicit parties with extreme prejudice. This should never have happened to begin with.
Totally agree with you on the depravity of the situation and the need to investigate this at all levels in the university. tbh I really don't think church elders think like that about men's "natural" urges and women to be submissive. Maybe some do but that's not mainstream from my experience. In reality I think there 2 main terrible dynamics at play.
- Elders and church leaders think that ends justify the means to their ministry. In this twisted logic, protecting the institutional reputation does more good to further than mission than righting an injustice.
- Christian leaders are too invested in personal and institutional power. Many start with good intentions but when power gets a hold on them, they make efforts to preserve that at all costs.
I think both of these dynamics were at play with Jerry Falwell as well. I'm not denying that there are probably some individual Christian leaders who think it's ok for men to do whatever, but that's not part of any mainstream theological doctrine.
Portland Hobby Jogger wrote:
Religious institution.
Too often, they try to bury things in order to avoid controversy and embarrassment. The leaders are conflicted by male sexual behaviors such as this. On one hand, it is a violation of school policy and Christian mores for him to do such things outside of his marriage. On the other, church elders probably see something right about this as it is "natural" for a man to have urges and for women to submissively acquiesce to those needs as God, in his infinite wisdom, intended by design. Patriarchy is the natural order of things in their belief system.
Instead of doing the right thing and working with the local authorities, they may have decided to use guilt/counseling/prayer/redemption (and maybe payoffs?) to keep the alleged abuser's actions "in the family". This plays out like so many similar sexual scandals from Jim Bakker to Jerry Falwell, Jr and Liberty U. to the Catholic Church.
Prosecute the coach. Investigate the school's administration. Prosecute any complicit parties with extreme prejudice. This should never have happened to begin with.
That's stupid. One. Huntington has a female President, female AD, female SID, female head trainer and the list goes on... Two. Huntington doesn't have "church elders". The church they are affiliated with does not provide much support.
The situation that may have had them looking the other way, was success and personal ties. Lauren was a good success story, was a huge feather in the cap of the AD whom she played for, then immediate success on the track prevented any action. Not to mention Johnson's community ties.
Had nothing to do with this being a religious institution.
Portland Hobby Jogger wrote:
Coaches get into these situations because of their own stupidity. Any good coach should always adhere to the following:
Never coach one-on-one alone - always be within eye/earshot of an assistant coach and other athletes. If personal matters are being discussed, this should happen in an office situation and be fully documented with contemporaneous notes filed with the AD or club management.
Never have direct phone contact with athletes. All non-verbal communication should be conducted via e-mail/text (No private apps) that can be archived. With minors, all communication should copy parents/legal guardians or be relayed through them.
Never follow athletes or communicate via social media. Just like the workplace, you need to maintain a professional barrier.
There is NEVER an excuse to act in any manner other than professional with athletes.
I don't know that coaches have to be quite this careful.
The never coach one-on-one rule isn't always possible. Being in earshot of others isn't always possible either. A general rule that can be followed is to never be behind closed doors with an athlete.
Never have direct phone contact with athletes -- what do you think we did before cell phones, texts, email? I still call my athletes. It's a matter of being professional and keeping conversations short and to the point.
I agree with the never follow athletes on social media - it's actually a rule at my school anyway.
Your last point to always be professional is the most obvious one.
Doing things like hot oil massages, in the dark, after hours seemed like he went down a path that only had one outcome.....
I’m a D2 female runner. Our coach explicitly told us not to visit LetsRun forums.
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