Houston's Leading Black News & Information Source. You know how you hear about people in abusive relationships and how theyre broken and theyre almost a shell, Dana Joubert, mother of former Florida player Mikayla Hayes told Huber. At the end of her freshman season, Cam Newbauer told Hayes if she chose to stay at UF, she wouldnt play. But whatever the method of delivery, coaches must give correction and criticism, even if couched in the most constructive terms. If I had a problem, I would tell you. This should be one of the best times of your life.". And in response to them and to questions from CNN, the university announced five days later that it had hired a Chicago law firm to finalize the preliminary review that found no wrongdoing. That led to an outcry from former players and their parents. And as for the great Wild West of the internet, what's written and said on social media, message boards, and blogs about coach-player conflicts (or anything for that matter) is open to the belief and interpretation of whoever reads it. The head coach is accused of making racist remarks, throwing basketballs at players during practices and verbally abusing the team, assistant coaches and trainers. 1y Andrea Adelson. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Best XFL Bets for San Antonio Brahmas-Houston Roughnecks (March 5), Jon Jones-Ciryl Gane Prop Bets: Jones to Go For Early Finish in UFC Return? The former head coach was accused of racist remarks, verbal abuse and even throwing basketballs at players during practices. 6:50 PM EDT, Tue July 7, 2015, Univ. There were similar accounts of incidents at UNC Wilmington and USC. Its not regular for coaches to put their hands on players thats not breaking up a fight, thats starting a fight, he said, referring to the alleged incident with the football team. Bacon wonders whethercoaches have so much pressure to win that they're willing to go to any lengths, including abusive behavior. A Type 1 diabetic, Peter Cvijanovic had trouble gaining weight and says he was bullied daily by coaches for it. When Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, a basketball Hall of Famer and former MVP of the defunct Houston Comets, suddenly retired from coaching at Texas Southern last month it seemed like a fitting ending to a storied basketball career. Everywhere, coaches yell and cuss. Those two players got away with it?" Jim Sterk, the AD who jettisoned her, won the same . When she graduated high school in the late 1990s, Nelsonwent to Concordia University, a small Christian schoolin in Portland, Oregon, to play the sport she loved. "Coach Nelson is very aware of the concerns raised by some of her students and has worked closely with athletics leadership to improve her team environment and communication (since)," Hutton wrote. One player with the USC program told The Athletic: I was a mess and not a day went by that I didnt think about taking my life and even had an idea to do it at Cynthias house so she could understand what a devastating impact she had on me.. That's guaranteed. Northern Kentucky University women's basketball coach Camryn Whitaker will remain in her position after several former players accused her of emotional abuse and bullying. We ask any individual who has knowledge of or has experienced this kind of conduct to come forward. The University of Utah women's basketball team made history Saturday afternoon when it upset Stanford to claim a share of the Pac-12 title for the first time ever. We intended that through the external review process the student-athletes and their families would help us better understand their concerns and perceptions, Chancellor Phyllis Wise said in a statement. Teammates. And abuse is not acceptable. Many players and parents told CNN they wont be happy as long as Bollant remains. Outside observers, including the media, typically try to navigate between conflicting stories and attempt to locate the truth. Not a day went by that I didnt think about taking my life and even had an idea to do it at Cynthias house so she could understand what a devastating impact she had on me, the person said. A former USC player said she wrote a letter about all of the transgressions she saw and experienced, but never planned to do anything with the letter. Remember when the US sterilized Black people? Cooper-Dyke (then using her birth name, Cynthia Cooper) won two national titles at USC and was a four-time Finals MVP (1997-2000) for the iconic and dynastic Houston Comets franchise. Thaddesia Southall, who played for Cooper-Dyke at USC in 2013-14, was kicked off the team when she tried to explain that she was unable to bend her knee and practice. He broke my child. 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AP When Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, a basketball Hall of Famer and former MVP of the defunct Houston Comets, suddenly retired from coaching at Texas Southern last month it seemed like a fitting ending to a storied basketball career. Texas Tech has fired the head coach and assistant coach of its women's basketball team, after a scathing report chronicling claims of physical, mental and verbal abuse against players. I was a great player. Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women's basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. 1:56. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. The Athletics investigation uncovered allegations that spanned three schools during Cooper-Dykes coaching career, beginning at UNC Wilmington in 2010. At USC, players recalled that Cooper-Dyke similarly sometimes responded to questions from players or her assistant coaches with "shut the f*** up." While these allegations are untrue, everyone deserves to work, play and learn in a respectful environment, and I deeply apologize for and regret any words used during the course of a spirited game or practice that offended or hurt someone., Former womens basketball coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke allegedly was abusive toward players. So a player's tough day in practice that at one time she likely would have processed through by herself or with a teammate, now can turn into a full-fledged, anxiety-filled text session of, "The coach said what to you? A glaring report surfaced in September 2021, littered with abuse allegations from named and anonymous UF women's basketball players of the past and present levied toward former coach Cameron . Yet despite that sustained success and . She does not stand for what the WNBA represents. We were both throwing up in the morning from anxiety me from my knee and him because of the weight issue.. Per The Athletic, she and a teammate "practically begged" to hire Cooper-Dyke. If you cant stop bullying amongst your own staff, that is a problem.. The Detroit Mercy women's basketball team canceled the rest of its season on Thursday after players and their parents accused coach AnnMarie Gilbert of abuse and mistreatment, according. 1, 2023 at 5: . She made me hate basketball, and no one did anything to stop her.. They kept saying, You need to go back out there, even though they knew I wasnt 100 percent, North said. OTL: Investigation underway at Duke (6:00), Series of allegations against coaches marks troubling trend. Where women's basketball recruits draw the line for screaming and cursing coaches Duke went 20-12 and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1994. Jared Stansbury, Oct 26 • . During her time at Purdue-Fort Wayne, Nelson has been investigated before. Please be assured that the University takes any issues that impact the safety and health of our students, faculty and staff seriously to ensure a learning environment free from discrimination, harassment and violence.. Players from throughout Cooper-Dykes coaching career told The Athletic that she made sexual and degrading comments and endangered athletes physical and mental well-being. Youre a nobody. He didn't think negativity worked at any volume, in fact, at least not over the long term. Sources alleged to The Athletic that Hillsman turned to more severe tactics and put far less emphasis on the players following the Oranges run to the 2016 national championship game. "Everything we poured out to them was completely brushed under the rug," former player Sh'Toya Sanders said of theinitial investigation,"and was ignored by everyone.". Divilbiss departure comes after three sets of parents wrote letters to the administration in late April. Nelson denies the allegations. It reportedly followed a pattern of Cooper-Dyke leaving programs for other jobs after allegations were made to school administrators. None of this is to say that technology, social media and support from the outside are inherently bad. However, even then he did not involve himself in creating relationships with his players, instead labelling one of his assistants the relationship coach.. There are also times when you can see that both sides have reasonable complaints about the other, and they have to be worked through with mutual respect or they won't be resolved at all. Since Kirby Hocutt has taken over this program in 2011, he has already had to deal with a men's basketball coach accused of player abuse in Billy Gillispie and a player accused of sexual assault . November 4, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. EDT. Recently graduated football player Kenny Knight and three other former players who spoke to CNN say they witnessed two incidents in the past two years in which head coach Tim Beckman was physically rough with players. "Niecee's care and concern for student-athletes is the quality I love most about Niecee and (Purdue-Fort Wayne)is very fortunate to have her," she said. Many players found it inappropriate, demeaning and degrading. Following an investigation by TSU, the school implemented a limited contact order between Cooper-Dyke and the team back in January, disallowing one-on-one meetings and contact through phones and emails. Its so toxic. Nelson stayed there for11 years. Hayes told her mother that Newbauer hated her and two other freshmen players, Jalaysha Thomas and Tameria Johnson, because they werent recruited by him. Many of the players The Athletic spoke to cited Cooper-Dyke's standing in the sport as the reason they didn't come forward or tell anyone about their experiences. I was certainly troubled by all the allegations. Another person in the program described their depleted mental state. This is a woman who demeaned us, who talked to us like we were not human. Following her playing career, she began her college coaching career in 2005 at Prairie View A&M. Six of the former players who spoke to CNN said that Divilbiss made several comments that singled out the black players who were primarily recruited by the previous coach, also an African-American, from the white players who were primarily recruited by Bollant. In such an environment, coaches today face challenges that previous generations of coaches didn't. Thomas said he had not been aware of many of the allegations until being asked for comment by CNN, adding that he would ask the firm investigating to expand its scope. Dont miss out! She declined anin-person or telephone interview for this story. AP Photo/Chuck Burton. Johnny Milano for The New York Times. Women's basketball icon and former Texas Southern coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke used abusive and sexual language, endangered players' physical and mental health with excessive punishments, and. NWSL is still reckoning with alleged abuse by coaches. At all three schools, Cooper-Dyke is said to have discussed her and her players sex lives. The suit says the university failed to follow its own protocol for handling concussions when defender Casey Conine was injured, returning her to play before doctors cleared her. No one ever followed up with her. Please, check your inbox! The allegations against Cooper-Dyke might be the highest profile because of her name and status, but they are far from the first to come up. All the players CNN spoke to said that many more stories like these exist, but players are afraid to speak up because theyre still on the team. Texas Tech women's basketball coach Marlene Stollings has been fired after players accused her of fostering a culture of abuse that led to an exodus from the program. The announcement was made March 17, the day before the NCAA women's basketball tournament was set to tip the first round of action. ", At UNC-Wilmington in 2010-11, she would say "wet, wet" after a shot was made and then motion to a player adding, "I bet thats what [name redacted] was last night.". The charges were duly dropped, with the CPS saying: "A combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that . INDIANAPOLIS Alexis Meeks-Rydell, a former IUPUI volleyball standout and new assistant coach of Purdue-Fort Wayne's women's volleyball team, was accused this week in a federal lawsuit. You are trying to poison them. , When I tried to defend myself, she added, he was like, Dont try to come after me, Im the wrong person. . (6:00). IU is the No. She made me hate basketball, and no one did anything to stop her.. Or their family life. People should be proud of where they are from, but coach was saying it to make fun of where they are from.. There, she began her coaching career as a graduate assistant. Former players have accused former women's basketball coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke of "demeaning, demoralizing and abusive behavior," according to a report from The Athletic's Chantel Jennings and Dana O'Neil. Get a code sent to your email to sign in, or sign in using a password. Breaking news. The players say race wasnt the only factor that led to their mistreatment; they say they believe it also had to do with the fact that they were recruited by a previous coach. The universitys athletic director, Mike Thomas, acknowledged that the allegations are serious and call into question the culture of the program. Several ex . They recalled two instances where players were physically hit by their coach. Thomas, the universitys athletic director, said the university is reevaluating its practice of allowing head coaches to do most of the vetting of assistants they bring in. They were like, if you cant do this, youre going to have to leave. Like the neighborhoods where they grew up. 2023 Defender Network 12401 South Post Oak, Houston, Texas 77045 713-663-6996. CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) - Northern Kentucky University has released findings in the "independent, external review and assessment" of women's basketball head coach Camryn Whitaker. In one case, a womens basketball player says she was forced to play with an injured toe that ended up being diagnosed as a broken foot. In June 2021, Syracuse Women's Basketball Head Coach, Quentin Hillsman was accused of abuse from former players and staff members. In recent years, other women's basketball coaches -- such as Connie Yori at Nebraska and Sheryl Swoopes at Loyola Chicago, both in 2016 -- have been fired or resigned after investigations into . One former player claimed that Hillsman only contacted her once after a head injury forced her to sit the season out, simply to inform her that he would try to get her an extra year of eligibility. Athletic director Kirby Hocutt . Look at what the university has to lose, said Lydia Tuck, the mother of one former womens basketball player. She also has an Olympic medal in the trophy case and was named to last year's "The W25" list for the WNBA's 25 greatest players in history. Sarah Livingston, who transferred after the 2014 season, said the final straw, for her, was when another coach just turned away after one of Divilbiss rants. Allegations now include a lawsuit filed on June 8 by a former Illinois soccer player who says her concussion was mishandled. "How could I?" Another student said that when she scheduled a meeting with administrators to talk about Hillsmans behavior and why she was leaving the team, no one else showed up to the Zoom. She openly made fun of her players sex lives, engaged in demeaning name-calling and doled out harsh punishments for those who did not meet her standards. Nearly two decades later,the 41-year-old Nelsonis being accused of mental and physical abuse as head coach of Purdue-Fort Wayne women's basketball program. A coach didn't like the player's constant need for information and would shout "shut up" increasingly louder at her, it said. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com. After a striking victory against Concordia, the Comets returned to the Activity Center to dominate the Feb. 16 and Feb. 18 homecoming games. The allegations reported in The Athletic today are troubling. I could see the dial was moving to let me know that it was still playing, but there was no film to be seen. Though Hillsman has brought on more top-100 recruits (14) since 2015 than perennial national contenders UConn and South Carolina, he has failed to maintain them on his roster. TSU athletic director Kevin Granger declined to talk to The Defender about the allegations against Cooper-Dyke because its considered a personnel matter, instead referring to the brief comment the University released concerning the matter. They all just climb on top of each other and pull each other down. Academy Sports + Outdoors is teaming up with University of South Carolina Women's Basketball coach, Dawn Staley, and her non-profit, INNERSOLE, to surprise 90 Greenville County kids with brand new . I support the standards that he holds everyone to, regardless of what your high school ranking was, or how good a player you are or how good a player you arent., The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Cavinder twins saga shows silliness of NCAAs NIL rules, Hofstra University, Speedy Claxton agree to multi-year extension, No. HAMMOND, La. I was livid, I thought I was going to look up and see one of my teammates had thrown me down, but I looked up and saw Tim Beckman staring in my face. Knight and his father tried to look at the practice tape to review what happened. One said, When you are the head coach, you should stop that when you see it. This woman mentally and emotionally terrorized us., In a statement texted to The Athletic, Cooper-Dyke said that her countless interactions with a majority of her players have been positive., My only intention was to maximize players potential and help them be their best, she wrote. The outcome of the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights investigation remains unknown. One player is still on the team and declined through his teammates to talk about what happened. In addition, tension between the groups was encouraged, parents wrote in letters of complaint to the university in April. Syracuse has opened an external investigation into the allegations. Welcome to the game outside the game! She also pressured players to practice despite not being cleared by doctors after injury. Players are accountable to the coaching staff, each other and for their actions. Former players and managers also discussed their discomfort over Hillsman hiring his longtime friend Ronnie Enoch, who had been fired from a coaching job at North Carolina Central after allegations of sexual harassment against a player arose. He resigned July 16, citing personal reasons. Several former players or their parents told CNN that separate practices were held for the team one practice group was majority black, and called the dog pound, which the players understood to mean they were not in favor. She retired from her position as head coach at Texas Southern in March after being investigated by the schools Title IX office. Enter the code you received via email to sign in, or sign in using a password. "I care . In Nelson's fiveseasons at Purdue, the team's record is21-106, with a 0-12record for the 2020-21 season as of Jan. 19. Before I had the chance to lift a finger, in a matter of seconds, I was grabbed by my shoulder and thrown on the ground. It was a separate practice for womens basketball players at the University of Illinois, a majority of them black, where athletes were often allegedly harassed and attacked for things that had nothing to do with basketball. Id literally be limping while running, and you could see it. The division of the team during that time made it feel like coach was thinking all blacks think alike., She continued with more examples: In practice when a black player would do a certain move, he (Divilbiss) would make a comment stating thats the West Side coming out (referring to Chicagos predominantly black West Side). Players said she ruined basketball for them and they bonded together to "protect each other's sanity.". Mason Greenwood and his Manchester United future: The state of play. Three of the nine players who spoke to The Athletic reported experiencing suicidal thoughts due to the abuse and several others reported seeking therapy. And, she said, the attitude of the coaches is drastically different from those of her other daughter, who plays under much better circumstances at Connecticut. However, it's critical to also look at each case individually, because they are not all the same. MORE: Former Illini football player accuses coach of 'abuse of power' The two coaches were accused by the families of Jacqui Grant, Taylor Tuck and Taylor Gleason of disregarding injuries and . We've recently sent you an authentication link. Technology also has lengthened and strengthened the tether that college-aged people have to their family and friends, no matter how far away. Texas Tech fired women's basketball coach Marlene Stollings on Thursday, a day after a scathing newspaper report alleging a culture of abuse in her program. The women's basketball team now holds 12 wins and six losses in the conference season, bringing it to fourth place before the Feb. 21 ASC quarterfinals. "But people evolve and grow," she said. Burns, who went 27-7 in her final season at San Diego State, is the strength and conditioning coach for the Louisville women's basketball team. It conducted an additional review of the matter and found no wrongdoing, athletic director Kelly Hartley Hutton wrote to IndyStar in November, regarding the previousinvestigation. It was a combination. That's a terrifying threat to coaches, and it's understandable why they might feel their profession is under siege. Get the top Black headlines in Houston/Texas/America in your inbox Monday-Saturday. But when players say they should not have any stress from playing sports, that's a huge red flag of immaturity, regardless of the athlete's generation. "(Purdue-Fort Wayne)hired a winner, competitor and, most of all, a person of the highest character. The alleged bullying at the University of Illinois wasnt isolated to one program or one coach. That hearing was cancelled because, per Texas Southern policy, a complaint can be dismissed if "the Respondent is no longer enrolled or employed by the University.. A reporter for the Wilmington Star-News happened to be in the gym and reported on it. On Feb. 16, it was reportedly extended to include assistants and prohibited any contact outside of strictly scheduled practices and games. An introductory press conference for new TSU womens basketball coach Vernette Skeete set for last Thursday was abruptly canceled with no explanation. More abuse in women's basketball. Nobody has said anything or done anything, just passed her off to the next school, a USC player said. The university says the dead time between plays is not normally recorded during practice. Nearly two decades later, the 41-year-old Nelson is being accused of mental and physical abuse as head coach of Purdue-Fort Wayne women's basketball program. So if an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, this is a good time for all those involved in the dynamics of a team to really think about the best ways to stop these things before they reach crisis level. She did say she believes this type of behavior is more common in college athletics than most people believe. The Lady Raiders have 11 Sweet Sixteen appearances but have not . Florida has responded to the story, and put out a statement acknowledging that it knew of concerns with Newbauer. At most schools where she coached she called at least one play "hot sex" and often called players "retarded," "Black-ass child," "bitch," "p****" and "dumbass." After an investigation, Cooper-Dyke was faced with possible termination and resigned. Ive never had a coach thats cussed at me like she did or said some of the things she would say.. Email your story ideas and tips to CNNtips@cnn.com. LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Fresh off a conference championship, the 27-0 Transylvania women's basketball team was back in the gym this week, getting ready to host the first round of the DIII NCAA . The documentdemandsan independent investigation of Nelson and her staff. Police charged Bryce McKey with one count of third . Carrie Bacon, who played at Wyoming forFisher and Nelson,said she didn't see anything inappropriate from Nelson as a coach. Athletes on the football team also complained that injuries were not taken seriously one recalling a time when coaches threatened from the sidelines that he would lose his scholarship as he limped across the field with a knee injury. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) - Authorities in South Carolina say a youth pastor is facing more than a dozen assault charges for inappropriately touching young girls.According to North . And I'm me.". Some players say that has not been the case and that they alsobelieve the investigation was a farce. Finlay's views changed amid alleged emotional and verbal abuse that included the coaching staff designing a punishment drill in which she did log rolls the length of the court over and over for 20 minutes, per the report. Of course, they're not. Bacon didn't go into specifics about what took place. . Which is why speaking in absolutes about the dynamics of all player-coach conflicts is treacherous. Theres no rush to judgment. An account was already registered with this email. Every time something comes across my Instagram, someone celebrating her, I want to scream, she told The Athletic. According to the Richland In addition to the reported sexual comments, Cooper-Dyke also reportedly called players slurs and curse words. "We should be molding these humans, building them up to be professionalwomen. 'It was brutal': Toxic abuse alleged inside Purdue-Fort Wayne women's basketball. The things they said were so personal, attacking, that they would single you out and you felt you were alone, Gleason said. Some dismiss all claims of abusive coaching as the whining of young people from the "everybody gets a trophy" generation. Former players and others involved with the team claim that the 50-year-old would yell obscenities at players, yelling, Ill f you up. Yet the behavior of coaches can be one of the most difficult things to write about in sports. By Melissa Brunner Published : Mar. After this season, the Orange lost ACC rookie of the year Kamilla Cardoso and leading scorer Kiara Lewis to the transfer portal. Another former player, Amarah Coleman said that race was a constant underlying distinction and that Divilbiss often said things like, you know how black people play., And another former player, Taylor Tuck, said Divilbiss made a comment about three black players sitting together at a restaurant, saying, All the black girls are sitting together, thats segregated.. Tom Grusecki, the stepfather of one former player, wrote in a letter to the school that Divilbiss belittled his daughter in front of the team because of her estranged relationship with her father and because of her dyslexia.
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