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I'm sure it didn't help things, but several instances happened before he was really even known or famous. The first interactions with the twins who came forward was back in 2018. But completely agree, no excuses no matter what.Sadness. I'm incredibly sad and heartbroken for those kids who trusted and looked up to Jerry. And, I'm incredibly sad and heartbroken Jerry chose to use his incredible personality and talent to abuse children.
I don't care how many kids are surrounding you, it is a deliberate choice to use power or celebrity to prey on kids. No excuses.
I didn't realize it went that far back, thank you for clarifying.I'm sure it didn't help things, but several instances happened before he was really even known or famous. The first interactions with the twins who came forward was back in 2018. But completely agree, no excuses no matter what.
Sincere question:I am in no way condoning or defending, but I think most of us who have been in allstar cheer for a while can confidently say that Jerry grew up in a very problematic culture within allstar cheer and was guilty of doing what many others do - and consider normal - and he just happened to get caught. It is a very real issue that continues to get ignored by USASF, coaches and gym owners.
If you don't think coaches/gym owners know what goes on with many of these relationships and look the other way you are either blind or work in the industry yourself and want to deflect. I have no doubt that Jerry was involved in relationships/activity that were illegal when he was younger. It's a cycle. A very well known coach at a popular gym started <publicly> dating an athlete pretty much the day the athlete turned 18. The staff at that gym is kidding themselves if they think the relationship didn't start earlier. It is public knowledge that complaints have been filed about coaches and ignored multiple times over the years. NCA college nationals had an athlete on the banned list compete - meaning the coach of that program, and the NCA staff didn't do their jobs. When it was brought to NCA's attention the "solution" was to remove the videos and results of that particular college and the athlete could not compete in partner stunt. You have a convicted sex offender on the USASF preferred vendor list. I could go on for pages with examples.Sincere question:
What do you, or others, think the USASF, coaches, and gym owners could have done to prevent this?
The "problematic culture" is actually "vulnerability," and a governing body or business can do very little to make children less vulnerable, especially when 83% of the initial contact is done on social media. <Article>
The Department of Social Services in MO had 1780 instances of where foster children went missing in a 2 1/2 year span. After further investigation they found over 110,000 kid's had gone missing in the foster care system in the US for an avg of 37 days. <article> I could go on with pages and examples where government was supposed to watch over and protect kid's, but they didn't. Deflection or realistic?If you don't think coaches/gym owners know what goes on with many of these relationships and look the other way you are either blind or work in the industry yourself and want to deflect. I have no doubt that Jerry was involved in relationships/activity that were illegal when he was younger. It's a cycle. A very well known coach at a popular gym started <publicly> dating an athlete pretty much the day the athlete turned 18. The staff at that gym is kidding themselves if they think the relationship didn't start earlier. It is public knowledge that complaints have been filed about coaches and ignored multiple times over the years. NCA college nationals had an athlete on the banned list compete - meaning the coach of that program, and the NCA staff didn't do their jobs. When it was brought to NCA's attention the "solution" was to remove the videos and results of that particular college and the athlete could not compete in partner stunt. You have a convicted sex offender on the USASF preferred vendor list. I could go on for pages with examples.
I gave you real life examples to your question which you chose to ignore just like gyms, coaches, and the governing body does.The Department of Social Services in MO had 1780 instances of where foster children went missing in a 2 1/2 year span. After further investigation they found over 110,000 kid's had gone missing in the foster care system in the US for an avg of 37 days. <article> I could go on with pages and examples where government was supposed to watch over and protect kid's, but they didn't. Deflection or realistic?
The question I asked was, "What do you, or others, think the USASF, coaches, and gym owners could have done to prevent this?" Your response was, "I must turn a blind eye or work in the industry and want to deflect." No offense, but that was "deflecting." I have said in many posts, "Don't trust anyone with your kid's, because no one will protect them better than you." Fact: This is an industry with a high percentage of textbook "vulnerable." "No," I do not believe a government body or business can prevent "vulnerability."
Can they do a better job of keeping them from competing or working? "Absolutely." However, that doesn't negate the fact, 83% of initial contact is via SM and the industry has a high percentage of vulnerable kid's and active on SM.
Deflection or reality?
And, I showed you how our government failed 110,000+ kids. Once again, that had nothing to do with my question, which is fine, but I'm not the one deflecting. I asked, "What do YOU, or OTHERS, think the USASF, coaches, and gym owners could have done to PREVENT this?" Not examples of how they ignored it, which I have never questioned or stated otherwise. If your answer is "give consequences," fair enough, but I don't believe "banning or firing" (even though I think they should be) is going to prevent this when 83% of initial contact is made via SM. Even if every predator was banned from gyms and venues, AS consequences don't carry over to hotels, parking lots, pools, parks, etc, and the very reason I keep saying parents better stop believing a youth sport governing body or gym can protect their kid's.I gave you real life examples to your question which you chose to ignore just like gyms, coaches, and the governing body does.
Actions should have consequences. Every example I gave was ignored by the coaches, gym owners/university administration, the EP and the governing body. Even when forced to address the banned athlete at NCA, the "consequence" was to wave a magic eraser and make the result and video disappear from the website.
I asked, "What do YOU, or OTHERS, think the USASF, coaches, and gym owners could have done to PREVENT this?"
I don't believe "banning or firing" (even though I think they should be) is going to prevent this when 83% of initial contact is made via SM. Even if every predator was banned from gyms and venues, AS consequences don't carry over to hotels, parking lots, pools, parks, etc, and the very reason I keep saying parents better stop believing a youth sport governing body or gym can protect their kid's.