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The news made public today really surprises and upsets me. The players seemed to be comfortable around him. This should never happen (obviously). Are we at a point where male coaches cannot be alone with female athletes without supervision both on and off the ice?

It goes both ways. Seen the latest news out of CDH?

it's not about a male coach and female players. It's the kind of coach he was. He was more worried about being the young cool coach than being a real coach. He had a lot of people fooled. There's going to be a lot of angry people in the Grove, he should stay away

no_shaft wrote:The news made public today really surprises and upsets me. The players seemed to be comfortable around him. This should never happen (obviously). Are we at a point where male coaches cannot be alone with female athletes without supervision both on and off the ice?

Wait what happened?

Look up swcbulletin.com, you can read it

NOT A CHANCE!!!

He admitted it. I wouldn't put it past him

Are we at a point where male coaches cannot be alone with female athletes without supervision both on and off the ice?[/quote]

The answer to this question is YES. That protects MOST IMPORTANTLY our daughters and the coach.

To say that because of this alleged incident male coaches shouldn't be allowed around female players is ridiculous. Should we also eliminate male teachers from teaching female students and vice versa? Unfortunately it happens in extremely rare instances but don't throw every male coach into that category because of this situation. There are alot of great coaches out there whether male or female that are terrific role models for these student athletes and to lose them because of mass panic over one incident is just plain stupid.

2inNet wrote:Are we at a point where male coaches cannot be alone with female athletes without supervision both on and off the ice?

The answer to this question is YES. That protects MOST IMPORTANTLY our daughters and the coach.[/quote]

I don't think its exclusive to male coaches. I don't think any coach, male or female, should be spending unsupervised alone time with minor male or female athletes. Whenever someone is in a supervisory role they should avoid all appearances of impropriety.

What happened in CDH?

Are we at a point where male coaches cannot be alone with female athletes without supervision both on and off the ice?

The answer to this question is YES. That protects MOST IMPORTANTLY our daughters and the coach.

Our daughter has always had male coaches and never experienced any inappropriate behavior from any of them. I think usually there are red flags if you really look back at the contact with this type of coach or teacher.

Things like being extra chummy with the players, more interested in being cool and being accepted by the girls, overly self promoting and self absorbed. The pattern seems to be very similar in both cases of Darwitz and Vivian(coach of Honeybaked and Belle Tire who was arrested last year for providing alcohol and having sex with minor players) Having met both of these coaches, they both displayed similar behavior. Both felt that they were the sh*t and untouchable. Both were in need of approval from the girls they coached and desired to be friends with the players.

It is one thing to be friendly towards players, it is another thing to want to be friends with a player. There is a boundary that should never be crossed and these types of coaches and teachers blur that line so much that the line disappears. At no time, should the child be blamed for the actions of the adult in charge, even if the child is a 16 year old girl. Their ability to use rational thinking is not fully developed at this age , where an adult without any brain damage or psychological damage to the brain, has full control of rational thinking.

I've coached hockey a few years (in CG, by chance) and the girls wanted me to come to the sleep over, and I was like ah NO. Another year at our sleep away tournament, if the girls were ever in my room, it would never be one and the door was away open. There has to be boundries, whether you are a man or women, coaching males or females.n

While the focus of this thread has been about the coach or how coaches should handle themselves I have a nagging question in the back of my head. If one of these girls were my daughter (I do have one this age), I would be absolutley horrified by my daughters actions. I am not sure what the punishment would be because I can't envision my daughter getting herself into this situation. I am not trying to pass judgement on any of these girls, but it is very obvious they showed very poor judgement. Am I too naive to realize the influence some of these people have on young girls or is it as simple as "it takes two to tango"?

It makes me sad anytime I hear about something like this. Adults should never take advantage of students like this. When it happens that adult should be severely punished. Something even more disturbing is that it took so long to come to light. I heard that the only reason this thing finally came out was because Darwitz upset someone at some hockey function and that parent followed up on a rumor that she had heard and forced someone to go to authorities with the facts. If it wasn’t for that parent this predator would be working with young girls at one of the premier hockey schools in the country.

dochockey wrote:It makes me sad anytime I hear about something like this. Adults should never take advantage of students like this. When it happens that adult should be severely punished. Something even more disturbing is that it took so long to come to light. I heard that the only reason this thing finally came out was because Darwitz upset someone at some hockey function and that parent followed up on a rumor that she had heard and forced someone to go to authorities with the facts. If it wasn’t for that parent this predator would be working with young girls at one of the premier hockey schools in the country.

This post brings up an interesting topic. When should a parent speak up and at what point is behavior between a coach and student suspect enough for an adult parent to say something? Obviously there is a real dilemma. The safety of the kids is imperative but what about the reputation of the coach if rumors or appearances turn out to be false?

"What an idiot" Tarnish a kid, damage families; his and the kids, ruin a career, etc. You mess with kids any age you should get the max punishment allowable by law.

Something is off in this whole story...a boyfriend of one of the girls tips off authorities 3 years later? There are going to be no charges (nor is his name mentioned) for the other male? Whether we agree or not, 16 is the age of consent in Minnesota but because 1 male was an authoritative figure by coaching the girls the previous year, only he is charged? If he wasn't a coach, there would be no charges?? As the parent girls (and boys), I am alarmed by these accusations, however I am well aware how some girls act. Don't be too hasty to be the judge and jury and throw the guy (or girls) under the bus until ALL of the facts are brought out.

wild77 wrote:While the focus of this thread has been about the coach or how coaches should handle themselves I have a nagging question in the back of my head. If one of these girls were my daughter (I do have one this age), I would be absolutley horrified by my daughters actions. I am not sure what the punishment would be because I can't envision my daughter getting herself into this situation. I am not trying to pass judgement on any of these girls, but it is very obvious they showed very poor judgement. Am I too naive to realize the influence some of these people have on young girls or is it as simple as "it takes two to tango"?

I guess this should be a reminder to all, coaches need to coach and players need to play
And there is no need to socialize with each other, and yes it is the responsibility of the adult to make sure they are never in a predicament like that. As far as the actions of the girls and I do not condone what they did either, But there is medical proof that the frontal reasoning part of the brain does not fully develop until the child is about 21 and that is why it ultimately falls on the Adult to be responsible.

The coaches time with the kids need to be during the alloted practice/game time and that's it and never alone with another player boy or girl to CYA. I also have a daughter that age and I expect to know where she is at all times (confirmation from other parents works nice) especially at night since they don't always make the right decisions.

I can say for myself, if this where one of my daughters,and I have two that play sports,and a coach,teacher or an adult for that matter did this to one of them,he better leave the country.THERE'S NO EXCUSE AT ALL OR PUNISHMENT TO GREAT FOR THIS PREDITOR.

Right on Old Guy39. I'm with you. they would spend a lifetime of looking over thier shoulder.

oldguy39 wrote:I can say for myself, if this where one of my daughters,and I have two that play sports,and a coach,teacher or an adult for that matter did this to one of them,he better leave the country.THERE'S NO EXCUSE AT ALL OR PUNISHMENT TO GREAT FOR THIS PREDITOR.

I agree 100%. I have always stated that if anyone ever hurt one of my kids, I would gladly spend time in a gated community with 3 squares a day, a television, free clothes, and free education after taken matters into my own hands against a sexual predator.

Reading that story from the Woodbury Bulletin was simply disgusting.