US Soccer / NWSL - Independent Investigation Report

[Technician72]

A few of the articles / statements of the independent investigation:

U.S. Soccer Releases Full Findings And Recommendations Of Sally Q. Yates’ Independent Investigation And Commits To Meaningful Changes And Immediate Actions

U.S. Soccer will act to thoroughly address the report’s recommendations, including by launching a new player-driven Participant Safety Taskforce to convene leaders at all levels of soccer to work to ensure a safe and respectful playing environment for all athletes

www.ussoccer.com

USSF report finds systemic abuse in NWSL

The independent investigation into player abuse in women's professional soccer revealed a long list of systemic failures within the game.

www.espn.com

Investigation finds systemic abuse and misconduct within women's professional soccer | CNN

An independent investigation has found systemic abuse and misconduct within women's professional soccer in the United States.

www.cnn.com

 

[Carlsbad7]

Colleges allow coaches to be mini tyrants + with scholarships they abuse/control/manipulate players in any way they see fit.

These same coaches are now trying to make it in the real world of professional sports + don't understand that you can't abuse/control/manipulate employees the same way you can with students. (Which is kind of a sad statement to say because it shouldn't be allowed to happen with students either.)

 

[lafalafa]

Colleges allow coaches to be mini tyrants + with scholarships they abuse/control/manipulate players in any way they see fit.

These same coaches are now trying to make it in the real world of professional sports + don't understand that you can't abuse/control/manipulate employees the same way you can with students. (Which is kind of a sad statement to say because it shouldn't be allowed to happen with students either.)

Yup like I've been saying for years

It is not easy to keep silent when silence is a lie.
— Victor Hugo

Those involved never came out and spoke up, issued anything or addressed the problems spaning several years

 

[crush]

Those involved never came out and spoke up, issued anything or addressed the problems spaning several years

Not true. I know a few that tried to speak up only to be mocked, blacklisted and kicked to the curb. Also, if you do a lawsuit of some sorts, no justice happens, only hush money is paid out and you best STFU or all your winnings will be taken from you. 98% of all lawsuits in up with a hush money deal and no justice is served. Hide behind expensive insurance plans and all you get is a bunch of men running around with power and control over girls and their parents. What else is new under the sun? I sure hope we can get this clean up so the girls can have fun and be happy

 

[lafalafa]

Not true. I know a few that tried to speak up only to be mocked, blacklisted and kicked to the curb. Also, if you do a lawsuit of some sorts, no justice happens, only hush money is paid out and you best STFU or all your winnings will be taken from you. 98% of all lawsuits in up with a hush money deal and no justice is served. Hide behind expensive insurance plans and all you get is a bunch of men running around with power and control over girls and their parents. What else is new under the sun? I sure hope we can get this clean up so the girls can have fun and be happy

Yeah I'm referring to the coaches and admin people who remained dead silent thought out all the investigations and never issued anything, apologies or plans to address the problems.

The victim players yes they spoken up before, during, and now after.

This report was mostly based on things that happened later Oct 2021 or earlier. From nov-June 2022 there are more instances they are still under investigation with coaches suspended that have no chance of returning now.

 

[lafalafa]

From the ESPN article linked from above

"There are too many athletes who still suffer in silence because they are scared that no one will help them or hear them," Simon said in a statement through a spokesperson. "I know because that is how I felt. Through many difficult days, my faith alone sustained me and kept me going. I want to do everything in my power to ensure that no other player must experience what I did. This report allows our voices to finally be heard and is the first step toward achieving the respectful workplace we all deserve. It is my sincere hope that the pain we have all experienced and the change we have all brought about will be for the good of our league and this game we all deeply love."

 

[Carlsbad7]

This will all stop once colleges end the scholarship scam + start paying players as employees.

1. Employees have certain rights + can take employers to court if they're being abused (scholarship awardees have no rights and can't complain in any way)
2. Employees can have representation (agents) and can unionize to protect themselves

Right now all the power is in the Collages / Coaches hands. Change the rules + the abuse stops and instantly + all the "problems" go away.

The reason groups like the NWSL is having issues like this is because they're pulling leadership from the College pool. Taking advantage of players via scholarships + bullying is all they know. If colleges played by the same rules as the professional teams there wouldn't be in issue.

 

[tjinaz]

This will all stop once colleges end the scholarship scam + start paying players as employees.

1. Employees have certain rights + can take employers to court if they're being abused (scholarship awardees have no rights and can't complain in any way)
2. Employees can have representation (agents) and can unionize to protect themselves

Right now all the power is in the Collages / Coaches hands. Change the rules + the abuse stops and instantly + all the "problems" go away.

The reason groups like the NWSL is having issues like this is because they're pulling leadership from the College pool. Taking advantage of players via scholarships + bullying is all they know. If colleges played by the same rules as the professional teams there wouldn't be in issue.

I am not sure this is unique to any college sport. I have seen mens soccer, football, baseball and especially basketball practices where the coach is on par with a drill instructor level of verbal abuse. Some coaches are thinkers, motivators but a lot of the old school ones are tyrants (Bobby Knight anyone) so long as they run a successful program all is forgiven. I think the answer to this is already found. The Transfer portal. Coaches have less control now than they ever had. they can no longer threaten players and hide them until they submit. Player doesn't like the way its going.. hit the portal and go to another team. Enough or specific players do it and the program is unsuccessful and the coach is fired.

I disagree about making them employees. At that point what is the difference between pro and college?

 

[Carlsbad7]

I disagree about making them employees. At that point what is the difference between pro and college?

The whole concept of being an "amateur" + providing a physical result in a team environment for no $$$ makes no sense to me.

Colleges make WAY more value from a winning football team than the players receive. If you take a step back and look at the potential professional careers of college athletes it's probably 3-5 years total on average. Colleges are subverting the players most valuable earning years by dangling scholarships in front of players and controlling the pipeline to the pros.

 

[tjinaz]

The whole concept of being an "amateur" + providing a physical result in a team environment for no $$$ makes no sense to me.

Colleges make WAY more value from a winning football team than the players receive. If you take a step back and look at the potential professional careers of college athletes it's probably 3-5 years total on average. Colleges are subverting the players most valuable earning years by dangling scholarships in front of players and controlling the pipeline to the pros.

OK so where do you draw the line? USC's boosters program has tons of cash, they can just pay their "employees" much more than say UCLA and get the best players. Well UT's boosters don't like losing so they are going to up their "employees" salaries because Alabama is paying more and recruiting the better players. Any pretense of being students anymore is lost they are athletes that go where they can make the most money and not even have to wait until they graduate.

 

[crush]

This will all stop once colleges end the scholarship scam + start paying players as employees.

1. Employees have certain rights + can take employers to court if they're being abused (scholarship awardees have no rights and can't complain in any way)
2. Employees can have representation (agents) and can unionize to protect themselves

Right now all the power is in the Collages / Coaches hands. Change the rules + the abuse stops and instantly + all the "problems" go away.

The reason groups like the NWSL is having issues like this is because they're pulling leadership from the College pool. Taking advantage of players via scholarships + bullying is all they know. If colleges played by the same rules as the professional teams there wouldn't be in issue.

It would be cool if each top club became a professional soccer academy and not a charity organization helping kids get into college. Senior Team. U18, U16 and so on. The academy trains you to be a soccer player only. Then when kid is of age, they can choose a pro route, semi pro route, a just for fun route or a college route. Our soccer system is all about college only leagues during HS. In fact, our society says it's college or your a loser to all the kids. I lived this for many years and no one can deny what I'm saying. Soccer should have always been a stand alone and not forced to be college after HS. I'm not saying college can't and won't help you. It's just not for everyone and soccer should be for everyone. The cost to play youth soccer is way over $15K a year now. Insane. Based on the facts, the girls at the very top of soccer have been treated like shit. Gee, I wonder how the youth players have been treated? Clean up time mom and dad. Why? Do it for the next group of females. This will only change when parents say enough is enough.

 

[Carlsbad7]

OK so where do you draw the line? USC's boosters program has tons of cash, they can just pay their "employees" much more than say UCLA and get the best players. Well UT's boosters don't like losing so they are going to up their "employees" salaries because Alabama is paying more and recruiting the better players. Any pretense of being students anymore is lost they are athletes that go where they can make the most money and not even have to wait until they graduate.

I don't care where they "draw the line" students that play sports while representing a college or university should be paid in accordance with their specific skillset.

If you don't pay the players it just perpetuates the scholarship system that bullies/exploits student athletes.

 

[tjinaz]

I don't care where they "draw the line" students that play sports while representing a college or university should be paid in accordance with their specific skillset.

If you don't pay the players it just perpetuates the scholarship system that bullies/exploits student athletes.

I think the NWSL report indicated the players even getting paid were "bullied and exploited". Only place that doesn't happen is when the player is making millions and were bankable assets. Unless they were a superstar from the get go they were bullied and exploited somewhere along the line I don't think getting paid will solve this.

 

[Carlsbad7]

I think the NWSL report indicated the players even getting paid were "bullied and exploited". Only place that doesn't happen is when the player is making millions and were bankable assets. Unless they were a superstar from the get go they were bullied and exploited somewhere along the line I don't think getting paid will solve this.

At least you'd have some $$$ after being bullied and exploited vs dropped cold from a scholarship at whatever whim the coach defines.

Also if players were employees coaches would have to provide a defined justification for dropping a player. The "she wouldn't sleep with me" so I'm going to pull her scholarship nonsense would stop.

 

[crush]

I am not sure this is unique to any college sport. I have seen mens soccer, football, baseball and especially basketball practices where the coach is on par with a drill instructor level of verbal abuse. Some coaches are thinkers, motivators but a lot of the old school ones are tyrants (Bobby Knight anyone) so long as they run a successful program all is forgiven. I think the answer to this is already found. The Transfer portal. Coaches have less control now than they ever had. they can no longer threaten players and hide them until they submit. Player doesn't like the way its going.. hit the portal and go to another team. Enough or specific players do it and the program is unsuccessful and the coach is fired.

I disagree about making them employees. At that point what is the difference between pro and college?

Treat them all with my respect, which is treating them better than employees. I know a 2021 that hit the transfer button because of a crazy coach. She is on a team now that has a respectful coach and that other coach got fired. I still remember the movie One on One and Robbie Benson. Coach from Western U was a complete asshole.

 

[tjinaz]

At least you'd have some $$$ after being bullied and exploited vs dropped cold from a scholarship at whatever whim the coach defines.

Also if players were employees coaches would have to provide a defined justification for dropping a player. The "she wouldn't sleep with me" so I'm going to pull her scholarship nonsense would stop.

um.. in most states unless you are union you can be fired for any reason and your employer doesn't have to justify anything. So don't think that applies here.

 

[outside!]

While not a total solution, I think an anonymous one question survey for all departing players from a program would help. "Would you recommend this coach to new recruits?" Then post the ratings publicly. Any coach with negative ratings above a certain percentage would have a difficult time recruiting.

 

[SoccerFan4Life]

I Listened to a podcast about this topic and they mentioned that 70% of one of the NWSL club players had been verbally abused during their youth soccer years. Some of the girls didn’t even know the difference between abuse and regular coach talk. A lot of these coaches start their bad behavior at the youth level. We all know who they are and where they coached. All these idiots who think they are bigger than life got away with it because parents allowed it.

 

[crush]

I Listened to a podcast about this topic and they mentioned that 70% of one of the NWSL club players had been verbally abused during their youth soccer years. Some of the girls didn’t even know the difference between abuse and regular coach talk. A lot of these coaches start their bad behavior at the youth level. We all know who they are and where they coached. All these idiots who think they are bigger than life got away with it because parents allowed it.

"The more I yell at you, the more I care about you."
"Stop crying. Are you on your period?"
"Boyfriends are big problems if you want to play at highest level."
"You need to do my privates to get better"
"It's best for you to STFU if you want the next level"
"I know everyone and my recommendation is worth admissions. It can also work the other way so STFU!"

 

[younothat]

USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn wants execs 'gone' after 'abhorrent' failures amid abuse

Sauerbrunn said Tuesday that she wants those enablers "gone."

USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn wants execs 'gone' after 'abhorrent' failures amid abuse

Becky Sauerbrunn spoke emotionally one day after the Yates Report, and said the USWNT players are "not doing well." She also said the executives who failed players "should be gone."

sports.yahoo.com

Yeah the problems are much deeper vs just the coaches, assistants, etc really the enablers, execs, managers, admin people also had a hand in the abuse, covered ups, etc.

The part where the bad actors get reshuffled around, get now jobs without the details of investigations, why they where let go, etc are not share with other potential employers, GP or anything. Burying the dirty laundry has gone on for too long, time to come clean and get rid of the abusers out of the system once and for all.