Coaches And Doctors, Don't Wreck The Lives Of Your Athletes

We are living in a world where coaches, doctors and other athletic officials are able to get away with something that should never happen to anyone: sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Although this should not happen to anyone, it is becoming more and more prevalent in the athletics world today, where a coach or a team doctor is conducting inappropriate behavior with an athlete, whether it is welcomed or not.

One case of this in today's society is the U.S. Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. He is currently being accused of sexually assaulting over 140 women and girls throughout his career and disguising it as "medical treatment."

I am sorry, but why does a grown man in the medical profession think this is okay? You are literally hurting innocent women and girls for your own gain. These girls trusted you to help them get better, yet you are making them worse.

There is also another recent case of sexual assault in collegiate sports at the University of Arizona. Coach Craig Carter is going on trial for stalking one of his athletes and taking a boxcutter to her throat. The whole exchange began with a sexual relationship, which he is not being charged for.

In an interview on 20/20 this past Saturday night with athlete Bailie Gibson, she said that although text messages showed otherwise, she said her sexual interactions with her coach that happened for over two years were cases of assault.

Regardless of whether the case was consensual or not, which will continue to be duked out in court over the next few months, a case like this should never happen between a coach and an athlete.

Why are we having cases like these two affecting athletes? It took Gibson years to get away, and even now, she still struggles with knowing whether or not he will be there when she walks outside or goes somewhere.

And what about the over 140 gymnasts who were assaulted by Nassar? Do you think it is easy for those girls to go to other doctors and trust what they say?

These people are not only wrecking the lives of these people as athletes, but they are wrecking them as an overall person. These girls, and others assaulted by coaches, team doctors, etc., will have this feeling with them for the rest of their lives.

Coaches, please stop hurting your athletes. Not only are you wrecking their love of a sport that they are very talented at, but you are also destroying their hopes and dreams with everything that happened.

Let's keep the good coaches that inspire athletes and make them shine instead of those who bring these athletes down.