Loyola-Chicago opens investigation into complaints about Sheryl Swoops

[HuskyNan]

Loyola University Chicago will internally investigate complaints made against women's basketball coach Sheryl Swoopes following a mass exodus of players from the program, the school announced Friday.

Ten of the team's 12 returning players have transferred or put in requests to be released from their scholarships, according to the Chicago Tribune. The mass departures came a year after five players transferred following the 2014-15 season.

Loyola to investigate coach Sheryl Swoopes after mass player exits, ESPN

 

[Sonny44]

Seems to me a good AD should be able to spot these situations[not just this one] early and work with the coaches to get them corrected. What is an AD do if not for this when needed? Just raise money? Do they just hire a coach and give them free reign? Some of these coaches are young and their people skills are not fully developed yet. Many of them [and the players as well] could benefit from a mentor as opposed to throwing them in the water to see whether they sink or swim.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A happier time. Her intro to Loyola.

sheryl swoopes - Bing video

 

[UcMiami]

There was a really interesting ESPN profile of Swoopes on Nine for IX that I guess was produced a number of years ago, but was rerun on ESPNU prior to the WNBA draft switching over to the channel - rather strange timing. I had forgotten about her financial meltdown and failed relationships. According to the piece she was actually looking for an assistant position when Loyola hired her as their HC.

It has some of the same flavor as the hiring of Tyler - an attempt to make a publicity splash with a hire instead of trying to hire the most qualified candidate. Who knows what the issues are for Swoopes but does not look good if ten of your twelve players want out. (and 15 in two years!)

 

[Carnac]

Investigations of any kind are never a good thing for your program. Player complaints,or a mass exodus of players are a sure sign that something is amiss. Where there's smoke, there's usually fire.
Several programs are in the news as being under investigation. University of Illinois-Chicago just settled a law suit filed on behalf of several current and former players for $375,000, while (of course) not admitting any guilt.

Of course there's the on-going investigation at North Carolina, The University of Mississippi athletic program is under investigation by the NCAA for potential rules violations in multiple sports. The men's and women's basketball programs at Baylor University were under scrutiny over possible NCAA sanctions following an investigation that uncovered more than 1,200 impermissible phone calls and text messages during a 29-month span back in 2012.

Now Joanne P. McCallie and her Duke program in under the microscope. The Blue Devils are now doing a very thorough investigation of the women's basketball program following the most defections: recent star forward Azurá Stevens (transfer) and Angela Salvadores (leaving program) -- a highly talented freshman. With the recent failure of McCallie's team to make it into the 2015 NCAA tournament, her grip on the program and the support of it fan base may be beginning to slip. Now, Loyola University Chicago launches an internal investigation of women's basketball coach Sheryl Swoopes.

 

[ThisJustIn]

FWIW, Loyola has improved significantly under Swoopes this year... remember when they beat No. 17 DePaul 88-75?

 

[CL82]

Good thing Geno brings a Mr. Rogers, sweetness and light approach to basketball.

 

[easttexastrash]

Maybe a group of young players that don't know what it is like to be pushed by someone who has played at an all-world level? Maybe hard coaching is not for all.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Maybe... or not.

 

[UcMiami]

Maybe a group of young players that don't know what it is like to be pushed by someone who has played at an all-world level? Maybe hard coaching is not for all.

Something has gone drastically wrong - you don't have 10 of 12 players wanting out of something that is just a bit too intense. Even if you are make drastic changes to the 'culture' you can't do it a way that results in that sort of mess.

 

[easttexastrash]

I will wait to see the results of the investigation. I am not sure how many of the players transferring out were recruited by Swoopes but maybe they simply weren't prepared for some hard-nosed coaching where the expectations were far greater than they ever envisioned they would be. Swoopes knows what it takes to win at the highest level at the college, pro and international level. Maybe that demand for excellence is not for all players and I bet that very few of those players would last very long under Geno, either. It takes a very special player to play for some coaches who don't put up with sub-par effort and commitment.

 

[Checkmate]

http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/2016/0...ers-detail-allegations-physical-mistreatment/

 

[HopJim]

Seems to me a good AD should be able to spot these situations[not just this one] early and work with the coaches to get them corrected. What is an AD do if not for this when needed? Just raise money? Do they just hire a coach and give them free reign? Some of these coaches are young and their people skills are not fully developed yet. Many of them [and the players as well] could benefit from a mentor as opposed to throwing them in the water to see whether they sink or swim.

Have to agree. Development of both players and coaching styles a process, not an event. A public "investigation" typically an after the fact CYA by Administration.

 

[BobbyJ]

http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/2016/0...ers-detail-allegations-physical-mistreatment/

The last paragraph has to be the worst thing. LOL. Can you imagine getting unfollowed and blocked on Twitter? That's just cruel.

 

[j66kicker]

http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/2016/0...ers-detail-allegations-physical-mistreatment/

Sounds like it was a little beyond, "hard-nosed coaching" and greater expectations than the players envisioned...

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I will wait to see the results of the investigation. I am not sure how many of the players transferring out were recruited by Swoopes but maybe they simply weren't prepared for some hard-nosed coaching where the expectations were far greater than they ever envisioned they would be. Swoopes knows what it takes to win at the highest level at the college, pro and international level. Maybe that demand for excellence is not for all players and I bet that very few of those players would last very long under Geno, either. It takes a very special player to play for some coaches who don't put up with sub-par effort and commitment.

I think that perhaps one player, maybe two, are frustrated at "tough coaching." But you don't get fifteen players bailing out in two years and alleging physical and emotional abuse and disrespect due to "tough coaching." That just doesn't happen. And it appears that Loyola knows the difference as well, or else they wouldn't be meddling in the investigation, and attempting to manipulate the process.

These young people aren't stupid. Just the revelations in the Phoenix article are pretty damning. What else is to come?

 

[UcMiami]

I think that perhaps one player, maybe two, are frustrated at "tough coaching." But you don't get fifteen players bailing out in two years and alleging physical and emotional abuse and disrespect due to "tough coaching." That just doesn't happen. And it appears that Loyola knows the difference as well, or else they wouldn't be meddling in the investigation, and attempting to manipulate the process.

These young people aren't stupid. Just the revelations in the Phoenix article are pretty damning. What else is to come?

The 'physical' abuse allegation seems a little lame - one basketball thrown with force and one cup of water in three years?! And the basketball not described as 'at her head' or 'at her feet'. The taking away of school books and laptops sounds a little more serious to me.
There rest of it is a really bad situation, not minimizing that. But people like to throw out 'physical abuse' because it is a catch phrase that sounds terrible and by doing so it diminishes the really serious stuff that does happen.

 

[CocoHusky]

The 'physical' abuse allegation seems a little lame - one basketball thrown with force and one cup of water in three years?! And the basketball not described as 'at her head' or 'at her feet'. The taking away of school books and laptops sounds a little more serious to me.
There rest of it is a really bad situation, not minimizing that. But people like to throw out 'physical abuse' because it is a catch phrase that sounds terrible and by doing so it diminishes the really serious stuff that does happen.

I have to disagree, even one cup of thrown water or thrown basketball is an indication of a person not fully in control of emotions and perhaps an indication of a larger problem in every work environment.

 

[OldAlum]

I wonder if Swoopes didn't really understand her students. At Loyola she is not getting kids most likely to plan and achieve a WNBA career. Geno can say he wants "Basketball players who also want an education" because of the level of the program he has built. Most coaches are dealing with students who used their basketball skills to get a scholarship. Their education is going to be important to them! The single-minded "basketball is everything" approach alleged is less likely to work for these students and their parents. It sounds like a number of the students didn't have the requisite trust and confidence in Swoopes .

 

[Woof 101]

I will wait to see the results of the investigation. I am not sure how many of the players transferring out were recruited by Swoopes but maybe they simply weren't prepared for some hard-nosed coaching where the expectations were far greater than they ever envisioned they would be. Swoopes knows what it takes to win at the highest level at the college, pro and international level. Maybe that demand for excellence is not for all players and I bet that very few of those players would last very long under Geno, either. It takes a very special player to play for some coaches who don't put up with sub-par effort and commitment.

First I want to agree with you on waiting for the results of the investigation. It is easy to assume she wants to be Pat or Geno overnight, this while working with recruits at a Jesuit school not on the cusp of being a basketball power anytime soon. I only went back 14 seasons of which their best was 9/10 at 15 & 15. They did go 14 & 16 last year after a 6 & 25 the year before as Just In pointed out they did improve. But at what cost? Sounds like she lost the team. I think a more glaring factor in all this is she stated early on when questioned about her lack of coaching experience, that she would hire assistants to cover what she perceived as week points in her ability. The fact her assistants are also dropping of like fly's does not look good here.

Now to where I might disagree with you is the topic of those players lasting very long under Geno. First he understood what he had to work with in the beginning and did so. He has never had a mass exodus and his assistants stay until they feel comfortable moving on. Has he made a mistake or two, of course, nobody can be perfect at reading the mind of a seventeen year old. For the most part players that come here are family forever.
The ones that move on simply are looking for the easy path in life.

 

[Mdoggie]

Investigation smestigation. This stuff is getting old.

 

[j66kicker]

Claims of student-athlete abuse by gymnastics coaches (husband & wife) at Penn State. Penn State investigates and says, "No problem", but 1 coach (the wife) resigns anyway.

Penn State Gymnasts Allege Emotional Abuse, Body-Shaming Against Coaches: 'They Took Everything Away from Me'

 

[vtcwbuff]

Investigation smestigation. This stuff is getting old.

At least 30 years old. Apparently people have forgotten that early on in Auriemma's career his upperclassmen requested a meeting with the UConn AD to try to get him canned. There was even an allegation that he had struck one of his players. He had, but not in the context the players presented. While the AD dismissed the allegations for what they were, all of the upperclassmen bolted leaving him with just 4 players - but they were his players, not the snots that he inherited.

BTW - The assault allegation came up again when he was recruiting Lobo. Her mother called him wanting to know if he had struck one of his players. He was sure he would lose Lobo because of that.

 

[easttexastrash]

At least 30 years old. Apparently people have forgotten that early on in Auriemma's career his upperclassmen requested a meeting with the UConn AD to try to get him canned. There was even an allegation that he had struck one of his players. He had, but not in the context the players presented. While the AD dismissed the allegations for what they were, all of the upperclassmen bolted leaving him with just 4 players - but they were his players, not the snots that he inherited.

BTW - The assault allegation came up again when he was recruiting Lobo. Her mother called him wanting to know if he had struck one of his players. He was sure he would lose Lobo because of that.

That is very interesting information that I have never heard before. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CocoHusky]

First I want to agree with you on waiting for the results of the investigation. It is easy to assume she wants to be Pat or Geno overnight, this while working with recruits at a Jesuit school not on the cusp of being a basketball power anytime soon. I only went back 14 seasons of which their best was 9/10 at 15 & 15. They did go 14 & 16 last year after a 6 & 25 the year before as Just In pointed out they did improve. But at what cost? Sounds like she lost the team. I think a more glaring factor in all this is she stated early on when questioned about her lack of coaching experience, that she would hire assistants to cover what she perceived as week points in her ability. The fact her assistants are also dropping of like fly's does not look good here.

Now to where I might disagree with you is the topic of those players lasting very long under Geno. First he understood what he had to work with in the beginning and did so. He has never had a mass exodus and his assistants stay until they feel comfortable moving on. Has he made a mistake or two, of course, nobody can be perfect at reading the mind of a seventeen year old. For the most part players that come here are family forever.
The ones that move on simply are looking for the easy path in life.

You had me shaking my head in total agreement up until that last line regarding taking the "easier path in life". Players in general and UCONN players specifically transfer for a number of reason some of which we will truly never know. Considering how hard many of these players have worked to get into the UCONN program, most things in life, to us outsiders, may appear to be easier. The salient point is we are outsiders.