Germantown Academy Sued By Former Swimmer For Emotional, Physical Abuse

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Photo Courtesy: Germantown Athletics

A former Germantown Academy swimmer has sued the Academy for “tolerating physical and mental abuse suffered” during the timeframe that former legendary coach Richard Shoulberg was still at the helm of the program.

The civil suit was filed last week in the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court on behalf of a John Doe, who is now an adult according to Philly.com.   The lawsuit seeks more than $50,000 in damages.

The lawsuit claims that the school “allowed Shoulberg to continue coaching despite the many verified claims of abuse [by athletes] that occurred during his tenure.”

“These allegations were investigated and addressed by Germantown Academy as soon as they came to the attention of the administration. We will continue to cooperate openly and fully moving forward,” the Academy said in a statement

Shoulberg, who last year began coaching at the Mermaid Lake Swim Club after being retired by Germantown Academy, had no comment and is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that the alleged abuse began in 2012 when the swimmer was invited to train with the Germantown Academy program as an eighth grader.  The lawsuit further claims that Shoulberg created a competitive and adversarial relationship between Doe and another swimmer identified as “A.L.” in court documents.

This lawsuit alleges that this rivalry led to A.L. abusing Doe both mentally and physically, including threats of “sodomy” against Doe.

“Doe was hit and punched in the locker room before and after practice, was slammed into walls, and would be kicked and kneed in the stomach. He would also have his nipples twisted until he collapsed in pain, his chest hair was ripped out and he was urinated on,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also states that, with prior knowledge of the issues between the swimmers, the two rivals were put together as roommates during a 2012 Sectional Meet in Buffalo, N.Y.

“The last evening of the [Buffalo] meet, A.L. got on top of John Doe and beat him for more than five minutes before another member of the team entered the room and ripped A.L. off of John Doe and told him to leave him alone,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit not only alleges the abuse, but that the authorities, including USA Swimming, became involved in the process and nothing was done by Germantown Academy regarding the alleged abuse.

“After USA Swimming found out about the abuse to John Doe, A.L. was ultimately suspended from USA Swimming for 90 days. A.L. was also arrested by Whitemarsh Township, charged and plead guilty relating to his continued torture and abuse of John Doe,” the lawsuit claims.

Full Philly.com article.

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Matt D
Matt D
8 years ago

Shoulberg is a great person.

B.S.
B.S.
8 years ago

Well, current coaches also had some problems with previous teams. School administration also denies it. Will be another lawsuit?

Jimmy d
Jimmy d
8 years ago

It is a shame to see the troubled family blame Doe’s swimming failures on everyone else. Doe and his mother have caused countless incidents of drama over the years because of jealousy- and now they have reached a new level of crazy. The law suit entails of exaggerated, out-of-context issues in an effort to defame coach Shoulberg and the Germantown Academy community. It is ridiculous that the Doe family is filing a law suit. Have fun in Mexico, John Doe, but your problems will never go away- you will forever be the kid that ruined countless careers, reputations and got out of the pool in the middle of the mile

Mike d
Mike d
8 years ago
Reply to  Jimmy d

Jimmy d… I am surprised that you named the victim. You make it sound like A.L., GA, and D.S are blameless. I see that you didn’t call out A.L. or named him in your post for the charges that he plead guilty to. Or the other victims & witnesses of this abuse.

Those involved with this abuse are responsible for their careers and reputation, the victim is just calling them out for their actions.

I suppose a swimmer would be jealous of those that are not abused or getting beat up. I am sure this is a blow to GA’s strong rich tradition, yet these are serious matters and kids need to be protected & provided a safe environment.

Disgusted parent
Disgusted parent
8 years ago
Reply to  Mike d

Not to mention the fact that this swimmer may never want to swim again; something that once brought him great pleasure and something he did at a high level of performance. The fact that anyone could remotely come to the defense of the school or the coaches or the misguided teammates is sickening. What a disgrace to our sport.

Jesse Turner
Jesse Turner
8 years ago
Reply to  Mike d

Dear Disgusted Parent,
You jump to a conclusion without knowing the facts. Why would you accept, as fact, a story written by a lawyer? You do know when a lawyer is lying right? When his lips are moving or his fingers are typing.
I do feel bad for John Doe and the poor decision by his mother to put him through this unnecessary and mean spirited scrutiny. He is just a kid.

Disgusted Parent
Disgusted Parent
8 years ago
Reply to  Jesse Turner

I do know the facts. And all the parties. And I’m still disgusted . People should think about who the victim is here. It’s not some “venerable” institution or a past his prime swim coach. It’s a real live kid.

Daniel Minnich
8 years ago

?

Jennifer Fossum Brustad

Really? Just awful ….

Susan Shern-macke
8 years ago

Get over it!?!?!? If this is true that was abuse and bullying!!! Are you kidding me?!?!?

Susan Shern-macke
8 years ago

This is way more than hurting someone’s feelings. And it may have taken this long for him to come to terms and not be afraid to tackle this head on. And I said, if it’s true. But if authorities were involved and nothing was done when he was an eighth grader that speaks volumes!!!!

Lisa Greenberg
8 years ago

Back then, things were thrown under the rug. No more!

Tom Cooney
8 years ago

What’s published here does not look good for GA or DS. This is disturbing., violent, and sadistic. This is the rest of the story this community has been waiting years to hear. What took so long? Is there more? Who kept this story buried?

USA Swimming got involved and found just cause to suspend the violent offender? The local authorities charged the offender also, and he plead guilty? But GA retired the coach and didn’t protect the victim? What sick person put the victim and the violent bully together as roommates on an away trip?

Is the offender getting the mental health care he needs? Is the victim?

Is anyone really foolish enough to think that DS and GA knew nothing about this? Or that they took control of the situation before USAS and the locals got involved? Is anyone still out there keeping a coach on a pedestal that’s too high, or tolerating emotional unevenness that’s unfair or offensive to team members? Is anyone else clueless enough to say again ‘He’s a great coach, just get over it, kid’ ?!?!

Gian Alessandro
8 years ago
Reply to  Tom Cooney

Perhaps he wanted the swimmer to learn how to stand up for himself as he would have to do in the real world. I assume they were high school age.

Nancy Petrick
8 years ago
Reply to  Tom Cooney

Are you for real?

Rick Avila
8 years ago
Reply to  Tom Cooney

I second that, really?

Mohammad Amin Khadembashi

Michael Erin Flaherty

Kathy B
Kathy B
8 years ago

Many incidents of abuse similar to those mentioned in this article continue get swept under the rug especially when it’s the “super star” athletes committing such heinous offenses against their own teammates. Why is it that coaches continue to turn a blind eye? All for the sake of winning..? If so, they are truly missing something when they take on the responsibility as “coach”. Too many parents/teammates/spectators allow this abuse to continue on for fear of repercussions to their own child/children in the form of bullying, limited or no playing time and the team losing a meet, match or game if the offenders are sidelined or removed from the team due to abusive acts toward others. It has to end. We all know that much of what young athletes learn in preparation for competition shapes who they are for years to come.

Steve_Kester
Steve_Kester
8 years ago

I swam for Dick Shoulberg for four years when there was significantly less scrutiny, awareness and litigation surrounding bullying. I saw no evidence Shoulberg tolerated or promoted this kind of alleged behavior. Rather, he was focused on discipline, hard work, and challenging every kid regardless of his or her ability – and for that I thank him, as I’ve taken the lessons forward and tried to instill the same in my children.

Kristy Kowal
Kristy Kowal
8 years ago

I swam for Richard Shoulberg from 1997-2004. I am a World Champion and an Olympic Silver Medallist whom Coach was gracious enough to let me train with his program when I came home from college. Shoulberg is one of the most generous, caring, no nonsense, ethical, moral people I know. This man flew halfway around the world with a broken back to cheer his swimmers on at a competition. Rather than people start making statements about GA “retiring” him so that this was covered up, talk to his swimmers, friends, and colleagues many of whom are the best coaches in the world and find out what type of man he is. And how we stand by him.

Rick Avila
8 years ago

As much I love club swimmers, club coaches, albeit not all, can fill the heads of these young impressionable kids to a point where club kids believe they are beyond reproach. Creating an elitist mentally which wreaks havoc on the HS experience and their respective HS coaches.

The pursuit of character, integrity, and sportsmanship should be the ultimate goal of athletics in sport. Do I blame the kids, no. These kids had to have learned this mentality from someone. As adults, this rests on us to guide and nurture those things that are honest, virtuous, and good, while, through training, developing athletes for competition in the art of discipling the body, mind, and soul of our future citizens after sport.

Just one man’s opinion.

Krankie Foons
8 years ago

AL pleaded guilty years ago. GA knew and addressed the issues to the best of their abilities and had DS step down, but the parents, alumni, and students were furious, so to respect the people who pay the bills they let him coach the season then retire on his own terms. Now that Jon Doe is 18 he’s suing the school can’t wait to see the head of school hand Doe his high school diploma at graduation. There will be immense tension.

Mike d
Mike d
8 years ago
Reply to  Krankie Foons

Perhaps graduation may not be as bad, since many of the faculty support John Doe and what he went through. A.L. and D.S. are no longer in the picture. As you noted, A.L. pleaded guilty and where the problem began. The administration worked on correcting the situation. If it ended there, the problem may not have gotten out of hand. When D.S. choose A.L. over John Doe, the problem began to escalate. There is no doubt on the positive impact that D.S. has had with his swimmers, yet D.S. had put his supporters and GA’s legacy in peril.

As the article noted, one of the incidents occurred at the 2012 Sectional Meet in Buffalo and there were only 3 GA male swimmers at the meet. D.S. should have been able to figure out what had happened from the witnesses and acted accordingly. He did not choose wisely.

May not be any lifetime achievement award this year at Easterns this weekend.

Me Wondering
Me Wondering
8 years ago

Since I heard of some of this through the grapevine over the years I have often wondered why this family kept their child at the school and in turn sent another along behind. Surely this was an incident isolated to swimming at GA at that time (and its not as if no action had been taken on their part, or it had been ignored, there must have been some process followed) but nonetheless I would have walked away and not sent another kid in. I don’t understand the waiting to bring about the lawsuit and sending another kid there as well. Its not as if this area is lacking in excellent swim program options or good private schools. My kid would have been outta there and my lawyer would have been knocking a lot faster. I don’t get it.

Mike d
Mike d
8 years ago
Reply to  Me Wondering

I cannot speak for John Doe and his family, yet some other perspective. GA is still a great school and A.L. and D.S. are finally no longer in the picture. One thing comes to mind, why should the victim have to leave? The pain of the victimization may not go away if he had gone somewhere else. There still may be some great support resources for John Doe (ie., supportive faculty, other swimming & classmate friends, academic rigor of GA), not to mention family logistics of travel for the whole family. If another part of the GA family is supportive, GA may be still be a safe enriching place for the victim.

As for the timing of the lawsuit, perhaps there are specific reasons. The age of the victim is now 18 and perhaps the last semester of his senior year minimized the impact over these last few years. This lawsuit just didn’t happen last week, it has been in the process over the last few years since the victimization.

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