One More Day

Just one more day until the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.  This morning, Middle told me that all he wants to do on Saturday is watch the Olympics on TV all day long.  It's enough to bring a tear to my eye.  Plus, he has asked me many times whether or not there will be a parade tomorrow night.  I have answered yes every time but just now realized he may be thinking of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, so the Parade of Nations may be a bit of a disappointment.  We'll see how that goes.

I know the basic point of this Blog is light entertainment, but I am a Dad (as stated in the title), so on occassion, I will touch on parenting subjects, even heavy ones.  When I am posting every day in the run-up to London 2012, I am looking for additional subjects.  Today's is sports related, and is our Local Sports Update, but it is depressing.  It hits home for many reasons.

Local Sports Update - Rick Curl, a local swim coach, arguably a local swimming icon, has been accused of having an affair with one of his swimmers.  Rick is the founder of the Curl-Burke Swim Club.  The Curl-Burke Swim Club is one of the largest and most successful age group swim clubs in the country.  For the 2011-2012 short course season (fall/winter/spring), Curl-Burke was ranked as the top team in the US Swimming Virtual Club Championship.  I swam for the Curl-Burke Swim Club many years ago, for many years.  Rick was not my coach, however I knew Rick, my mother worked for Rick for a short time, and I attended Rick's wedding (a VERY long Catholic ceremony).

The link above gives the story, but here are the basic details.  In the early to mid-1980's Rick allegedly began a sexual relationship with one of his female swimmers.  The swimmer was 13 when the physical relationship began and somewhere between 14 and 16 when the sexual relationship began.  At some point, the swimmer's parents found out and planned a $2 million law suit against him.  The local prosecutor was notified, but he recommended not pressing charges.  The planned lawsuit was settled for $150,000.00 and included a confidentiality clause.  Approximately 23 years later, the story was somehow broken and US Swimming is doing an investigation.  The Washington Post story includes a copy of the settlement agreement and draft Complaint from 23 years ago.

I hope the story is not true.  The evidence uncovered by the Post, including the Settlement Agreement, makes it hard to believe it is not true.  I am glad my coach, who still coaches at the Curl-Burke Swim Club, has not been mentioned in any of the articles and comments I have read.  As of Thursday afternoon, there were more than 1200 "Comments" attached to the article.  They cover the spectrum from absolute disgust to absolute denial.  I want to be in denial.  I want to somehow justify the actions, or claim they aren't that bad.  I want to see the best in this situation.  Unfortunately, if the allegations are true, he engaged in a sexual relationship with a young teen girl.  No matter how close a coach may get to one of his athletes, this is simply a line you do not cross.  There is no justification, there is no "not that bad", there is no "best" in a grown man engaging in a sexual relationship with a teenage girl.  As much as I have tried to see this in another way, she was 13.  This was not a teenage woman (which some 17-19 year olds may be).  This was a teenage girl.

From a legal position, her age at the time of the first sexual encounter may be relevant.  The current Maryland law states that sexual activity with a girl under the age of 14, if the accused is more than 4 years older, is a second degree sexual offense.  Vaginal intercourse with a girl under the age of 14, if the accused is more than 4 years older is second degree rape.  Sexual activity with a girl between 14-15, including vaginal intercourse, if the accused is at least 21, is a third degree sexual offense.  As best as I can tell, there is no statute of limitations on sex crimes in Maryland.  Assuming the laws are the same today as they were in the 1980s, Rick may be facing criminal charges.

The Jerry Sandusky-Penn State scandal is the nightmare of every parent of a boy.  This story is the nightmare of every parent of a girl.  I know of very few parents, especially of girls, who want to even think about their child as a sexual being.  The thought of their daughter being sexual with a man 20 years older than her, when she is still a young teen is enough to make anyone queasy.  Children are vulnerable in any activity in which adults have unsupervised authority over them.  As children get older, it is harder and harder to maintain constant supervision over them, and it is hard to know who is safe and who is not.  In almost every one of these cases, someone says "I know him, he would never do that."  I think swimming has great potential for situations such as this one (and US Swimming is finding an increasing number of these cases.)  Swimmers are young, fit and scantily clad.  They swim at odd times and for long hours.  Swim meets can be very long.  It is not uncommon for a coach to have an extended amount of time with swimmers with their parents nowhere to be found.  I can remember many such times in my youth.

As a parent, as a Suburban Sports Dad, I can just say be careful.  Know what your kids are doing.  Talk to them.  Talk to them now and talk to them often.  Make sure they know that they can tell you anything, especially if someone else tells them not to tell you.  Use these situations to start the conversation.  I did that with Sandusky and Eldest.

Today's Olympic Story Line - Parade of Nations.  The Opening Ceremonies are always enjoyable.  The spectacle in Beijing 4 years ago was phenomenal.  I always enjoy the ceremonies, except the speeches, and I always enjoy the Parade of Nations.  However, with 200+ Nations parading in, at some point, NBC needs to go to a commercial break.  Apparently, that always happens right before the Latvians march in.  Apparently, the Latvians got annoyed and lobbied  to change this.  Sure enough, in 2008, NBC was not on a commercial break when the Latvians marched into the Stadium.  They have even created a Facebook Page in support of NBC showing all of the Baltic States in the Parade of Nations.  As my Baltic Insider for this information said, "Beware of an angry Latvian."  So watch for who gets the quick, "While we were away, ... marched into the stadium."  Somehow I don't think it will be Latvia.

Tomorrow's the Big Day.  Here is what you can look forward to:

1.  My predictions.
2.  Or more promises of my predictions.
3.  Finally, the Delaware Update.
4.  Nearly naked athletes.
5.  Predictions for Saturday's Divisional Swim Meet.
6.  Days of constant Olympic Updates.
7.  Eventually, the Summer 2012 Review, including a summary of the first season of 2028's Ryan Lochte.