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Herman Law saved my life. Plain and simple. I am forever grateful for my family at Herman Law. They brought me and my family justice and then delivered accountability to a corrupt and broken system. They uncovered the agency’s cover up and then confronted my perpetrator, holding him accountable.
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Youth sports leagues are great places for children to be a part of a team, a community, and to develop their social and athletic skills. Child athletes should always feel that their sports league is a safe environment. The stark reality, though, is that child sexual abuse at the hands of coaches and other adults in youth sports league organizations is prevalent.
Coaches, older athletes, and other team administrators take advantage of the trusting positions they are in and sexually abuse the young players that they are put in charge of.
Recent events, including the exposure of the sexual abuse at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar at Michigan State, the USA Gymnastics cover-ups, and the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal at Penn State, have brought to light the existence of this environment for child abuse.
At Herman Law, our mission is to help victims heal by giving them a voice through civil litigation. Start your path towards justice and healing with a member of our team — confidentially and with care.
Congress enacted the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 (Safe Sport Act). The Act designates the US Center for SafeSport as the independent, national safe sport organization. The organization has the exclusive authority to respond and act on allegations of sexual abuse and/or sexual misconduct within the US Olympic and Paralympic Movement. The Center has discretionary jurisdiction over each case.
The Act is meant to prevent the sexual abuse of children and amateur athletes by enacting reporting requirements to law enforcement authorities.
They can be. The passage of the Safe Sport Act allows victims to hold sports organizations liable for the sexual abuse at the hands of their employees in civil cases. In most civil cases, if you can prove that the organization was negligent in hiring the employee or failing to protect the child, they can be held liable.
Organizations have a duty of care to athletes. If an organization fails to uphold that duty, thus breaching that duty, they can be held responsible for any injuries or damages resulting to the child, even if the abuse was by an individual coach.
In criminal charges, however, the abusers themselves will be held accountable. Victims can only hold the organization responsible in criminal cases in very rare instances.
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The US Olympics sexual abuse tragedy and the Penn State sex abuse travesty and subsequent convictions demonstrate two examples of sexual misconduct involving youth sports leagues. Some other lesser-known examples demonstrate how prevalent sex abuse in youth sports programs is and how it can happen in any area, no matter how famous the institution or sports league is. These sexual abuse cases include:
These coaches were meant to take care of the kids and put in place safety measures to prevent the abuse of young people. Unfortunately, these predators used their greater responsibility and unsupervised access to inflict horrifying pain through sexual activities on these young athletes.
Vulnerable children should not have to experience these cruel acts while in youth organizations—which is why the Safe Sport Act was enacted. If someone abused you while you were on a youth sports team, you should contact an experienced attorney to receive legal advice and potentially take legal action.
Many signs can indicate that a young athlete is being abused in their youth sports league. These red flags include:
Other physical warning signs of child sexual abuse include:
Some additional behavioral signs are:
While this is a non-exhaustive list, it is vital to be able to recognize if sexual abuse is happening so that the abuse can be stopped. When looking for signs, the most important thing is keeping an eye out for sudden changes in a child’s behavior.
For nearly 30 years, Tony Wong served as a basketball coach for the Alpine Striders Program, a team based at the Alpine Recreation Center in Los Angeles. Wong cultivated a reputation as a father figure to his players, often praised for mentoring and “rescuing” troubled youth while turning them into great athletes. However, beneath this façade of trust and authority, Wong used his position to groom and abuse the boys he was entrusted to guide.
Wong required players to sign contracts forbidding relationships with girls, a calculated step in grooming his victims. He invited boys to join his team and then used opportunities such as team travel and overnight stays at hotels to carry out his crimes. In 2017, Wong was convicted of sexually abusing a minor—one of his players—and sentenced to two years in state prison. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life. Reports suggest that Wong’s abuse spanned decades, with many survivors now stepping forward to share their experiences and seek justice.
The abuse at the Alpine Recreation Center highlights significant systemic failures within the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, which was responsible for supervising Wong during his tenure. It underscores the need for institutions to recognize and act on potential warning signs and to implement strong safeguards to protect children. Organizations must establish and enforce robust policies to prevent abuse and respond decisively when concerns arise.
Similar to any other environment where children gather, sexual predators use youth sports leagues as an opportunity to seek out their prey. Parents trust sports leagues and the adults in sports leagues to take care of their children.
However, some coaches and other adult figures use their power to “groom” children to comply with sexual abuse. Grooming behavior is specifically addressed in the Safe Sport Act, and includes:
The grooming process is purposefully manipulative to hide the predator’s ulterior motives. The risk factor specifically involved in youth sports leagues is when the child is alone with the predator in one-on-one contact, such as individual training sessions and private lessons.
Further, travel teams and locker rooms create high-risk environments for sexual abuse. They further perpetuate the isolation of children away from their parents or other adult staff that could protect the child. Other risk factors include:
The rise of technology also creates an increased risk for young athletes, as sexual abuse can be committed in non-contact forms as well. Adults can easily contact a young athlete through social media, texting, and other electronic forms of communication. Examples of non-contact sexual abuse include:
No matter where a child is, in any youth organization or institution, there are some risks. However, that does not mean that all youth sports leagues are dangerous to children. Parents and other adults can take preventative measures to help ensure that their children are safe.
The first step in protecting children from grooming and sexual abuse in sports is by having an open dialogue with children early on. Encourage children to feel comfortable speaking with the adults in their lives, especially about complex information. Find the time to ask your child general questions, and be sure to play a proactive, attentive role in your child’s life. It is crucial that your child trusts you and feels that he or she can open up to you, even in uncomfortable, awkward, or confusing situations.
Always be sure to research any organization that your child participates in and any coaches that will be coaching your child. The organization itself should be running background checks on these coaches. However, parents can also do their own research.
Parents can ask open-ended questions to their children if they are concerned about something. Open-ended questions are framed in a way that does not assume an answer, such as:
Always remember never to blame the child for coming forward about sexual abuse.
Organizations themselves can take many preventative steps to ensure the adults that are part of a league are not a threat to the children. Some of these preventive measures include:
These steps are crucial for any youth organization to be able to prevent child sexual abuse.
As a parent, guardian, or caregiver, it may be challenging to come to terms with the fact that someone has sexually abused your child. You may feel confused about how to help them. However, with the support of their loved ones, many children do go on to live normal, happy, healthy, and prosperous lives.
The first thing you should do is tell your child that you love them no matter what and that the abuse was not their fault. Many children blame themselves, so it is critical that you emphasize that they have no fault in the abuse.
Next, you can seek help for your child through therapy or other experts in childhood trauma. You and your child can seek counseling to help cope with the trauma. These sessions may include family therapy, group therapy, or individual therapy.
It could be beneficial to contact an experienced sexual abuse attorney to learn about your rights or your child’s rights. You may be entitled to compensation to help pay for the costs and expenses that will help you or your child in the healing process.
No matter who the abuser is, you should be aware of how you can report the abuse. Each sports league should have guidelines on how you can report abuse, including who to report to and where to report.
Further, you should make a report to law enforcement. There are many children’s advocacy centers and experienced law firms that can help you throughout the entire process and assist you in reporting abusers to local law enforcement.
While children may hide experiencing sexual abuse for many reasons, including being traumatized or fearful for what would happen if they report, the organizations themselves have no excuse for covering up abuse. Yet, time and time again, people in leadership positions in youth sports leagues know about the abuser and fail to do anything about it. These cover-ups are not unique to sports leagues. They’ve happened in the Roman Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, and schools.
These organizations cover up the abuse to protect their own reputations. Further, frequently the abusers are a significant part of the organization, bringing in income or influence. The organizations place the abuser’s high value to the organization over the safety of the children.
The first thing to do if someone abused you while you were in a youth sports league is to recognize that it was not your fault and that you are not alone. You can seek help through therapy and other treatments. If you experienced abuse while in a youth sports league, you may be entitled to compensation to help pay for those medical expenses. You should contact an experienced child sexual abuse lawyer to understand your rights and determine the best way to proceed.
The statutes of limitations, meaning the deadlines for when you have to file a claim, vary on a state-by-state basis. However, many states are changing their legislation to allow victims of sexual abuse to file a claim, even if the abuse happened years ago. The Safe Sport Act is an example of legislation that may help your youth sports sex abuse case.
It is crucial to contact a knowledgeable sex abuse attorney to understand when you have to file a claim by and whether you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Herman Law now for a free consultation on whether or not you have a claim.
Herman Law is actively pursuing cases against institutional abuse in youth sports and recreation leagues. Survivors do not have to face this journey alone. Contact us for a free confidential consultation to learn about your rights and how we can support you. Together, we can work to ensure that predators and the systems that enable them are held accountable.
Jeff Herman is a nationally recognized attorney and founder of Herman Law, known for his dedication to helping survivors of sexual abuse. With over 35 years of experience, Jeff has represented thousands of clients across the U.S. and secured landmark victories, including a $100 million verdict. He is trained in trauma-informed advocacy and works closely with survivors to guide them through the legal process with care and determination. Jeff is admitted to practice in Florida and New York and leads a team committed to justice and healing.
If you or your child were a victim of child sexual abuse, you likely have many questions about how a child sexual abuse lawyer or lawsuit can help you. We hope to provide answers to your questions and help you continue your healing and journey to recovery.
Some states have laws holding caretakers liable for child sexual abuse if they were aware of the abuse and failed to stop it. Courts commonly refer to this type of liability as an act of omission.
A child can sue via a parent or guardian for damages, including psychological harm and physical injury, caused by sexual abuse. Psychological damages can include emotional distress, lost wages, and mental health therapy. Physical damages typically include medical bills, surgeries, or rehabilitation stemming from treatment for physical harm done to the victim. A victim’s parent or caregiver can also recover damages for their emotional distress related to their child’s sexual abuse.
Clients can remain confidential, which is an important option for many individuals. If you want to come forward but don’t want your name publicly out there, we will use a pseudonym such as Jane Doe or John Doe to protect your identity.
Speaking up is never easy—but you’re not alone. If you’re ready to explore your legal options, our compassionate team at Herman Law is here to listen, support, and guide you forward. Reach out today in complete confidence.
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