But Have We Really Seen the Last of Banned Molester Swim Coach Ad’m Dusenbury?

by Irvin Muchnick

The “good riddance, Ad’m Dusenbury” in the previous headline is actually premature. The history of rapist coaches shows that when they are well connected and carefully time their “resignations” without contesting supposed punishment, they continue to enjoy underground careers in the swimming establishment.

Mitch Ivey, who was thrown overboard by the University of Florida while an ESPN Outside the Lines crew was in town, still writes manuals for the American Swimming Coaches Association.

As ASCA’s John Leonard reminded us, “We do not have an organization that deals directly with children, nor is that part of our purpose in any way, shape or form.”

International Swimming Hall of Famer Paul Bergen, known to be the coach accused by gold medalist Deena Deardurff Schmidt of molesting her in her youth, is on the USA Swimming “flagged” list but still enjoy consultancies.

International Swimming Hall of Famer Murray Stephens, founder of Michael Phelps’ North Baltimore Aquatic Club, abruptly resigned his position as CEO of NBAC when allegations of past abuse arose. But Stephens still profits handsomely from NBAC’s rental fees to his Meadowbrook Aquatic Center.

Unless the judge gives Rick Curl a prison sentence at the upcoming hearing on his guilty plea in the serial rapes of Kelley Davies, even he will resurface. Bank on it.

And so it is likely to go for Dusenbury. Last summer, while his USA Swimming investigation was “pending,” he was a featured speaker at the ASCA bacchanal — excuse me, convention — in Las Vegas. (Which also managed to slip in a USA Swimming committee meeting. Not that we’re implying there’s no practical difference between USA Swimming and ASCA!) Leonard also named Dusenbury an “ASCA Fellow,” whatever that is.

One more comment is required on the Dusenbury story. As Scott Reid’s account in the Orange County Register made clear, the Mission Viejo Nadadores swimmer with whom had one of those euphemistically labeled “inappropriate relationships” refused to testify against him. Most chillingly, according to multiple sources, the club’s parent community knew all about it and didn’t give a damn. Where parents use their kids as vessels of scholarship or Olympic ambition or vicarious glory, and defer to predatory coaches, they become, at a minimum, minority owners of the national youth coach sex abuse sickness.

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