Online ‘abuse’ aimed at family after 4 Kentucky cheerleading coaches fired over probe
A University of Kentucky cheerleader and her mother have faced a wave of online criticism after the prestigious team’s four coaches were fired following a three-month hazing, alcohol and nudity investigation.
The cheerleader, who just finished her freshman year, and her mother Karen Oldham have been the subject of memes and other social media postings claiming Oldham was the initial whistleblower in an investigation that included 60 interviews with team members and coaches. Oldham has disputed the accusations in her social media posts.
The source of the initial complaint was not identified in UK’s investigation findings. According to a publicly disclosed summary of the investigation, the investigation began after the family member of a cheerleader contacted a UK faculty member raising concerns about some of the team’s conduct and the coaching staff’s oversight of that conduct. The faculty member, as a mandatory reporter, forwarded the concerns on to the Dean of Students office, sparking the investigation.
An attorney representing two of the cheerleaders later came forward with similar concerns, the documents show.
Oldham said in a Facebook comment that she did not alert the university, writing “(a)gain reporting didn’t come from us but I will let you know I personally am reporting the abuse my daughter has endured the past 48 hours!” In another comment, she said her daughter “told the truth when asked.”
She also said in social media comments that her family has been harassed and threatened since the results of the investigation were announced. Some of the posts appear to come from people currently or formerly associated with the cheerleading program.
UK explicitly said that retaliation over the investigation or the decision to fire the four coaches would not be tolerated.
Several online posts have blamed the Oldhams for the dismissals of Head coach Jomo Thompson and assistant coaches Ben Head, Spencer Clan and Kelsey LaCroix. (T. Lynn Williamson, a university lawyer who also served for four decades as an administrative adviser to the cheerleading squad, retired as a result of the investigation.) Other posts blame a parent without naming the individual.
Kyle Steele, a former cheerleader at UK, made social media posts indicating he believed the Oldhams were responsible for the investigation.
According to the investigation, 15 cheerleaders, one assistant coach and the program’s longtime adviser told investigators they had witnessed the team performing partially nude basket tosses into Lake Cumberland during a retreat and did not notify the university until questioned. Others admitted prohibited alcohol was brought or consumed on trips, according to the investigation’s findings.
Oldham has defended herself and the outcome of the investigation on social media.
“There is no way any parent can say it is okay for a coach to watch naked athletes in any fashion,” she said in a Facebook comment. “I’m glad our daughter was not a participant. Just so sad for all and I pray the victims heal. There were so many crazy findings we had no clue. It has been amazing how some have resurfaced lol to give me full credit of my name Karen. To this date we have sued no one but I am definitely looking at it in the near future.
“Someone will be held accountable for these abusive acts. We have been threatened and I will always protect my kids.”
Karen said in addition to public social media posts, her family has received harassing messages as well.
“Why is it directed to us is what we keep asking?” Karen wrote in a Facebook message Wednesday. She added that she was hiring a lawyer to deal with alleged harassment.
“Due to social media and D1 athletes messaging our daughter in a harassing hostile way, we are contacting an attorney today,” Karen wrote to a Herald-Leader reporter.
University of Kentucky spokesperson Jay Blanton said he wouldn’t speculate on whether any particular online posting would be considered retaliatory by the university.
“If someone reports a post to the University — our Student Conduct office — I know they will review them in accordance with our policies,” Blanton said in a statement Wednesday. “But I’m not going to speculate on something we don’t have formally from someone. That wouldn’t be fair to the process or people who may ultimately be involved in it. We take these issues very seriously and any such concern or complaint would be fully reviewed and investigated.”
Karen Aguiar, the mother of cheerleader Riley Aguiar, who graduated in the spring, condemned threatening the family. She said other parents felt the same.
“We do not condone anybody threatening them,” she said. “Absolutely not. That’s not the way to handle this and that’s not the way to go about this. That’s what we are all preaching to our children that are on the team.”
After the release of the investigation which found that the coaching staff “knew or reasonably should have known” about the team taking part in hazing activities, public nudity and alcohol use while on university trips and did not take sufficient steps to address the conduct after learning about it, several past and present cheerleaders took to social media to defend the coaches. Some cheerleaders admitted the behavior occurred but protested the penalties imposed on the coaches.
Josh Marsh, a former UK cheerleader who has gone viral for his tumbling routines at sporting events, stated on Twitter Wednesday that “MOST allegations” brought forward in the investigation “were extremely exaggerated & SOME were completely false.” He wrote that he was looking to identify “the individual(s) that are responsible for spreading rumors that ultimately tarnished the names of great people” and would pursue legal action for “defamation of character.”
The investigation and its aftermath have set off debate and demands. An online petition seeking the reinstatement of the program’s coaches and adviser received thousands of signatures in a matter of hours on Wednesday afternoon.
Jared Peck contributed reporting.
This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 7:29 AM.