Ex-UK cheer coach says he disagrees with dismissal in first public statement since firing
The former head University of Kentucky cheerleading coach said that he doesn’t agree with the way he was let go from the university, in a statement posted to his Facebook page on Friday.
The university announced the firing of head coach Jomo Thompson along with three other assistant coaches and the retirement of a long-time adviser to the team earlier this month after an internal, three-month university investigation concluded that some cheerleaders took part in hazing activities, alcohol use and public nudity. The coaches “knew or reasonably should have known” about the team’s conduct and did not properly address it, the investigation found.
In the statement, Thompson thanked the coaches and alumni who backed him after the firing while also taking issue with his dismissal and the way the university went about the investigation.
“And while I am proud of the years of success both in winning championships and helping the student-athletes fulfill their dreams, I do not agree with the manner in which my relationship with the University of Kentucky came to an end,” Thompson wrote in the statement. “I feel as though I should have been given more of an opportunity to present my perspective on the facts and events that have been reported.”
Members of the squad reportedly performed “basket tosses” — a gymnastics routine that requires throwing a person in the air — while either topless or bottomless and within view of some coaches at a team retreat at Lake Cumberland, the university’s internal investigation found.
Coaches failed to confiscate alcohol brought by students to the retreat, and coaches allowed cheerleading alumni to bring boats and alcohol to the same retreat, a summary of the investigation made public showed. Some squad members became so intoxicated that they required follow-up care, the investigation reports said.
At a separate cheerleading camp in Tennessee, some members of the team were directed by others to perform “lewd chants and wear outfits that did not include underwear,” according to the university’s press release announcing the findings of the investigation.
The investigation found no evidence of sexual assault or sexual misconduct. But portions of the investigation performed by members of the university’s Title IX office found that the coaching staff’s knowledge of the partially nude basket tosses — and lack of steps taken to prevent them — led investigators to conclude that the coaches allowed a “hostile environment.”
“I feel that the lack of opportunity to respond was unfair,” Thompson wrote in the statement. “However, life is not always fair. If there is one lesson that I have left to teach the student-athletes, it is that even when life is unfair, you must accept the things you cannot change with the same amount of class and dignity that you would accept the wins in life.”
After the firing of Thompson and the assistant coaches Ben Head, Spencer Clan and Kelsey LaCroix was made public, several cheerleading alumni defended Thompson’s character and questioned the investigation’s findings. An online petition demanding the reinstatement of the coaches has recieved over 17,000 signatures.
Josh Marsh, a former UK cheerleader who has gone viral for his tumbling routines at sporting events, stated on Twitter 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.”
One University of Kentucky 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 the investigation that included 60 interviews with team members and coaches. Oldham has disputed the accusations in her social media posts and called the posts “abuse.”
Thompson became the team’s head coach in 2002 and led the team to several championships including a recent run of four consecutive titles in 2016-19. UK launched its search for a new head coach immediately after Thompson’s firing.
“To the parents, I hope you know I always tried to instill values that you would be proud to see in your beloved children,” Thompson wrote. “To the athletes, thank you for giving me your trust and dedication throughout the years. Seeing you succeed is what kept me motivated and proud.”