UK cheer structure allowed for possible ‘enrichment’ of former head coach, audit finds
The organizational structure and decision making within the University of Kentucky’s cheer team potentially allowed for the “personal enrichment” of the team’s former head coach off work done by squad members, an internal review of the team’s finances found.
“Although a championship-caliber program on the field, audit results purport structural and cultural failure allowing the cheer program to self-govern,” stated the conclusion of a Sept. 24 report from the university’s Office of Internal Audit. The audit investigation began in early May — just days before the conclusion of two other investigations into the cheer team’s conduct led to the firing of Head Coach Jomo Thompson, three assistant coaches and the retirement of a high-level university attorney who also functioned as the team’s adviser.
Thompson said he had no comment on the audit investigation when contacted Thursday. Thompson said he was “moving to put this matter behind me. I’m moving on with life.” After his dismissal several cheerleaders publicly said they disagreed with the investigation. In late May, Thompson released a long statement in which he said he did “not agree with the manner in which my relationship with the University of Kentucky came to an end.”
After the conduct investigations concluded in May and were made public, the university moved the cheer team under more direct supervision of the athletics department, a move which UK audit officials stated would likely help the program avoid any future financial conflicts of interest. The university hired Ryan Martin O’ Connor in June as the team’s next head coach.
Thompson owned or was a shareholder in two businesses that “he used regularly to conduct unofficial UK cheerleading activities or further his personal financial interests,” the audit stated.
Thompson bought 50,000 shares of restricted stock in The Spirit Apps, Inc. — a company which created the phone application, CheerLife. The app, aimed at cheerleaders, allowed users to connect with coaching professionals and provide training from experienced instructors. The CEO of the company asked Thompson “and/or cheerleaders” to create monetized training content for the app, create a video blog, create a point of contact to track the actions of the cheer team and promote the app on social media.
“The Head Coach’s stock ownership increases the likelihood that decisions to involve UK cheerleaders in the CheerLife app would be for the Head Coach’s personal financial benefit, rather than in UK’s best interests,” the audit stated.
UK cheerleading also held practices at Central Elite Kentucky, a Lexington gym that was jointly purchased by Thompson and a relative of one of the assistant coaches. Thompson and squad’s director of operations directed students and potential cheerleaders to receive training at the gym and the gym hired two of the squad’s assistant coaches to manage the gym’s operations.
The cheer team and the university’s logo was also used for the financial benefit of some former cheerleaders, without the university’s prior approval. The UK logo and cheerleading brand were used to promote camps held by the Cheer Experts, which is owned by a former UK cheerleader. Thompson and active squad members also provided instruction at the camps.
The cheer program also spent over $8,000 on t-shirts over three years from two unnamed companies which are both owned by a former UK cheerleader. The program did not previously disclose that the companies were owned by a former cheerleader.
Thompson was hired as the team’s head coach in 2002, and according to business records from Kentucky’s Secretary of State’s office, Thompson is also a co-owner of the Burl in Lexington’s Distillery District.
Despite leading the team to repeated national success, Thompson was paid less than many prominent UK coaches. He made little more than $33,000 plus an additional $5,000 on one-time endorsement contracts. He received an additional $500 after the 2012 men’s basketball national championship.
The team’s previous main assistant coach, Ben Head earned $3,900 per year. Spencer Clan and Kelsey LaCroix made $5,580 as part-time coaches. All three were fired in May. LaCroix, who is employed as a nurse in UK HealthCare, makes $44,500.
Some cheerleaders took part in hazing activities, alcohol use and public nudity, the disciplinary investigation released in May stated.
According to those investigations, 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.
The coaching staff “knew or reasonably should have known” about the team’s conduct and did not take sufficient steps to address the conduct after learning about it, a press release announcing the firings said.
The audit investigation found no improper conduct related to the team’s use of pre-loaded, university-provided debit cards on team trips. In the previous investigations, the cards were noted as an area of concern. The state attorney general’s office ruled last month that the university violated the state’s open records law for not responding to ESPN quickly enough on two requests the sports media organization had made related to the cards.