But the complaint alleges that the mother’s reports were “dismissed as an attempt to manipulate her daughter’s position on the cheer team and in the gym.” The plaintiff did, however, disclose Plank’s abuse to her mother, who then reported it to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, all star cheer's governing body the United States All Star Federation, and Varsity Spirit LLC, a national for-profit cheerleading organization, according to the complaint. Similarly, the defendant felt “powerless to stop” Plank’s alleged abuse, fearing "she would be demoted in the program or otherwise punished.” One unidentified female plaintiff alleges a variety of abuse by three coaches - Kathy Foster, Scott Foster’s wife, for “bullying,” “body-shaming,” and “excessive” and punishing training Plank, for sending nude photos and videos of himself masturbating to the plaintiff when she was only 13 and Hinton, for forcing the plaintiff to “perform oral sex on him” when she was 14.Īccording to the complaint, the plaintiff did not report Hinton’s alleged assault for fear that “coaches or others at Rockstar would target” her sister, who also trained at the gym. Only after the plaintiff “confided in her mother” about the behavior did the plaintiff recognize it “as abuse,” the lawsuit said. The touching, which the complaint identifies as “grooming behavior,” occurred both at the gym and at his home, according to the lawsuit. Guyton is alleged to have touched a 15-year-old inappropriately while a coach at Rockstar. Black said that he was unaware of the allegations, and he subsequently deactivated his social media account. The Greenville News reached Black on social media after the amended complaint was released. One of the two coaches, whose identity is unspecified, is alleged to have also sent nude photos of himself to the plaintiff. Two years later, when the plaintiff was 16, according to the complaint, Black and Holley solicited “nude photographs” from the minor. At the time, the plaintiff was 14 years old. 21.Īn unidentified male plaintiff alleges Black and Holley “began making inappropriate and vulgar comments to him” when he joined Rockstar. When this abuse allegedly occurred was not included in the lawsuit.įeeley was an assistant cheerleading coach at Clemson University between 20, according to the website for his current cheerleading consulting business, Spring CDT.įeeley called the claims "categorically false" in a statement emailed to reporters by a public-relations representative on Sept. The complaint also alleges that Feeley raped the same plaintiff at his apartment after supplying her with drugs and alcohol, potentially with Foster’s knowledge. The amended complaint accuses Feeley, then a coach working for Foster, of sexually abusing an unnamed female plaintiff at a hotel where the team was staying during a competition. Sexual abuse allegations against SC coaches Rockstar Cheer closes amid scandal: What to know about Scott Foster lawsuits, allegationsįoster was found to have died by suicide last month, according to the Greenville County Coroner's Office. Nearly all of the abuse is alleged to have occurred while the defendants were coaching at Rockstar Cheer and Dance Inc., the now-shuttered competitive cheerleading gym in Greer. In several instances, the alleged abuse occurred when the plaintiffs were minors. The coaches, along with Rockstar founder Scott Foster, are accused of a range of misconduct, including rape, providing drugs to athletes, groping and inappropriate touching, and the exchange of sexual images. 1, now includes three additional female plaintiffs, all unidentified, plus the new coaches, who are accused publicly for the first time - Kenny Feeley, Josh Guyton, Nathan Allan Plank, Christopher Hinton, Traevon Black and Peter Holley. 15, the latest development in an escalating scandal that has sent shockwaves through the world of competitive cheerleading. Six more coaches formerly associated with Rockstar Cheer have been accused of sexual abuse in a federal lawsuit amended Sept. 22, 2022, to include new information from accused men and to clarify allegations in lawsuits and claims from those named.
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