A Washington soccer coach has lost his job after an alleged hazing incident involving his players during a team summer camp morphed into an incident that included "forced sexual conduct", with the teens involved in the hazing now facing the stigma of being involved in potential sex crimes, even if those charges have yet to be levied against them.
As first reported by the Olympian and quickly followed up upon by Seattle TV affiliate KOMO and KING 5, Olympia (Wash.) Capital High boys basketball coach Jeff Galloway was removed from his position just before the start of the 2012-13 school year because a group of his players were involved in a sexual incident in which younger players were subjected to forced sexual contact with upperclassmen on the team.
No details about precisely what happened during the hazing encouter behind closed doors at Western Washington University have been revealed.
According to the news sources, Galloway immediately reported the incident after he learned of it, but that still wasn't enough to save his job, with the Olympia School District deciding not to renew his contract as the school's boys basketball coach. The district did retain his services as the coach of the Capital girls golf team and one of the school's physical education instructors.
To his credit, Galloway didn't argue against the decision to relieve him of his duties, even though some have argued that the hazing incident was in no way the fault of the 11-year Olympia coaching veteran, who is also an alum of the school.
"It's a horrible event. I wish it had never taken place," Galloway told KOMO. "I feel for everybody involved. … When I left that evening, I felt comfortable the kids would be safe. There were people there to watch them and make sure they would be as safe as possible.
"I really want to be able to continue teaching. I really want to be able to continue coaching. So realistically, I feel thankful they're still allowing me to do those things."
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