Former Chattahoochee Gold head site coach at the Cummings Aquatic Center Neil Savage has admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a swimmer in an email to members of the team and several local coaches in the Atlanta area. The email was sent out by Mark Schilling, who is the head site coach at the Cherokee Aquatic Center, late on Thursday evening.
Chattahoochee Gold said that they did not have any comment at this time, but that they would be releasing a statement soon. Club co-owner Beth Murphy did confirm that the letter was legitimate.
Correction: the original posting said that Pat Murphy confirmed, but it was in fact his wife Beth Murphy, who is also a co-owner of the club, that confirmed the detail of the email’s legitimacy.
In the letter (the full text of which is below), Savage admits to “many years ago” having had “a relationship with a swimmer who was a Senior in High School.” The letter does not at any point specify whether or not this relationship was sexual, though he did state that it was “certainly inappropriate and not permissible by USA Swimming guidelines.”
While the identity of the student mentioned is not known, a high school senior is typically 17 or 18 years old. Our legal analyst Ceci Christy tells us that the age of consent in Georgia is 16, but that she is still trying to track down further details on any possible criminal charges.
He also says that he is “not sure how USA Swimming will rule on the matter,” but that he will “accept their punishment.”
Savage’s bio have since been taken down from the Chattahoochee Gold website, but a cached version of that bio says that Savage graduated in high school in 2003 and has been coaching with Chattahoochee Gold since at least 2006. He is also a former swimmer on the team, and still holds team records in the 9-10 age group.
Chattahoochee Gold is rated as a silver-medal club in USA Swimming’s 2014 Club Excellence Program results.
Savage’s email address at Chattahoochee Gold has been deactivated and was bouncing-back emails on Friday morning. USA Swimming says that they can’t comment on an “open matter” in a response from Safe Sport head Susan Woessner.
Dear Chattahoochee Gold parents,
I write you today not as a coach or a representative of Chattahoochee Gold, but as someone you or your child cares about, and, perhaps, as a friend.
The last 36 hours have been trying for me. They’ve been emotional and challenging and my heart has mourned. I have greatly appreciated the outpouring of concern and supportive texts and calls that I’ve received; it’s nice to know how supportive a network I have in times of crisis. But, to be honest, I don’t deserve it.
I’ve always tried to hold my swimmers—your children—to the highest standards. My goal was to develop great swimmers who also had the skills to survive and thrive in the real world: attention to detail, work ethic, and knowing the difference between right and wrong… because that’s the difference between success and failure. Unfortunately, I did no uphold those values within my own personal life, and, in making that mistake, have caused a calamity within Chattahoochee Gold and your own family’s lives.
My error in judgment occurred several years ago, and came during a rough patch in my life. I began a relationship with a swimmer who was a Senior in High School. No defense of my actions would be tenable, but the offense wasn’t planned or fiendishly nefarious. However, it was certainly inappropriate and not permissible by USA Swimming guidelines. My personal shame and embarrassment about the issue weighs heavy in my heart, and the guilt has corroded me. But the shame, embarrassment and guilt pale in comparison to the distress I’ve caused for Chattahoochee Gold and the Cumming Site.
I’m not sure how USA Swimming will rule on the matter, but I will accept their punishment. Any vitriol or hate you have regarding the situation should not be aimed at them, at Chattahoochee Gold, or Pat Murphy; it should be aimed at myself. However, I do ask that if you had some modicum of love and respect for me, you will encourage your athletes to uphold the spirit of the program I was striving to create, but unable to live up to personally. Our staff, our families and our swimmers are stronger than this; they can move forward without me, but only if we have the support of the parents.
You have my humblest, most sincere regrets,
Neil Savage
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that the age of consent in Georgia is 17. It is, in fact, 16.
OK! As a Gold swimmer here’s my piece:
Neil was a great coach. I do not feel bad for him AT ALL. He brought this upon himself, and it is IN NO WAY condonable. I do not think SwimSwam should have posted the entire letter, but I do think people have a right to know. Now, we all need to respect his privacy and the privacy of the female’s family. I do NOT know who this girl is or anything about their relationship because Gold will not tell us. They have handled everything 100% correctly. They immediately fired him when they found out and have done everything to cooperate with USA Swimming. Please just drop it. Our team works… Read more »
Suggestion for Berkoff / USA Swimming: I think it would be beneficial for USA Swimming to have an open forum where people can ask questions and receive answers from USA Swimming. Many people, including myself, have sent correspondence to USA Swimming only to be ignored or have the issue thrown back to the LSC. Problems, complaints, questions aren’t dealt with, but rather brushed aside or ignored. After reading this blog, it seems that policies vary greatly between LSC’s, which is surprising, since all are under USA Swimming.
While some rules may be crystal clear to some, it may not be to others. Also, rules seem to be flexible for some. Some LSC’s tell their members that some rules do not… Read more »
kinda creepy
but he’s hot so it’s okay
Are you kidding me?
Question for Berkoff, Hulk or whoever: Many age group coaches also coach the Masters programs at the respective pool. Does this policy carry over to Masters coaches and athletes who are also USA Swimming members? Or can people wear two hats – what happens while swimming with Masters groups is none of USA Swimmings business?
My reading is that if a masters swimmer is also a USAS member and the coach was a dual coach, the rule would apply.
I am a high school teacher and the head coach of our high school swim team.
The issue here is an ethical one. When you accept a position as a high school teacher, you can no longer have a romantic relationship with any high school student anywhere (your school or any other school.) Period. Age, consent, etc. are irrelevant.
I would expect the coaches of age group clubs to be held to the same ethical standard, since coaching is, in essence, teaching.
All the redeeming characteristics of an individual who crosses this line are unfortunately (for him or her) irrelevant. If I ever did this, I would expect to be fired, and never rehired, ever, by anyone, in a teaching… Read more »
Perhaps USA Swimming should post warning labels at ALL USA Swimming related events.
ATTENTION: USA Swimming STRONGLY RECOMMENDS that a romantic relationship with a USA Swimming athlete MUST be AVOIDED. USA Swimming is not bound by state laws and does not rule on state laws in any category. While the parties involved may think the relationship is legal and consensual at the time, parties may have a change of heart as they get older and at that time, USA Swimming will decide the appropriateness of the relationship. If the relationship is deemed inappropriate, the accused will be suspended or banned by USA Swimming. While many teens and young adults feel that they’re finished with swimming and don’t care about… Read more »
You made my day thank you so much 🙂
My child swims at another Atlanta area team and I would let her swim on gold. “Swim mom” what if this happened on your team. Would you move your child and bash you old team? The team has a great reputation in GA and one bad egg should not spoil things for all. His fans are hurt and time will heal. You can not say the way a few folks are is the way the whole team is.
As one of Coach Neil’s first and former swimmers I can personally say he has had a lasting impression on my life during and after swimming. He was more than a coach he was someone who was looking out for you, always doing what was best for you,the swimmer, and the team. It truely saddens me to think that some people would be so jealous and vengeful of his success and hard work. Neil wasn’t given anything, he worked for it all. Although I have left the sport of swimming I can confidently say that with knowing Neil as my coach and swimming for him that he was an amazing, wise, and encouraging person! Without Coach Neil I can say… Read more »