A high school swim coach in the Los Angeles area was reportedly fired in May after reporting a fellow assistant to the U.S. Center for SafeSport for inappropriate conduct with a swimmer.
According to Easy Reader, Redondo Union High School (RUHS) assistant coach Sean Masi was terminated on May 15, two weeks after he reported an unnamed assistant to head coach Julie Brancato as well as the U.S. Center for SafeSport for inappropriate public displays of affection toward a junior year female swimmer. Masi said Brancato advised him to delay reporting, but he did so anyway because SafeSport mandates youth coaches to alert officials of “suspected child maltreatment” within 36 hours.
RUHS assistant principal Jeff Rosadini told the 21-year-old Masi that he found “no substantial evidence to reinforce your claim of emotional or sexual abuse. Witnesses interviewed either did not acknowledge the claims or refuted them and stated they were without merit.”
RUHS principal Anthony Bridi blamed the alleged misconduct on “a conflict between two RUHS assistant swim coaches.” But four swimmers granted anonymity by Easy Reader disputed that notion.
“I’ve heard this from a million other girls,” one RUHS swimmer said. “[The ones who told Masi] are very good-looking girls [whom the accused assistant coach] is very, very close to. I’ve seen [the accused] act around girls on the team, not like groping, but certain hand placement on the back… one to two girls in particular. We didn’t feel safe on deck, we didn’t want to practice.”
At the end-of-season swim team banquet on May 31, more than two dozen swimmers reportedly wore teal, which “signals you support survivors and are a safe person to talk to,” according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, to protest the school’s handling of the allegations above.
The accused coach has remained working at RUHS since the allegations surfaced, according to Easy Reader. Masi, an assistant club coach at Surfside Swim Team, plans to transfer from El Camino College to Boise State this upcoming fall.
“If I don’t prioritize the interests and safety of our athletes above my own, then I am unworthy of bearing the title of coach,” Masi said. “Safeguarding the well-being of these remarkable individuals remains paramount above all. I have dedicated myself to uphold these values throughout the entirety of my career, in and out of the pool, without yielding to any external influence or compromise.”
Just found out he is the Head Coach of Boise State Club Swimming & Diving! This guy is awesome. Now a college club coach… who doesn’t love a comeback story?? Congrats Coach Sean!
This guy needs to talk to Russell Prince. He is the top attorney dealing with SafeSport issues. Bryanprincepa.com is his website.
Unless you live in SoCal, you wouldn’t understand the full story of this exaggerated accusation
🤡🤡🤡
report a concern, get fired … that tracks
Good thing the assistant principal did the investigation. It makes me feel good that they did everything they could to make sure these girls can be themselves. The girls were also told if they wore teal to the banquet, they would be under consideration to not return to the team nest year.
This same scenario plays out across sports and across countries. Until we prioritize the well-being of athletes and stop punishing whistleblowers, abuse will continue in sports.
To athletes involved: I believe you. Witnessing this behavior by our coaches when we were teenagers caused a lot of damage that it took us years to fully understand. I hope that you have support from each other and from adults in your life.
First the alleged crime; then the alleged cover-up / Have we seen this picture before?