By Logan Brandon • Sports Editor • 

Captain, six others leave Linfield volleyball team

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Comments

Oregonian

How is it possible the administration let things get so bad in the volleyball program, that this is the result?

How in the world does Davis think he will be able to recruit a single new player next year?

Respect to the young women who quit the program. There are huge life lessons here.

Jwhite

VBall mean very much to me, ive played all my life, I quit!!!!!!!

Lulu

Susan Hopp and Garry Kilgorre certainly have some explaining to do if they automatically dismissed the students' complaints out of hand.
It's circle the wagons time yet again.

Chris

There has got to be more to this story? Are there any plans for a follow up story? What was the result of the investigations that were supposedly conducted. Surely these dedicated young athletes would not have sacrificed what they all had worked so hard to achieve, while playing for numerous coaches and multiple programs over a variation in coaching style? Linfield needs to openly and transparently identify what (or who) the real issues are here and correct this injustice. The tradition and reputation of this prestigious institution is now on the line. There is only one course of actions that can properly resolve this extremely unfortunate, unnecessary and painful experience while maintaining Linfield’s prestige....

shelli97128

My daughter has chosen to stop playing volleyball for Linfield College due to the abusive and bullying behavior of the Head Coach, Josh Davis.
The volleyball team filed a 9-page complaint with Athletic Director, Garry Killgore detailing the verbal and emotional abuse only to be told they need to deal with it as adults and turn a negative into a positive. Garry Killgore told the team he would fire Coach Davis if he could but is unable to since he is a gay black man and would potential involve a lawsuit
Many of us parents expressed our concerns to the Dean, Susan Hopp, only to be dismissed and told “As far as I know, this could be all about playing time.”
The players have been told they are dumb, are a joke, don’t have heart and don’t deserve to be on the team. Coach Davis uses profanity at the girls and last week screamed in my daughters face when she was trying to calmly address a team concern with him.
Coach Davis talks individually with girls and bad mouths the other players on the team causing drama and undermines the team’s cohesiveness. He never encourages players and gives technically incorrect direction. He told the team he has been dealing with a medical issue that has affected his cognitive ability. So why wouldn’t he take FMLA and not subject our children to abusive, irrational and retaliatory behavior.
It breaks my heart that my daughter felt she had to give up the sport she has loved her whole life because she won’t subject herself to a coach who is abusive and a bully and his coaching philosophies defy everything she believes and stands for.
Shame on the Linfield College administration for their inactions to allow their students to be treated this way.
Shelli Wainwright
Aka Taylor Petersen’s Mom

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