Children and parents should have the confidence that any club in which a child participates is operated properly and fairly, and is in compliance with its rules and those of its governing body.
Likewise, any club should want its members to feel that way about it.
However, the current probationary status of the Columbus-based Lincoln Center Skate Club has cast a shadow over the way it operates.
The club is currently on probation with U.S. Figure Skating for violating the national organization’s bylaws and its own club rules. In fact, it’s the only operating figure skating club on probation with U.S. Figure Skating.
A U.S. Figure Skating panel said the club failed to properly investigate incidents of misconduct perpetrated against club members, failed to comply with SafeSport requirements, failed to conduct background checks on all volunteers and denied a 10-year-old skater’s membership because of its displeasure with the girl’s mother.
The probation status followed an investigation by U.S. Figure Skating after a complaint was filed by former club president Andrea Tinsley — first with the club, then with the national organization. Tinsley alleged that she and another former club official, Rachael Peery, were confronted in a physically threatening manner by Beverlee Williams, a volunteer and mother of then-club president Kimberly Hampton, and said in the complaint the club didn’t properly investigate the incident. Tinsley also raised concerns about the club’s adherence to SafeSport’s policies. SafeSport is an independent nonprofit committed to ending all forms of abuse in sports.
The panel also said dressing rooms were not monitored by people who were SafeSport compliant, and that club officials failed to follow SafeSport policies regarding the use of cellphones and social media in dressing rooms.
The club’s lack of a background check permitted the mother of a former club president, who had pleaded guilty to two theft-related charges, to handle money at the concession stand, according to the U.S. Figure Skating panel. (The club disputes this finding and said the woman volunteered, but never handled money. The mother, however, later contacted The Republic and said she had never volunteered with the club.)
After Tinsley raised concerns with Lincoln Center Skate Club, she received a letter notifying her that her daughter had been denied membership in the club — without a reason stated, and even though she had been a member previously.
During a grievance hearing conducted by the U.S. Figure Skating panel, the club’s attorney testified that the daughter was denied membership because of tension between the club’s board and Tinsley. Club officials also admitted during the hearing that not all club members had undergone background checks.
U.S. Figure Skating, when issuing the probationary status to Lincoln Center Skate Club, gave several directives for the club to regain compliance. Among them:
All of the club’s board members must participate in a club education seminar. The club said the seminar has been divided into three portions, and two of the three have been completed.
The club is required to appoint a SafeSport chair who is not a board member. The club said this is has been done.
All board members and officers must be SafeSport compliant by July 31. The club said this has been done.
We commend club leadership for taking these steps, and encourage them to continue with the education seminars. However, we think they should go further and embrace U.S. Figure Skating’s other recommendation.
U.S. Figure Skating said it “strongly recommends” that the club extended an offer of membership to the 10-year-old girl who was denied membership. However, Tinlsey said no offer has been extended to her daughter. The club has said it doesn’t extend offers and that a skater’s coach recommends membership and must sign the skater’s recommendation.
The club’s response in regard to extending the girl membership exudes a sense that the club is not fully grasping the seriousness of the probation and the situation, and the expectations of U.S. Figure Skating, and is still holding against the 10-year-old girl the tension it has with her mother.
Dismissing a strong recommendation that U.S. Figure Skating is essentially saying is in the club’s best interests doesn’t give a lot of confidence to parents who might be looking for a skating club for their children.
If the club doesn’t embrace U.S. Figure Skating’s “strong recommendation,” it might be in the best interest of Lincoln Center Skate Club, and the community, for the club to start afresh with an entirely new set of elected officers and board members, so that those who have not been in decision making roles during this ordeal can help turn a new chapter in the club’s history.
