The Student News Site of Rock Bridge High School

Bearing News

The Student News Site of Rock Bridge High School

Bearing News

The Student News Site of Rock Bridge High School

Bearing News

RBHS swimming coach fired amidst controversial remarks

RBHS+swimming+coach+fired+amidst+controversial+remarks

The RBHS swimming team finds itself floating in adversity and controversy, after disturbing statements made by the team’s head coach.
Yesterday, Jan. 29, girls’ swimming head coach Laura Wacker was fired for allegedly comparing swimmers to Holocaust victims and Nazi sympathizers. David Egan, the RBHS athletic director, confirmed that she is no longer coaching the team, but declined to comment why.
“She compared us to Nazis and the suspended swimmers to Jews, and went on a rant trashing MSHSAA for around 20 minutes,” a swimmer speaking under anonymity said.
The swimmer referred to certain athletes who were suspended for breaking dead week rules established by MSHSAA (Missouri State High School Activities Assoication.) Allegedly, Wacker said that the rules were unfair and those that did not follow the rule, which resulted in a suspension of both the girls and the coach, were acting against an unjust stipulation, comparing them to Holocaust victims.  Additionally, she said the girls who were unhappy with the swimmers who broke the rule were wrong to criticize them, comparing them to Nazi sympathizers.
[spoiler title=”Read more about MSHSAA’s dead week policy” open=”yes” style=”fancy” icon=”arrow”]https://www.bearingnews.org/2015/12/dead-week-causes-rift-for-rbhs-swimmers/ [/spoiler] The anonymous swimmer said the coach did not help the girls improve on their skills and was too caught up in dead week infractions.
“She was fired because she said things that were inappropriate and not conducive to the team environment instead of helping us become better swimmers,” the swimmer said.
Wacker said the decision was not discussed at all and came as a surprise to her.
“I am sorry to say that I don’t even know what to say at this point,” Wacker said. “I am shocked at the events that transpired yesterday after practice and the fact that my coaching staff and I were not asked to address the comments about what occurred at practice before the decision to fire me was handed down.”
Swimmer Elinor Stanley is disheartened by that the season long debacle has stolen the spotlight.
“It’s just that the season has been difficult for everyone and the situation has overshadowed the fact we are teams with good swimmers and good swimming has happened regardless,” Stanley said.
Despite the controversy, Stanley and the rest of the swimming team are trying to move forward and keep their eyes on the real prize: the state championships.
“There have been hard feelings, but we’re all trying to move on and focus on what we can effect, which is swimming our best and preparing to go as a team to state,” Stanley said.

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    paigeorwigFeb 4, 2016 at 2:15 pm

    I agree with the part of bringing both sides of the story, I had no idea what was even going on until reading this, very terrible but interesting at the same time!

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  • 1

    19JL01Jan 31, 2016 at 8:28 pm

    This story did a nice job covering both sides of the story while other keeping it fairly unbiased. For students who are not up to date with the most recent swimming coverage , this was a good way for readers to be notified about what is happening with the tensions of a fired coach while not swaying too much a certain side of the story.

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    Emily ObaJan 31, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    I agree that the comment was inappropriate to the swim team environment, but I am surprised that it resulted in the swim coach being fired. I like how this story doesn’t totally slam the swim coach for her wrongdoings and respectfully tells what the issue was and what was done about it.

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    Allie PiggJan 31, 2016 at 3:33 pm

    Wow, I didn’t know the issues in the swimming department were so extreme. Hopefully things get fixed up by next season. Thanks for handling this story with grace toward the former coach and the student swimmers.

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