Double Standard in Iowa Coaching?

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SOME SEE OUSTER OF 4 WOMEN IN 4 YEARS AS EVIDENCE OF GENDER BIAS Authorities credit coordination by 8 agencies for the swift end to violence Nov. 17 in Pleasant Hill.

By Kathy A. Bolten [email protected]

Pleasant Hill police began the morning of Monday, Nov. 17, knowing it could be a difficult day. It was, for entirely different reasons than expected. Over the weekend, online threats had been made against Southeast Polk schools. Pleasant Hill is home to the district’s high school and junior high. The threats had prompted stepped-up security and a par- tial lockdown. At 6:32 a.m., the Polk County Dispatch Center received its first report from Pleas- ant Hill that someone had been shot. About three minutes later, a report of another shooting came in. And then another. By 7:05 a.m., a suspect was in custody. Within that 33-minute span — in which two people were seriously wounded — per- sonnel from eight agencies worked togeth- er to dispatch information, aid victims, se- Above: A university investigation into allegations that field cure crime scenes, interview witnesses hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum has bullied student athletes and apprehend a suspect. By Bryce Miller and Jason Clayworth found insufficient evidence to conclude she violated any Authorities credit the coordinated re- [email protected] university policies. Griesbaum was fired Aug. 4. sponse for the suspect’s quick apprehen-

niversity of Iowa field See SHOOTING, Page 14A hockey players ended up in therapy due to their FEMALE COACH DEPARTURES coach’s actions, which included forbidding them The departures of these University of Iowa head coaches has from eating white bread raised national questions about whether gender bias per- Uduring the season and call- meates the school’s athletics department. Drake grad ing them stupid, an undis- closed number of players claimed. Tracey Mandi But the university’s investigation failed Griesbaum Kowal to substantiate those anonymous students’ field hockey rowing recalls attack statements against head coach Tracey Fired Aug. 4, Contract not Griesbaum, concluding on Aug. 1 that she 2014 renewed, hadn’t committed any violations of school Aug. 27, 2012 on Pearl Harbor policy. Still, three days later, the coach de- scribed by her players as tough yet success- Sharon Kelly he day that lives in infamy — Dec. ful and respected was fired. Dingman Crawford 7, 1941 — began quietly on a Hono- Griesbaum is the fourth UI women’s volleyball golf Tlulu golf course for Robert Isokane. The Hawaiian native was 15 years old, coach fired or forced out since 2010, spark- Contract not Contract not ing national conversation about whether working as a caddy. On Sunday mornings, renewed, renewed, an Army lieuten- gender biases and sexism exist in the athlet- Dec. 6, 2013 Sept. 14, 2011 ic department on the Big Ten campus. Inter- METRO VOICE ant colonel views by the Des Moines Sunday Register played a few and a review of more than rounds. 1,000 emails and docu- “In the middle ments gathered under the of his game, a state’s open-records law staff car showed raised questions and con- up for him, and cerns about the depart- he ran off,” re- ment’s culture and gen- called Isokane, a DANIEL P. FINNEY 1955 Drake Uni- der-based treatment of [email protected] coaches. versity alumnus who recently shared his experiences with See IOWA, Page 10A the school’s librarians as part of an ongo- ing alumni oral history project. Right: Multiple current and A half hour later or so, Isokane saw former UI employees and Japanese planes fly low over the golf student-athletes began to course. The raiders were fast, sleek and raise questions soon after Tracey Griesbaum was fired. See FINNEY, Page 21A

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“This is a gender-equality issue, and it is a national problem that could change high-caliber women’s sports. If this decision stands, women will be afraid to coach in a way that challenges student-athletes for fear they will be fired without cause.”

JESSICA ENOCH A women’s studies associate professor at the University of Maryland and former player of fired University of Iowa field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO CONFLICT Former Iowa Hawkeyes women’s field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum works on a play with the team in this undated photo. OF INTEREST? As part of its investigation into field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum, Iowa looked at IOWA whether her relationship with Jane Meyer, the Continued from Page 1A university’s senior women’s athletics administrator, posed a professional conflict. The probe concluded the relationship was not Iowa officials flatly deny the characterizations, con- prohibited. tending that athletic director Gary Barta fired Gries- University President Sally Mason nonethe- baum to protect student-athletes after an independent, less told the Register she found it concerning months-long investigation. A UI spokesman also ar- and learned of it only recent- gued that 11 of the 17 coaching changes during Barta’s ly. near-decade tenure involved men. Meyer and Griesbaum Griesbaum, in an interview with the Register, said a have acknowledged being in double standard permeates the department. a relationship for the past “I was asked (during the investigation), ‘Is it true decade. Mason said neither that you don’t allow your team to eat white bread?’ ” she nor athletic director Gary Griesbaum said. “It was a complaint put forth by a stu- Barta was aware until it was dent-athlete to prove how mean and horrible of a coach reported in the media. I was, because we don’t eat white bread. Jane Meyer “I asked Gary recently, “Actually, it’s not even true. We eat white bread. I eat ‘When did you learn about white bread right in front of them. So that’s just an ex- this relationship?’ ” Mason ample,” said Griesbaum, who is preparing to file a civil JASON A. COOK/IOWA CITY PRESS-CITIZEN FILE PHOTO said in an interview with the Register last rights lawsuit against Iowa. Former Iowa softball coach Gayle Blevins coaches during a month. “It turns out we both learned about UI spokesman Joe Brennan insisted the reason was NCAA Regional Tournament game in 2006 in Iowa City. A Nov. this from the newspaper.” simple — and confined to a single coach. 5 ESPN.com article questioned her retirement while exploring A Register reporter asked Mason: “Truly, “It’s about an AD who moved on a coach because of issues related to other female former coaches. you didn’t know before that?” Mason replied: his concerns about how the players were being treat- “Not with certainty. Rumor. Innuendo but ed,” Brennan said. certainly not with any certainty. No.” Jessica Enoch, a women’s studies associate profes- followers. But former athletic representative Betsy sor at the University of Maryland and one of Gries- On Nov. 5, ESPN.com posted an article — headlined Altmaier told the Register she personally baum’s former players, contends the firing of a winning “What the Heck is Going On with the Iowa Athletic De- informed Mason about the relationship in women’s coach — after a university-sanctioned report partment?” — that explored issues related to former 2011. Altmaier said she knows of at least two concluded there were no violations — has national im- coaches Kelly Crawford (women’s golf), Mandi Kowal other university employees who alerted Ma- plications. She also insists that expectations for women (rowing) and Sharon Dingman (volleyball). It also ques- son to the relationship, some raising questions coaches are secretly different than for men. tioned the retirement of highly successful softball about a potential conflict of interest. “This is a gender-equality issue, and it is a national coach Gayle Blevins — something also raised by mul- “In 2011 I told Sally, I told Gary, and I told a problem that could change high-caliber women’s tiple people in university emails obtained by the Regis- member of Sally’s staff,” Altmaier said. “How- sports,” Enoch said. “If this decision stands, women will ter. ever, it is possible that they did not believe be afraid to coach in a way that challenges student-ath- UI President Sally Mason told the Register she’s me.” letes for fear they will be fired without cause.” aware of the ESPN story and other questions about the Meyer was not responsible for direct over- department, but supports Barta, who took over from Bob Bowlsby in 2006. sight of Griesbaum’s program but is the de- Lawyer: If Griesbaum claims partment’s point person for facilities — in- “At this point, while I hear the concerns that are out cluding field hockey’s Grant Field. are true, ‘who cares?’ there, I’m not sharing those concerns strongly myself,” An Aug. 10 email, obtained from UI by the Mason said. Register, shows Meyer contacted Sue Buckley, The questions being raised today echo old concerns Newkirk, Griesbaum’s attorney, said he believes the the university’s vice president for human for UI’s athletic department. fact that Griesbaum is a woman and is gay contributed resources, less than a week after Griesbaum A 2004 athletic review conducted by an independent to her firing. was fired: “Sue: I would like to request a committee found “interactions in the department are “Our point is this: Take every single” allegation meeting to discuss the process with which not consistently respectful toward women.” The re- made against Griesbaum and “imagine it’s true. Who information was gathered and shared regard- view also cited inequities in non-salary benefits and cares?” Newkirk said. “If you can imagine that the cur- ing the dismissal of Head Coach Tracey Gries- perks, an underrepresentation of women’s athletes in rent basketball coach had her record — (four) Big Ten baum.” proportion to the student body, and the lack of a clear championships — and four male players complained When told of the email, Mason called it advocate for gender-equity needs. about his tantrums on the sidelines, do you think any- “interesting.” Iowa’s athletics department continues to address body would care one bit?” Asked whether that contact would con- those concerns through planning, annual surveys, Iowa has declined to discuss specifics that led to cern her, Mason said, “Yeah, actually it would meetings and periodic “brown bag lunch” sessions with Griesbaum’s dismissal, but an email from Barta to a for- … I had kind of expected more of senior head coaches, Brennan said. mer player cites “an accumulation of things” as op- staff.” The most recent UI situation swirls around Gries- posed to one or two incidents. The university requires management plans, baum, the ousted coach painted in contrasting lights. Brennan insisted Griesbaum’s termination had noth- approved by the human resources depart- The university began investigating this past spring ing to do with her sexual orientation: “To me, it looks ment, for possible conflicts of interest. One following complaints by an unknown number of ath- like you’ve got a problem coach, you’ve got an AD who’s exists for Mason, whose husband works at letes. While the formal report concluded no university stepping in to clean up the problem and protect the stu- Iowa, and for football coach Kirk Ferentz and policies were violated, it also cautioned about “a team dents.” his son, Brian. environment of fear, intimidation and/or mistreat- Griesbaum insists problems associated with male “It’s similar to trying to manage intellectu- ment” and players who “felt pressured to play injured.” coaches are ignored or downplayed. al property (at a university),” Mason said. “As The Register identified and confirmed 15 field hock- “If this program’s being looked into, why isn’t every we’re trying to manage intellectual property, ey players who have left the program for reasons other program being looked into on the men’s side?” Gries- we have to rely on those who are inventing than graduation since 2008. Tom Newkirk, an attorney baum asked. things to disclose to us that they are, and if representing Griesbaum, said field hockey is unique because no high school programs operate in Iowa — there are conflicts of interest that have to be Claim: High-profile coaches managed, we have to, again, rely on a certain meaning a high percentage of recruits from the East or amount of individual integrity to come and West coasts can become homesick and leave. are treated differently tell.” The majority left because of discomfort with the Meyer has not returned multiple calls and coach and program, multiple sources told the Register. Others also are raising objections about the stan- emails seeking comment. Griesbaum said the Former UI faculty athletic representative Betsy Alt- dards applied to UI women’s coaches. couple did “due diligence” each year by maier said if a sport like field hockey (with 12 scholar- Johnson County assistant attorney Beth Beglin reading university policies and felt they were ships annually) was weighed against a high-profile asked the Iowa state Board of Regents in August to in- in compliance. sport like football (85 scholarships), the public re- vestigate the firing and department in general. Beglin, “Going back to ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell,’ I sponse would startle. a former UI field hockey coach, questioned why off- don’t think they really wanted to know,” “If 85 football players left during that amount of season football workouts that hospitalized 13 players Griesbaum said. “I think the reason that time, would that be a headline in The Des Moines Regis- with symptoms of rhabdomyolysis in January 2011 led they’re saying they would want a manage- ter?” Altmaier said. to no known discipline for men’s coaches. ment plan is because it’s in the paper, it’s in Before her firing, Griesbaum was lauded on the uni- Beglin noted, too, that strength and conditioning the media.” versity’s website for her four Big Ten championships in coach Chris Doyle was named UI football’s inaugural — Jason Clayworth, Bryce Miller 14 seasons, her international coaching experience, the assistant coach of the year just months later. program’s academic performance and the Hawkeyes’ “In March 2014, a former football student-athlete appearance in the 2008 Final Four. A Facebook page calling for her reinstatement has gathered nearly 1,600 Continued on next page

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From previous page OTHER DETAILS A high-proﬁle controversy IN UI RECORDS filed a lawsuit claiming UI football A popular Facebook page and an ESPN.com article have coaches, trainers and staff failed to Details revealed in documents obtained by the drawn national attention to Iowa’s athletic department properly supervise the workouts,” she Register under Iowa’s open-records law and wrote. “No staff members appear to suf- others released by former faculty athletic fer any employment consequences.” representative Betsy Altmaier show: Brennan, the university spokesman, CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT: One of Iowa’s said a review of the incident found no confidential settlements was made in Septem- negligence by coaches or trainers, not- ber 2012 with a former field hockey player ing that all 13 players recovered from injured as a result of the sport. The settlement the condition and there has never been a cost the university $37,889, which included recurrence. reimbursement for a year of tuition, room and Beglin’s letter also challenged why board and attorney fees. The settlement also men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery mandated that the student be allowed access faced no on-campus consequences after to the university’s Sports Medicine Clinic. The a January game at Wisconsin where he agreement forbade the student from dis- was ejected after being restrained dur- cussing the settlement, a clause the Iowa ing an outburst with officials. The Big attorney general’s office says is unenforceable. Ten Conference suspended McCaffery for a game, and the university paid a ATHLETE SUPPORT: On April 23, 2012, field $10,000 fine for sideline behavior. hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum advocated in Beglin, who also referenced exam- an email to associate athletic director Fred ples of McCaffery screaming at athletes Mims that an athlete who “quit a team with on television, noted that Barta an- no prior conversations with coaches” should nounced “full support” for the men’s be denied access to sports psychology services coach following the suspension and fine. and sent to another entity on campus. She “There appears to be a double stan- said the sports staff time “should be used on dard of discipline for head coaches with- student-athletes that are committed, mature, in the athletic department … and that and thriving in our program.” The Register double standard has created a climate of confirmed the student Griesbaum referred to fear and intimidation for female head is the same one who received the settlement coaches, making it impossible to disci- agreement. pline student-athletes without fear of MORE TO THE STORY: Gary Barta, UI’s athlet- THETHE REGISTERREGISTER employment consequences,” she wrote. ic director, defended his decision to fire Gries- Brennan said it’s unfair to compare baum in several emails, indicating there was the situations. Griesbaum was fired be- more to his decision than unsubstantiated cause no other coach under Barta had athlete complaints. (Barta has declined to generated complaints of that level and provide specifics, and Griesbaum says the seriousness, he said. university has not shared reasons with her.) “I The Register requested a list of com- can’t tell you everything that went into the QUESTIONS OF GENDER BIAS plaints against coaches, but Brennan decision … but I am willing to share with you said Iowa keeps no such list. Barta has it was an accumulation of things … not just INJURIES declined, or the university has failed to one or two complaints,” Barta wrote in an Allegation: At least two former student field hockey athletes anonymously told make him available, to respond to ques- Aug. 4 email to former Iowa field hockey university officials they felt pressured to play when injured, something Tracey tions. player Niki Schultheis. Griesbaum has denied and the university investigation was unable to substantiate, “(Ferentz and McCaffery) are good to records show. In 2012, the university entered into a confidential agreement with a NEW COACH NEARLY FIRED: In 2011, assis- their athletes,” Brennan said. “Every former field hockey player, paying $37,889 in connection with a 2011 sports-related tant field hockey coach Lisa Cellucci — who coach will yell. This isn’t about yelling. injury. The payment was reimbursement for tuition, room and board and attorney was named head coach just days after Gries- This about something different, that’s expenses. It included a statement that the university was not admitting liability. much more like harassment, intimida- baum was fired — was placed on probation tion, bullying, things like that.” for a year and prohibited from contacting Claim of bias: In 2011, 13 Iowa football players were hospitalized due to strenuous An Aug. 9 email from former wom- recruits after “willful” NCAA violations on at workouts. Some players and families said coaches and trainers should have reacted en’s athletic trainer Faye Thompson to least three occasions. “In most instances, sooner, and one filed a lawsuit. Three months later, Chris Doyle, the football Steve Houghton, Iowa’s longtime men’s violations of this nature would result in a strength and conditioning coach, was named Iowa’s football assistant coach of the tennis coach who retired in September, request for her resignation,” Mims, the asso- year. said Griesbaum’s firing created a chill- ciate athletic director, wrote in a July 11, 2011, University response: Joe Brennan, a UI spokesman, said the situations aren’t ing affect among female staff members. memo to Griesbaum. comparable. University President Sally Mason said the potential “intentionality” of actions is a factor to UI officials. “This is bigger than Tracey,” Thomp- ANOTHER COACH QUESTIONS DECISION: son wrote. “If she can be put out the door, Brian Ferentz, the son of Iowa football coach COMPARING EXPECTATIONS anyone can, at any time.” Kirk Ferentz and an offensive line coach for UI defends its handling of women’s Iowa, questioned the decision to fire Gries- Allegation: In addition to Griesbaum, at least three other female coaches have programs in relation to men’s. The big- baum in an Aug. 6 email to multiple staff been fired or didn’t have their contracts renewed in the past four years. Griesbaum gest percentage increase in financial members: “Tracey’s track record speaks for and some of her supporters allege gender bias was a factor. support beyond salaries and facilities itself and we all want what is best for the Here is a rundown of the three and, when possible, quotes relating to their depar- under Barta is field hockey — at 141.5 University of Iowa. If that is not what is driv- tures: percent, Brennan pointed out. ing our decision-making process we are mak- » Mandi Kowal: The Iowa women’s rowing coach worked at the university for 18 Iowa’s current operating budget for ing a mistake.” sports with men’s and women’s equiva- years and was credited with building the program from scratch. It was announced lents shows women’s sports are ear- SALLY MASON REFUSES TO MEET: UI Presi- in May 2012 that Kowal resigned, but a university document provided to the Regis- marked for slightly more money in four dent Sally Mason declined to meet with Gries- ter indicates her contract wasn’t renewed. The departure occurred a month after of seven instances. For example, the baum after the coach’s dismissal. “The em- the Associated Press published an internal Iowa athletics memo from 2008 that 2014-15 budget calls for women’s swim- ployment of coaches for athletics is the re- ordered Kowal to “bring about a culture of student-athlete well-being.” The me- ming and diving to receive $254,955 — sponsibility of the athletic director and he has mo was part of a lawsuit from former player Margaret Krusing, who said the work- about $61,000 more than the men’s team. my support,” Mason wrote to Griesbaum on outs were so demanding and poorly supervised that she developed a leg condition Yet, of the coaches fired and forced Aug. 5. in 2008 that made it difficult to walk. The university ultimately paid $300,000 in out under Barta, women make up five of 2013 to settle the lawsuit. COACH, UNIVERSITY PART WAYS: An Aug. “One of my biggest frustrations was that if you’re demanding as a female coach, the eight. Nearly twice as many men’s 11 email from Tiffini Stevenson Earl to co- coaches who left UI during Barta’s ten- then you’re a b***h,” Kowal said in a Nov. 5 ESPN.com article. “That’s what it was investigator Josephine Bathke asked whether like there. You’re a b***h and you’re unreasonable.” ure — including baseball coach Jack she was comfortable accepting a meeting » Sharon Dingman: The volleyball coach’s contract was not renewed in January Daum, who finished with a 235-302 rec- with the recently fired coach: “Also, in not after six seasons. Iowa improved its volleyball facilities late in Dingman’s tenure, ord — had worked in the department for trying to overreact, are you comfortable building a practice facility at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and adding a state-of-the-art a decade or more. meeting with her alone (from a safety stand- playing surface. She finished 66-125 and is now the head coach at the University of UI spokesman Brennan insists noth- point)?” ing systemic is occurring. Chicago. “There’s no pattern of going after or — Compiled by Jason Clayworth, Bryce Miller “My experience at Iowa was like the Brach’s pick-a-mix candy — a bag of every- favoring one gender or another,” he said. thing,” she told the Register last week. » Kelly Crawford: Crawford’s resignation as the women’s golf coach was an- Former Iowa field hockey player Car- nounced in June 2011, which a university document says resulted from her contract UI President Mason oline Blaum said Griesbaum was tough not being renewed. supports athletics boss but not abusive. “It’s impossible to prove sexism without documentation, but there is a real lack of “I think they are enabling these com- administrative control, and there is nobody stepping up as a women’s coach ad- Dingman, UI’s former volleyball plaints from kids that just don’t want to vocate within that department,” she told ESPN.com. “When you look at what’s coach whose contract was not renewed be pushed any harder, that don’t want to going on there, something is going on. I would say there is a double standard. The in December 2013, compared her experi- be told, criticized or told to make male coaches can treat their athletes very differently.” ence at Iowa to a bag of mixed candy — a changes to be more successful,” said University response: The university denies gender bias. Barta “holds all of his bit of everything, including an unhealthy Blaum, a 2008 Iowa graduate who staff, student-athletes and coaches accountable to the values of ‘win, graduate, component where women are inconsis- launched the “Reinstate Tracey Gries- and do it right,’ ” the college said in a written statement to the Register. The uni- tently evaluated. baum” Facebook page. versity also noted that during Barta’s near-decade on staff, 17 head coaches have “That inconsistency creates a very Mason, UI’s president, said percep- resigned, retired or been terminated. Of those, 11 were men. confusing environment,” said Dingman, tions by some about unequal treatment noting situations when male coaches re- of Iowa’s coaches is more complex than ANOTHER COACH tained jobs despite losing seasons or doc- portrayed. Mason contended the rhabdo- umented sportsmanship issues. myolysis incident in football and suspen- Gayle Blevins: Iowa announced Blevins retired in 2010, though records provided Griesbaum said she met with Barta sion and fine in men’s basketball differ to the Register and interviews indicate the highly successful coach was forced out. for as little as 30 minutes per year during from the field hockey firing. Blevins coached the Hawkeyes for 23 seasons and left with the second-most wins in regularly scheduled meetings for all The main distinction, Mason said, is NCAA Division I history. She did not return multiple requests from the Register coaches, while some of her high-profile whether an action or situation was inten- seeking comment. male counterparts sat down with him tional. “Gayle Blevins voluntarily retired,” university spokesman Joe Brennan said. “Gary weekly. Dingman said she also rarely “Intentionality is one of the things Barta on more than one occasion asked her to reconsider her decision.” met with Barta. that certainly comes to mind when you Some sports report directly to anoth- think of these things,” she said. BEHAVIOR TOWARD ATHLETES er administrator. Mason also offered support for Barta, Allegation: Some athletes interviewed in UI’s investigation of Griesbaum por- Griesbaum, asked when she first sus- the person leading the department amid trayed a fear-based team environment, but the investigation found insufficient pected her job was in jeopardy, said it local and national scrutiny. evidence to substantiate that she violated any university policies. Griesbaum later was the exact moment she met with Bar- “I have no reason to second-guess or was fired. ta and was told she was fired: “Aug. 4, 3 doubt the decisions that he’s made,” Ma- Claim of bias: Tom Newkirk, Griesbaum’s attorney, noted men’s basketball coach o’clock,” she said. son said. Fran McCaffery was suspended and fined after an outburst during a game at Wis- consin in January. The Big Ten determined McCaffery violated its sportsmanship policy and fined Iowa $10,000. McCaffery made a public apology, and Barta an- “(Ferentz and McCaffery) are good to their athletes. nounced the coach had his “full support moving forward.” Claim of bias: Lisa Cellucci, an assistant field hockey coach, was placed on probation for a year in July 2011 and prohibited from working with recruits for a semes- Every coach will yell. This isn’t about yelling. This about ter after an investigation confirmed NCAA recruiting violations. Griesbaum told the Register she believes the penalty was overly harsh and inconsistent. University records show that in February 2013, for example, Iowa’s assistant baseball coach something different, that’s much more like harassment, met with two recruits and their families off-campus during a so-called “dead peri- od.” The coach’s punishment was a letter of admonishment and a two-week contact ban from prospective players. intimidation, bullying, things like that.” University response: “McCaffery has accepted responsibility and was sanctioned for it,” Brennan said. “Gary Barta told the media that the coach ‘crossed the line of JOE BRENNAN, University of Iowa spokesman acceptable behavior.’ The incident you are referring to was not directed toward student-athletes.”