In a dark side of the growing world of girls sports, 159 coaches have been reprimanded or fired for sexual misconduct in the past decade. And 98 continued to coach or teach — as schools, the state and even some parents looked the other way.
Coaches continue working after being caught for sexual misconduct
The bond between athlete and coach can be powerful, and the one between the 15-year-old Port Townsend girl and a 34-year-old basketball coach was especially strong. [Dec. 14, 2003]
 An excerpt of a letter written by coach Randy Sheriff:
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Randy Deming was a highly successful wrestling coach.
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Misconduct often goes unpunished by school districts
When a friend told coach Stu Gorski in 1995 that Mount Adams School District had hired "a phenomenal wrestling coach," Gorski froze. "Tell me you didn't hire Randy Deming," he pleaded. [Dec. 15, 2003]
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Gary Millard continues teaching and coaching.
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State failing to weed out unfit coaches
When Randy Hammack, the Tahoma High School boys basketball coach, stepped outside his apartment with a star player on the girls basketball team, he didn't know an investigator for the district was lurking nearby with a camera. [Dec. 16, 2003]
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Natalie Duryea, left, and Devon Crosby-Helms told of abuse.
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Unregulated world of private coaching ripe for exploitation
Every year during basketball season, the stories would come out, passed in the bleachers from parent to parent: Coach Tony Giles molested his players. [Dec. 17, 2003]
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COACH MISCONDUCT DATABASE
This database includes public records on many of the more than 150 coaches who were reviewed for this series.
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SINCE THE SERIES
Legislators, districts and readers reacted to the series:
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Q&A
Answers to your questions
"Did you come across any instances of allegations that were later proven false?
- Rick, Federal Way
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READER COMMENTS
Your thoughts on the series
"The comment that charm is the perpetrator's best weapon is so accurate. We know; we have been there, and it is just like a riptide when it hits.
- Carol Masterson, Yakima
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SOLUTIONS
Resources for preventing and dealing with abuse
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REPRINTS
Getting a copy of the series
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