Captain, six others leave Linfield
volleyball team
By Logan Brandon
McMinnville News-Register/N-R
10/16/2018
Seven Linfield College volleyball
players have left the program following allegations of verbal abuse, bullying
and retaliation by first-year Wildcat head coach Josh Davis.
The school’s administration continues
supporting Davis, citing challenges when it comes to coping with new coaching
styles.
“Changing coaches and coaching style,
in any sport, often involves a growth process for both players and the coach,”
the school wrote in an official statement.
“Linfield will continue to communicate
openly with everyone involved in this transition, and is confident the result
will be a successful on-court team and a positive and supportive learning
environment for our student-athletes.”
Linfield athletes Taylor Petersen,
Shannon Stoller, Mattie Kelly, Tessa Doerfler, Brianna Sanford, Anikalea
Keliiheleua and Destyni Grace have quit due to alleged treatment by Coach
Davis.
Assistant coaches Alfred Agcaoili and
Meaghan Angel remain with the program.
Agcaoili disclosed to the
News-Register his Monday meeting with Linfield Human Resources.
In his official statement, he said,
“Based on what parents and former volleyball student-athletes shared with me in
detail recently, I went to Human Resources to share my concerns in support of
them.”
Petersen, a 2015 Mac High grad, left
the squad last Tuesday, Oct. 9, following a team meeting which outlined Davis’
return to the program after a brief four-day medical leave.
Kelly and Doerfler also quit on
Oct. 12.
Last week, Petersen’s mother, Shelli
Wainwright, sent the News-Register and the college a nine-page report compiled
by Petersen and her teammates detailing incidents by Coach Davis they
considered harassing, bullying and examples of erratic coaching methods.
After select athletes brought their
concerns to the Linfield administration, the college investigated through
individual interviews.
“We were made aware of concerns by
some players in mid-September, and have been actively working with our
student-athletes ever since,” the school responded.
“Because of privacy restrictions of
both employees and students, we’re limited in the details we can share. But the
volleyball coaching staff and the administration have met multiple times with
our student athletes, both individually and as a group. We have invited open
communication and will continue to be proactive in addressing any concerns they
have.”
Players were told Davis would be
undergoing some kind of plan of improvement.
Director of Communications Scott
Nelson said they cannot discuss that given the school’s policy of not
discussing personnel issues about employees.
Davis left the team from Oct. 3 to 9,
to attend to some health-related matters, Nelson said.
Shane Kimura, who coached the Wildcats
for 40 years until his retirement last season, stepped in as interim head coach
while Davis was away.
Kimura coached the team against
Whitworth Oct. 5 and against Whitman Oct. 6. The Wildcats won their only
conference match of the season against Whitman, a 3-1 victory.
Linfield held a team meeting Oct. 9,
which included Director of Athletics Garry Killgore, Vice President of Student
Affairs Susan Hopp, Assistant Director of Athletics Amy Dames Smith and coaches
Davis, Angel and Agcaoili.
“That’s when we were told Josh was
coming back,” said Petersen. “It was when he was supposed to apologize to the
team and tell us his plan for coming back. His only words that entire night
were to thank us for being there; there was no plan implemented.”
Feeling the situation hadn’t changed,
Petersen stepped away from the team that evening.
“I told my team, if he comes back, I
will not suit up for him,” she noted.
The next day, players returned to
practice. Davis led the team during two home matches last weekend, against
Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran.
Kelly and Doerfler quit the program
before Friday's match. Grace, Keliiheleua and Sanford officially left the team
Monday. Sanford was forced to leave the program earlier in the season due to
conflicts with practice times.
“The college is sorry they left the
program, and that they weren’t happy with their volleyball experience. We
certainly hope they have continued success and satisfaction in the other
aspects of their lives as Linfield College students.”
It continued, “The college is taking
these questions and criticisms to heart. This is not an easy time for anyone
involved.”
Petersen said the coach’s actions
throughout the season have created a culture of fear and anxiety among
players.
An initial case Petersen described in
the report occurred during the team’s first week of practice in August. The
Northwest Conference rankings were released, with Linfield seeded last, Davis
reportedly said, “I don’t know if you guys all saw the rankings, but we were
voted to take last, and I was one of the coaches who voted you to take last.”
Deorfler then discussed with Petersen
her Aug. 28 one-on-one meeting with Davis.
According to Petersen, Doerfler was
told by Davis that he doesn’t want people to feel complacent because next year
he’s planning to add numerous recruits and will replace players if they didn’t
meet his expectations.
Petersen said players felt
uncomfortable and unsafe attending one-on-one meetings with the coach.
Another major issue Petersen detailed
was Davis’ practice strategy, using a system called Competitive Cauldron,
created by University of North Carolina college basketball coach Dean Smith.
Competitive Cauldron employs a points
system, earned during practice and based on individual skills.
Starters are determined on the number
of points.
Players were not allowed second
chances to make up points, even in the case of academic studies taking
precedent over a practice i.e. taking an exam.
The report mentioned that Davis’ lack
of confidence, rude behavior and retaliation eventually damaged the team’s
overall positivity and feeling of safety.
“Girls will purposely not look at the
bench after making a mistake, or at all, in fear of seeing Josh’s reaction,”
the report stated. “He does not have a consistent lineup in games or in
practice and we are not able to build trust or a rhythm between players ... He
is constantly subbing people out even if they are playing well because he is
more concerned with proving his point and punishing people than he is with
winning games.”
The alleged behavior by Davis
eventually culminated in a postgame altercation between Petersen and Davis
Sept. 29. Following the Wildcats four-set home loss to Pacific University,
Petersen says she briefly walked into the stands to greet her family and
friends, before returning to the women’s locker room.
“We meet in our women’s locker room
(following a match). I walked in and the moment I stepped through the door, he
told me to wait in the hall,” said Petersen. “It was my personal breaking
point; I listened to the entire meeting outside, sitting on the floor. After it
ended, I went up to the foyer where all the parents were and I had tears in my
eyes because I was so upset.”
Petersen was met by her father, who
encouraged her to speak with Davis. She was met by teammate Taylor Souza, who
escorted Petersen to the locker room for the players’ postgame talk. Petersen
noted her teammates were in tears when she walked in. The players reinforced
their belief in one another; then Petersen stepped out to talk with Davis.
Petersen initially asked Davis, “What
was that?” She told Davis she believed he kicked her out to embarrass her.
Davis responded that she was late to the meeting because she ran into the
stands, and she wasn’t behaving like a teammate and captain.
Petersen reiterated her stance that
Davis intended to embarrass her, before the two engaged in a shouting match.
As detailed in Petersen’s report:
“It got to the point where he was on
his tiptoes, in my face, pointing to me and screaming, ‘Taylor Petersen, you
will listen to me.’ And I responded with ‘Josh, you will have the respect for
me to finish what I was saying.’ And then he did.
“I’ve never experienced anything like
that before, I’ll be the first to admit that,” she added. “I came into it
really levelheaded, but I did match his screaming, so that wasn’t the most
eloquent manner to deal with it in.”
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