A former coach and executive member with Surrey-based Coastal FC is denying the youth soccer club’s claim that no one involved in the hiring of a now-suspended coach knew of past allegations against him at the time of his hiring.
Last week, Coastal FC announced it was suspending one of its coaches after allegations of past inappropriate conduct were brought forth in an online blog post written by a former high-level soccer player who played for the coach years before he joined Coastal FC.
A statement on the club’s website stated “in the last 24 hours we have been made aware of allegations relating to a coach at Coastal FC.”
“We are seeing this information for the first time,” the statement continued. “We were not privy to any of this information at any point during the application and appointment process of the coach in question. As an immediate response to these allegations and to ensure that child/player protection is our top priority, we have suspended the coach in question, pending a more thorough investigation and to establish the facts.”
However, on Tuesday, Jack Reddy – who, beginning in 2008, was a former coach and staff member with Coastal FC and its predecessor clubs, including Semiahmoo SC and South Fraser FC – reached out to the player who wrote the original blog and asked if he could make a statement.
In a 1,200-word statement posted to the same blog, Reddy said he brought up the suspended coach’s past – including rumours of “inappropriate behaviour” – with other Coastal executive members during a meeting “in 2010 or 2011.”
Reddy writes that, in response to his concerns, he was told “it was all hearsay.”
“What I want to make clear is that the leadership of Coastal FC was definitely aware of these allegations… because I voiced them as outlined above.”
Reddy added that his written response is the only statement he will make on the matter and he was not interested in speaking to the media.
When contacted by Peace Arch News Tuesday morning, Coastal FC executive director Chris Murphy said the club did not wish to reply to Reddy’s claims.
“It’s active and ongoing from an investigation standpoint, from our end, and we won’t have any further comment until there’s one to be made with new information,” he said.