His dedication to the sport earned Chad a scholarship on the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s men’s team in which he competed as a long-distance freestyle swimmer. Its fine to argue, but dont invalidate someone elses experience with elementary logic . Unfortunately being forced to defend him against unfounded accusations. The UMBC community was still reeling from accusations that their administration covered up sex crimes. The workouts are long and laborious. A final investigative report, completed July 11 by attorneys from an outside law firm hired by UMBC, found Cradock engaged in sexual harassment and created a hostile environment, in violation of the universitys discrimination policy. UMBC swimmers told The Sun that Justice Department civil rights investigators asked about the universitys communication during the investigation and any accommodations they were provided. Investigators also found Cradock created a hostile environment based on sex by failing to properly report alleged Title IX violations involving members of his team, such as sexual misconduct, assault, stalking or relationship violence. , who came to UMBC this year from Cyprus (a 30-hour trek to Catonsville), the family spirit shined especially bright around the holidays. Cradock swam at UMBC from 1993 to 1997, lettering all four years and earning. There are still people to this day in this comment section who are discounting the reports that were made. You must be such a successful/good psychologist. For goodness sake who TF do you think you are to say that he should have consulted with his accusers before taking his own life. In one 2018 situation described in the report, Cradock was made aware of alleged Title IX violations, including stalking and verbal abuse, by one of his swimmers. Familys read this, the victims read this, have some respect, Just paid the $1 to read the Baltimore Sun article the culture and behaviors described in that article sound eerily similar to the culture etc fostered by Cradocks mentor and predecessor when he was coaching HS before moving up to UMBC. Its interesting and sad to watch criminal lawyers tear apart testimonies of young children who claim to have been violated. Sustained success is one of the most difficult things to accomplish on the Division I level, said Tim Hall, director of athletics, physical education, and recreation. Despite there being no threat to campus, Athletic Director Brian Barrio made the call to cancel all scheduled practices, athletic treatments and COVID-19 testing appointments. I mean, universities have entire bureaucracies committed just to investigating things like this. Its likely the Justice Department investigation will examine UMBCs response to allegations against Cradock and its investigatory process. Take your anger elsewhere, get professional help; your life matters too. But Cradocks leadership included misconduct, UMBCs outside investigators wrote in their 105-page final report. Plus, he lifts weights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Haniawho has fallen in love with bagels while at UMBC and wants to open a bagel store when she goes back to her home countryjust set the school record in the 1650 free at the America East 2018 title meet. In the roughly year and a half since, the investigation has continued as student-athletes have grieved and grappled with Cradocks death and misconduct. Its simple: They dont do it for the splash. They need something to do, and I would think that a few words from a swimmer or two would be all it would take. The report acknowledged that at least two swimmers alleged Cradock discouraged them from making reports to the university and found Cradock violated his no-contact order by texting some swimmers. UMBC Director of Athletics Brian Barrio named Matt Donovan to lead the mens and womens swimming and diving programs as the Retrievers head coach in March of 2021. Worst. Chad graduated from St. Josephs High School in Ontario, Canada in 1992. It is currently unclear what UMBC is facing regarding the Justice Departments Title IX investigation, though its possible a monetary settlement will be reached along with mandated improvement measures, like those instated in the recent case at San Jose State. He made the decision for everyone that they wouldnt see their day in court. There are multiple witnesses of a few specific swimmers asking alumni and teammates to lie about Cradock leading up to this lawsuit. If you were a real psychologist, you would identify yourself; moreover, a psychologist would not be making such ignorant remarks. Investigators from Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, the law firm that did the investigation for UMBC, did not respond to a request for comment. The UMBC mens and womens swimming and diving programs have won plenty in their own righteven if most people dont realize it. Building a solid environment to compete, thats for this program, and its. Cradock reportedly touched numerous male swimmers in their genitals, investigators found, with witnesses and victims describing a pattern in which he would ask the swimmers to touch his shoulder or take their temperature for COVID protocols and use his other arm to assault them. Harding, Will Get your evening news in your e-mail inbox. UMBC and the new AD Brian Barrio are at the root of the problem. I understand that there is some energy to do something about it. Lashing out at those who disagree with you about Coach Cradocks legacy is not doing something about it. SwimSwam has provided a forum for discussion on a very important and timely subject. From 2015-19, Donovan served as the head counselor of the Salo Swim Camp and as a volunteer with the Trojan Athletic Club at the University of Southern California. , all of whom work to create an environment where the swimmers and divers feel at home and are comfortable throughout the daunting schedule swimming requires. The theme this year was Love It, Live It, Enjoy It, and we did just that.. The outside investigators wrote that the allegations against Cradock were sufficiently serious for it to continue despite that. https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/more-women-come-forward-amid-umbc-baltimore-county-cover-up-allegations/. Its become a lot easier that were more respected in the athletic world because of what they did. In the meantime, personal expressions of sympathy may be sent to Christie Cradock at 1412 Macfree Court, Odenton, MD 21113. And those of you who say you are defending the truth. All rights reserved. In his two seasons with the Huskies, he coached 37 All-Conference honorees, saw the team finish second at the American Athletic Conference Championships in 2015, and win both the 2015 and 2016 Copa Coqui Invitational in Puerto Rico. The swimmers and divers work through a long and tough regimen all season to earn those championship banners, something they all take pride in. Swimmers at University of Maryland, Baltimore County were sexually harassed by longtime swim coach Chad Cradock, a university investigation found. Tags: Athletics, Spring 2019, swimming and diving. The athlete plunges neatly into the water as if into another layer of air. We treat them the way we would want our kids to be treated wherever they went.. All rights reserved. Rather than reporting it immediately, the report said, Cradock let it fester for months and tried to mediate the matter himself., The female swimmer who was the target of that behavior, who The Sun is not naming because she said she was sexually assaulted by the other swimmer, said Cradock told her if she made a report to other university officials, she would make it so much worse for yourself and the rest of the team.. I dont think I can ever have a normal college experience.. Elijah Wright , a diver from Baltimore, says the Retriever swimmers and divers put in the foundational hard work to find their success. I have to live with this really dark secret thats the undertone of my four years. He became head coach in 2001, bringing with him a philosophy that emphasized the coaches working with the student-athletes and not dictating to them. Former UMBC coach Chad Cradock has died, the team was told in a meeting on Sunday evening. Likewise, many people can be unaware of these happenings while for others, it shaped their entire experiences. Pieces of the report are quoted in the Baltimore Sun article and the SwimSwam article. Trias, Niklas Tolba, Max University of Maryland, Baltimore County We provide you four massive print issues designed to sit on your coffee table like a piece of artwork. That means team shout-outs on birthdays and creating spaces where athletes can talk with coaches on a regular basis about problems in swimming, classes, and life. What? There are no events scheduled. Chapman, Christian Riser, Dom Hm ok thats very odd. When she competed in the 100 butterfly on August 6she still remembers the dateshe said, with a smile, my dad came to see me, [and when] I found him, he was still crying. Laracuente, Anders We love to be here, and we love to be with each other, and we love to enjoy our time. What is your credible source of proof for the statements you make? In his first full season with the Retrievers, Donovan led the men's squad to titles at the ECAC Winter Championships and the America East Championships. What many dont realize is the grind the Retrievers endure to find all of their success, Cradock says. I am not sure exactly what happened so I can only speak on my experience. They said they were confused by shifting points of contact and a change in how Cradocks actions were being examined. Humans are imperfect creatures by nature, capable of making great accomplishments and great mistakes alike. Weigelt, Christopher Chad Cradock, who left his position as the head coach of the UMBC swimming & diving team in December after 19 years, has died. Photo from The Retriever Archives. For example, Wright wakes up at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and goes to practice from 6 to 8 a.m. from early September through February. It all continues into Saturday, a fact the swimmers understand and accept. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Chad G. Cradock please visit our,

On Sunday, March 7, 2021, Chad G. Cradock of Odenton passed away. Nikola Trajkovic Coach Nik comes to Meadowbrook from UMBC where he swam on the men's swim team, and coached for three years afterwards. 1. People interviewed by The Sun and the universitys outside investigators described a one-way funnel under Cradock, where the team would only bring issues to him. Morales, Ryan Miller says that he remembers his swimming days at UMBC where there were just about a dozen swimmers on the team. Reports by female swimmers especially were not taken seriously by Cradock, the report said. UMBC Mens & Womens Swimming and Diving, a member of the America East conference, aspires to be a nationally recognized Division I program that develops champions in athletics, academics and life, while building community wide traditions and pride. Retriever Activities Center 1000 Hilltop Cir, Baltimore, MD 21250. Places like the New York Times, Washington Post, and ESPN suddenly wanted to know not just what the letters UMBC meant, but everything about the basketball program and school. One student said in an interview with The Sun that he felt betrayed by UMBC. Nobody said that they were going to come to campus to commit a violent act, said Chief of Police Paul Dillon. Two Retrievers- senior Caroline Sargent and junior Niklas Weigelt earned America East Swimmer of the Meet honors and freshman Oliver Gassmann was named the meet's Most Outstanding Rookie. There are only 6 swimmers who were brave enough to be named. Same reason why SA victims may not report their abuser, why students may not report their teacher, why children may not report their parents. at NJIT Invitational. The investigation continued in the time since, and a final investigative report was completed on July 11 by attorneys from an outside law firm hired by UMBC. Theres a seven page document spelling out everything that Chad did. Swimmers also questioned whether the university failed to properly respond to earlier complaints against Cradock. Our thoughts and hearts go out to Christie, Amanda, Geoffrey, and CJ. Have some compassion. UMBCs Title IX process prioritizes the schools reputation over student safety, Baldwin said, according to The Sun. Chad came to UMBC as a student athlete in 1993 and earned his undergraduate degree in psychology while swimming for the Retrievers. Miller still holds the record for the 1,000-yard freestyle in the UMBC pool and was delighted to learn that the younger folks were aware of him. According to a report from the Baltimore Sun, UMBC launched an investigation into Cradock in late 2020 after numerous swimmers made reports of misconduct. A footnote on the reports final page stated it does not appear assistant coaches made proper Title IX reports, despite witnesses indicating they disclosed pertinent information to them. Gliese received the same honor on the mens side and was named Most Outstanding Swimmer. They swept the America East championships this past winter, claiming the 31st and 32nd titles for the Retrievers26 of which have come since Chad Cradock 97, psychology, became the head swimming and diving coach in 2001. Attorney Rignal Baldwin V represents five of the six swimmers named in the report as those whose complaints prompted the investigation. Chad graduated in 1997 and decided to remain a Retriever, coaching with both the Retriever Aquatic Club and as the assistant swimming and diving coach at UMBC.  He was then appointed head coach in 2001 and spent 19 years leading the programs.  Chad was best known for his big smiles, jovial laughs, and unconditional love and support to those whose lives he touched.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations in Chad’s name to a charity of your choice. A private Celebration of Life service will be held at a future date. 

. We saw this after, for example, Anthony BourdainsRead more . She cited the ongoing federal investigation, saying comment at this time would not be appropriate.. There were scores of witnesses who were not interviewed. The head swim coach of the Somerset Valley (N.J.) YMCA Swim Team, Donovan spent 15 years with the team, overseeing the growth of the program from 46 swimmers to well . Title IX reports included as exhibits in the UMBC investigation range from that swimmers anonymous 2019 report to an email sent to the athletic director in October 2020 describing favoritism and failure by Cradock to properly handle Title IX complaints, to a flurry of reports in December 2020 after Cradock was removed from campus. The only facts I am aware of are regarding his death are these: 1) Chad resigned abruptly in December after a leave of absence and UMBC supported this. When a young person becomes a member of the Retriever Aquatic Club, he/she learns the values of sportsmanship and team work. Chad, you helped shaped the person I am today.Read more , To those people not directly involved in the cases/investigation question the right of those victims to speak up, and for those courageous kids (remember, most of the victims here are under 21 years old and college students age same as YOUR KIDS , Well, I/we wont back down No, I/we wont back down You can stand me/us up at the gates of hell But I/we wont back down No, Ill/well stand my/our ground Wont be turned around And Ill/well keep this man from draggin me down Gonna stand my/our ground And I/we wont back down, (I/we wont back down) Hey, haters, there aint no easy way out (I/weRead more . He was one of the universitys most fiercely loyal employees. Matt brings the experience, work ethic, and integrity that this program will need to continue its growth into national prominence, Barrio said. The UMBC Event Center and stadium complex closed today after a threat was directed at members of the athletics community. Chad can be friendly and warm while doing these horrible things. If Coach Cradock was not allowed to do what he wanted to you, he wasnt going to coach you, one swimmer said, per an interview in the report according to The Sun. The student-athletes are wonderful representatives of the university and the alumni stay very connected. They were honored during a media timeout of a basketball game at the UMBC Event Center and received a large ovation from the crowd that night, something that the swimmers just loved. According to the report by the outside law firm, one swimmer alerted UMBC employees about inappropriate behavior in mid-2019. Several male swimmers also reported Cradocks hugs from behind while they were wearing just their Speedos, along with attempted kisses and unwanted touching of their stomachs or chests, the report said. So, whats the secret to this powerhouse squads success? In every single semester under Donovan, the Sharks have earned CSCAA Academic Honors. We humbly offer our respects to all past, present, and future Indigenous people connected to this place.

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