The United States All-Star Federation, the national governing body for competitive cheerleading, denied wrongdoing and on Friday filed a motion to dismiss the first of several lawsuits alleging it facilitated sexual abuse at Rockstar Cheer and Dance, the now-closed cheerleading gym in Greer.
The lawsuit, filed by Columbia-based Strom Law Firm on behalf of nine anonymous plaintiffs, alleges that USASF and other defendants participated in a “conspiracy” that enabled sexual abuse and other misconduct by seven Rockstar Cheer coaches. The complaint, which was filed in September, was followed by four other lawsuits alleging similar abuse at Rockstar and naming the USASF as defendants.
All defendants who answered the charges have denied wrongdoing, including USASF, the latest of several corporate and nonprofit entities to file a motion to dismiss.
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USASF filed a motion on the basis that appellants failed to state a motion. In an accompanying memorandum, the organization argued that it should not be liable for the alleged abuse because the plaintiffs never reported the abuse, with only one exception.
“As a matter of common sense, the USASF can only respond to cases of alleged abuse that are reported to it,” the memo said, noting that of the nine plaintiffs in the lawsuit, only one indicated that her abuse had been reported. “Accordingly, this civil action does not address any deficiency in USASF’s regulatory role vis-à-vis these plaintiffs and their alleged abusers.”
USASF also noted that nearly all individuals accused of abuse are currently on USASF and USASF’s Consolidated Cheer Ineligible List, including the reported coach; The exception is Scott Foster, the owner and founder of Rockstar who died by suicide in August. However, most coaches were added after the appeal was filed.
In its memo, the USASF also addressed allegations that it was part of a “conspiracy” to abuse athletes, a conspiracy that culminated in the alleged misconduct at Rockstar.
“There is no factual basis for such a conspiracy,” USASF said, calling the argument “vague” and without “any identifiable legal or factual basis to justify the claim against USASF.”
USASF’s filing, its first public comment on Rockstar’s allegations since late August, follows similar motions to dismiss other defendants in the lawsuit. These include the nonprofit organization USA Cheer, the for-profit entity Varsity Spirit, Varsity’s parent companies, Bain Capital and Charlesbank Partners, and Varsity’s founder, Jeff Webb.
Varsity Spirit, a for-profit organization that runs and operates competitive cheerleading competitions, called the plaintiffs’ claim of systematic exploitation “preposterous on its face.”
“There is simply no factual or legal basis on which responsibility for the (alleged) abuse … could be attributed to Varsity Spirit,” the organization said.
More: Rockstar Cheer: Accused, including Varsity, deny sexual assault allegations
Other defendants made similar arguments, seeking to dismiss for failure to state a claim and, in some cases, on jurisdictional grounds.
Jeff Webb, founder of Varsity, said his “contribution to cheerleading provides no basis for imposing liability … for the alleged conduct of a few rogue bad actors.”
Webb called its inclusion in the lawsuit “nothing more than a blatant attempt to draw more attention to the already abusive litigation.”
Why is it called varsity?
What does it mean to be in college? The word varsity means the starting team in a college or university sport. You have to be good to make university. In many schools, sports are a big deal. See the article : VIN MANNIX: Parrish Community HS repeat winners in …. Thousands of people flock to college football and basketball games, as well as other sports. The members of the starting team are university players.
What does college mean in high school? variable noun [oft N n] A varsity is the main or first team for a specific sport at a high school, college, or university. [USA] She has been in the playoffs every year since she got to college.
Why is it called a varsity sport? In most English-speaking countries, university is an abbreviation of the word university.
What happened with Varsity cheer?
Varsity Spirit is named as a defendant in multiple lawsuits filed in three states by civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers and attorneys at the Strom Law Firm; the lawsuits allege widespread sexual abuse of cheerleaders by coaches at various gyms in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Read also : The Jets’ Wilson has focused on getting better, not on his critics, the doubters.
What happened at the All Star cheer? In North Carolina, a teenager is accusing two trainers at the Extreme Cheer Allstar Gym in Raleigh of sexually abusing him and giving him cocaine. The owner of that gym says she is disheartened by the allegations. In total, 15 victims have come forward in these lawsuits to accuse 13 trainers and the late owner of Rockstar.
Is USA Cheer owned by Varsity? Does Varsity Spirit own USA Cheer? No. USA Cheer is an independent organization and is governed by a 15-member board.
Why is Varsity cheer being sued? The lawsuits allege that the Varsity failed to implement or enforce procedures to protect athletes from drugs, alcohol and abuse. The company denies the allegations, claiming responsibility for the individual gyms and trainers named in the lawsuits.
Is NCA owned by varsity?
In 2004, Varsity purchased National Spirit Group, owner of NCA (which Webb estimated had a 25% market share in 2002), giving it control of the vast majority of the cheerleading industry. On the same subject : College cheerleaders.
What brands does Varsity Spirit own? Varsity Brands is comprised of a family of companies – BSN SPORTS, Varsity Spirit and Herff Jones, each with a mission to elevate the college experience for young people.
Do universities compete in the NCA? Although there are a few non-competitive Division 2 programs, most schools compete within the NCA or UCA.
