This is Not a #MeToo Moment.
This is Not a #MeToo Moment.
Originally published July Aug 2018
While what I went through has left emotional scars, nothing I went through can be compared to the victims of sexual misconduct.
My coach from 1968 to 1976 was Rubin Huron. Rubin was a former student of Carlo Fassi, and his first student to win a U.S. title was my brother, David. Rubin was a good figure coach and an adequate free style technician. Where he excelled however, was as a master motivator. Not in the Frank Carroll sense. Nor was Rubin a “spare the rod, spoil the child” type either. Rubin’s “rod” came in the form of a rubber skate guard that was used to motivate. I felt the sting of that guard often. Punishment and motivation came in different forms and wasn’t always predictable. I remember one painful experience. Rubin carried a key ring with about a half-dozen or so keys on it. When I was close to landing my first double Lutz, his solution to keep me from falling was to place the keys in my back right pocket. It only took one fall to motivate me to land it.
Another time, one of my best friends growing up asked why I stood so close to Rubin during my lessons. I looked back at her dumb-founded. “You need to stay out of reach!” she said. I have dozens of stories like this and of course all the abuse that was dished out on other students. I don’t think there was a student of his that was not hit, but those stories are not for me to tell.
For a long time, I was angry that none of the adults in the rink interceded on my behalf or on behalf of his other students. My own parents, parents of other skaters, rink employees, club officials, and judges… bystanders in general[1]. What were they thinking? However, I came to learn that the 70’s had a different view on parenting and the parenting of someone else’s child. It is hard to compare that to today’s standard.
And finally, my point. Experiences from my past have shaped the way I look at misconduct today. It’s one of the reasons that I have written several editorials about SafeSport, why there is a SafeSport feature in every issue PS Magazine, and why I co-wrote 2-GRO Champions in 2011, the first e-course written for U.S. Figure Skating’s CER program that focused on abuse in sport. Since I came to PSA in 2006, instances of misconduct recognized in the media, regardless of the sport involved, have encouraged myself and our Committee on Professional Standards to review our rules and procedures. It is a continual process that will need to be followed by those that come after me as well. As coaches, we must be diligent in reporting any form of misconduct. New federal laws enacted this year require members of any national governing body to report abuse to local authorities and the Center for SafeSport within 24 hours. If it is reported to PSA, we will send in a report to SafeSport within that 24-hour period.
[1] I
have no ill feelings toward my parents or any other adult in this piece. Mr.
Huron (deceased) is solely responsible for his actions.
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