Colorado Springs gymnastics gym reacts to Nassar case; shares how it protects athletes
In the wake of the Larry Nassar case, the gymnastics world continues to reel from the reports.
Nassar, a former medical professional who worked with gymnasts, was convicted of molesting more than 100 young athletes over the course of several decades.
Nassar will spend the rest of his life in prison for his crimes.
The case, though, has created waves all through the gymnastics community all over the United States.
At Stars Gymnastics in Colorado Springs, owners and coaches say it has been tough to process those reports, and figure out how to move forward.
Owner Michele Maccagnan says safety has always been a top priority at the gym, and the physical and mental health of the athletes is the most important.
She says they are not doing anything different at the gym in the wake of the national headlines, but she does say it is a reminder of the importance of safety.
“Safety has always been a number one priority for us no matter what. It’s not a new thing but it’s just a heightened thing when stuff like this comes out,” said Maccagnan.
She also shared some of the protocols in place for their staff as far as interacting with athletes. For example, no staff member is suppose to be alone with an athlete without another adult present.
Maccagnan also says the gym has had security cameras installed in their facility for several years, making sure there are always eyes on every part of the gym.
Athlete education is also extremely important when it comes to safety, and they have ongoing conversations with their students to make sure everyone is aware of acceptable behavior.
“They talk about it frequently and they know what’s comfortable and what’s not comfortable what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable,” said Maccangnan.
While the national reports have cast a negative light on the sport, Maccagnan says she still believes in the value of the sport.
“My son is a national-level athlete and I still believe in the sport. I believe it’s a wonderful sport and there are still wonderful people out there who are making sure that athletes are going to be safe,” said Maccagnan.
