To all that see this, please read and pass it on to everyone you know. Thanks. Beth Beglin To all field hockey coaches, officials, players and their parents: By now most, if not all of you, have heard of Tracey Griesbaums firing as Head Field Hockey Coach from the University of Iowa this past Monday. For the record, Tracey immediately requested to meet with President Mason to discuss her termination and was refused a meeting, this for a 22 year dedicated employee of the University of Iowa athletic department. I am extremely grateful for all of those that have taken the time to write letters on her behalf to President Mason, particularly those that did so by this past Wednesday at noon, prior to Christine Grant meeting with President Mason. While it appears that this decision will not be reversed by President Mason, this fight is not over. Tracey categorically denies the accusations and we, the former coaching staff and alumni, support her wholeheartedly. I am trying to do everything I can to make her reputation in the field hockey community a part of the public record. As such I am making the following requests: If you did write a letter, I ask that you forward it AS AN EMAIL ATTACHMENT TO ME, with the knowledge that it will be widely disseminated as written and signed. My email is bbeglin7@gmail. If you have not yet written, I would ask again that you please consider doing so by sending an email to [email protected] and again, sending a copy to me as an email attachment. I know everyone is in the midst of pre-season preparations, and the timing could not be worse, but this is a fight worth having. These letters will all be passed onto Tracey as well. Again, the sooner sent the better. Lastly, I know your support, calls and letters have been greatly appreciated by Tracey and by Lisa. Please continue to support and check in on them in the days, weeks and months ahead. I have enclosed my letter to President Mason below to inform you of how I feel about this situation and to highlight the issues which I felt important to address: Dear President Mason, I am writing to you regarding the recent decision by the University of Iowa to fire Tracey Griesbaum from the position of head field hockey coach from the University of Iowa. I am writing as a former Iowa head coach, an Iowa alumni with two degrees, a three time Olympian, and Traceys former coach and boss. As you are aware, Tracey was my longtime assistant coach during my coaching tenure at Iowa. Additionally, I have remained in the Iowa City area and have regularly attended field hockey matches since my departure from coaching in 2000. I was also Traceys coach at West Chester University during her collegiate career and have worked with her in any number of capacities within the United States Field Hockey Association and other professional organizations. I am aware of the allegations that have been made against Tracey by several former student-athletes. In my almost twenty years of coaching her, working with or observing Tracey, those allegations are so far out of character for her as to be impossible to accept as true. In all the time I have ever interacted or observed Tracey, I have never witnessed her to be anything other than respectful, honest and direct in her communications with student-athletes. Tracey is a person of the highest ethical, moral and professional standards, and was one of my recommendations to Dr. Grant to succeed me. She has done nothing but serve as an outstanding role model and educator for the young women she has coached during her tenure at Iowa. You could not have asked for a better representative nationally for this University and her reputation amongst her peers and the entire field hockey community is unparalleled. It is my understanding that these allegations were investigated by interviewing current team members, the recently graduated seniors and those that transferred from the program. If true, this does not even remotely comprise a thorough investigation, and in fact, would certainly represent a skewed outcome. My experience with investigations due to my current employment as a prosecutor would lead me to inquire as to whether the current and former professional staff members that interacted with Tracey on a daily basis were ever interviewed, and why the University did not make an inquiry of all those former-student athletes that have previously been coached by Tracey? That process would represent a more independent and balanced investigation than seeking only the opinions of current team members and a minority of former disgruntled student-athletes. By every measure, Traceys tenure at Iowa has been a success. Her athletes are disciplined, responsible and well-coached. They have regularly achieved conference, national and international honors. Her teams have been successful in both the Big Ten Conference and tournament and have made regular NCAA tournament appearances. Her athletes have an outstanding record of academic success, as do her teams. Tracey is demanding, and she has high standards for her student-athletes and herself. Is this not what we desire in a mentor working to develop and graduate strong, independent young women who can handle the professional and personal challenges which they will encounter after they graduate from the University of Iowa? I know Iowa Field Hockeys reputation. I helped build it and nurture it. Our program is a highly demanding family oriented program that has produced student athletes who succeed on every level once they leave Iowa. It has engendered enormous pride and loyalty from its student-athletes, many of whom I am sure you are hearing from now. I would urge you to truly listen to ALL of those voices, and respectfully request that this decision be reconsidered and reversed. It is never too late to do the right thing. Lastly, I do wish to express my concern in the manner and timing in which this process was undertaken, and to the apparent disparate treatment of female head coaches at Iowa under the current athletic administration. As regards the former, the field hockey season ended in November and I understand these complaints to have been made in January. What took six months to investigate and why was the head coach dismissed one week prior to the start of the field hockey pre-season? Would this same process and timing be applied to any other program? The damage inflicted at this point will be an enormous challenge for any team to overcome. As regards the latter, I refer specifically to the firing of the rowing coach for a lawsuit brought by a former player who developed a medical condition bought on by overtraining. In contrast, 13 football players developed rhabdomyolysis as a result of a training session with a resulting lawsuit filed by a former player in 2014. I do not recall the firings of any personnel within the football program. Allegations are made against the field hockey coach as to a culture of fear by a handful of former players which are unsubstantiated but which result in her firing. Meanwhile, the current mens basketball coach was on national television behaving in such a manner that the Big Ten Conference felt compelled to suspend him one game and fine the University $10,000. Our athletic director met with the coach to discuss the situation with no further employment ramifications. It has been extraordinarily disheartening to witness the damage done to a program to which I devoted thirteen years of my life. It has been even more difficult to witness the damage done to an individual that has done nothing but meet the highest ethical and professional standards in representing Iowa in a first class manner. I am a devoted and loyal Hawkeye alumni, but I will not remain silent while this University destroys the stellar reputation of someone who has devoted almost two decades of her life to developing student-athletes of which every Iowan can be proud. I am more than willing to further discuss any aspect of this letter should you so desire. Respectfully, Elizabeth Beglin Former Iowa Head Field Hockey Coach J.D., University of Iowa M.A., University of Iowa (Athletic Administration) Our presidents stock response, apparently sent to everyone who wrote is also below: Dear Beth, Thank you for contacting me regarding Iowa field hockey. I am sharing this message with you and all those who contacted me about this issue. I support Athletics Director Gary Barta’s decision. I realize this is a difficult transition for our student-athletes, our alumni, and all those who admire and support our field hockey program. On Wednesday of this week, Gary was able to announce that University of Iowa alumna and long-time associate head coach for field hockey Lisa Cellucci has agreed to serve as interim head coach of the program. Current assistant coach Michael Boal has also agreed to remain on staff and assist Cellucci. While I understand the transition will still be challenging, I am glad to know the program will be in such good and familiar hands. My primary commitment is always to the success and well-being of our students – in the classroom, on the field, and throughout their collegiate experience. All of us at Iowa value and respect the proud history and impressive achievements of the field hockey program. Sincerely, Sally
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 00:11:18 +0000
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