Demand Investigation into Penn State Women's Gymnastics & Athletics

No student should feel unsafe at their university.

As a former Auburn gymnast under the Thompsons, I can confirm that actions similar to those at Penn State, took place on a regular basis.

If these facts are true, it's despicable what these coaches are doing to these young girls. It at least deserves to be taken seriously & investigated by the school. If they don't investigate the administration is just as guilty.

There is a fine line between character building and emotional abuse.

I support an unbiased fair investigation

Please accept my signature for this petition to investigate Penn State Gymnastics program

I've witnessed my cousin struggle mentally and physically with these two coaches. I support her 100%

Something needs to be done here. My baby sister was a victim of these two, and they need to be held accountable for what they've done to all these young women.

The Thompsons also pressured the Auburn gymnasts to stay "tan" by going to tanning beds and to be thin by reducing calorie intake to unsafe levels! Deplorable! Healthy and happy athletes perform better.

I was a former Auburn gymnast with Rochelle n Jeff and I was constantly told I was fat m overweight. My scholarship was taken away because I didn't lose 30lbs my freshman year

Innocent until proven guilty, but enough statements have been made by this former asst. coach and team members to merit an investigation. We owe that much to our student athletes!

My sister-in-law was coached by them while she was on the Auburn gymnastics team. She confirms the allegations.

Their treatment of student-athletes has been well-chronicled and deplorable. Please investigate the Thompsons and restore the integrity of the PSU gymnastics program!

Get these poor excuses for human beings out of this school.

Supporting my fellow gymnasts' rights to be heard and protected.

10 years ago Featured

Former Auburn Gymnast under the Thompsons. While there are gymnasts who have had positive experiences, this should not discount the ones who were mentally and verbally abused day after day and still struggle with the aftermath of their abuse.

Our sport is one worth protecting and an outside investigation should be done in order to ensure the protection of our athletes and communicate clearly that their safety is of the utmost concern.

First of all, let me state that I do not wish any harm to the Thompsons, but I do however wish for their behavior to be stopped and for no more women to be affected by their abuse. During my time at Auburn under the Thompsons, I went to our Athletic director 3 times, the last being after my senior season, to discuss with him the level of verbal and mental abuse the coaches had towards their athletes. I felt like I needed to do what I could to protect my teammates. I believe in standing up for yourself, which is what I did to Jeff my freshman year. I was doing 3 in-a-row series on beam and each time I would fall on my third one. He made fun of me, told me I was falling on purpose and completely got into my head. Finally, after I had enough, I yelled at him and told him it was his fault that I kept falling. It felt so good to yell at him and still feels good to this day to reflect on that memory. But that is what they did. They got in your head and used anything they could against you. Instead of building you up to believe in yourself, they cut you down. They would tell you that they loved you, but if they really loved you would they yell at you or pin your teammates against you or make you work through injuries like so many girls did? No, they didn't love you. You were just a means to an end for them and they didn't care about you at all. Not only was I a gymnast at Auburn under the Thompsons, but my sister was too. She started 4 years before me, so I knew what I was getting myself into when I signed with Auburn. I learned from how they treated her that I needed to stand up for myself and my teammates and keep my parents involvement to a minimal. I witnessed my parents being called and becoming tongue tied by these master manipulators. After these calls, however, the situation in the gym for my sister became even worse. They completely destroyed her in every possible way. I wish that I could take the pain caused by them away from my sister, but all you can do

PSU should be ashamed of their actions in not investigating the mistreatment of athletes and assistant coaches. This needs to stop at some point and I hope that the NCAA steps in to help protect these young athletes.

Student athletes do not abandon a sport they've trained for their entire life for no reason.