Tim O’Brien, the winner of USA Swimming’s Developmental Coach of the Year award last year, is no longer a part of the Nitro Swimming program, according to the club.
Nitro head coach Mike Koleber confirmed to SwimSwam that O’Brien was no longer on staff with the club due to an “incident” that allegedly occurred in the past but apparently resurfaced this year.
Koleber’s full statement:
I have no details other than what USA Swimming can provide, over an incident that allegedly took place years ago that recently resurfaced. I know nothing more. He is no longer connected with our program. We’re fortunate to have Elliott McGill already a part of our staff, and he’s taking the lead role of our National kids.
SwimSwam reached out to USA Swimming for comment, but USA Swimming said it’s policy is not to comment on any situations. O’Brien is currently not listed on USA Swimming’s List of Individuals Suspended or Ineligible, not appearing on the list of permanently banned or temporarily banned coaches.
One parent of a Nitro swimmer, however, says that they were told tonight that O’Brien had been banned for life by USA Swimming and would not appeal
The Texas-based Nitro Swimming program has been one of the nation’s top youth clubs, with O’Brien winning the Developmental Coach of the Year award in the summer of 2015.
Nitro coach Koleber said the team would be moving Elliott McGill into the lead role in coaching Nitro’s national-level swimmers in O’Brien’s absence.
Tim was an amazing coach and even better man. He made the decision to have a consensual relationship with someone of age, even thought they were quite a bit younger than him,and said person brought this up years later as revenge. Should he have gotten in the relationship in the first place? Maybe not. But you also cannot help who you fall in love with. To everyone saying he was a child molester, especially those who never met or knew him, shut your mouths. He was nothing of the sort. He cared deeply for all of his swimmers. Tim only had his team and his mom. Now his love in life, coaching, has been taken away from him and the… Read more »
There were multiple victims. But yes, one of them was 18. Hooray for him.
My kids swam for Tim for many years and were blessed to have such an outstanding coach. Tim is NOT a sexual predator. My swimmers thought very highly of him and that has not changed. I have friends who’s kids have trained with him as well. Many feel that Tim was given a raw deal. Tim chose to take the high road and not appeal, not drag the club or the “victim” thru the mud. The said victim was 18. Old enough to consent, but definitely not appropriate to be in a relationship with her coach. Both made bad choices. I wish Tim the best picking up the pieces and moving on.
You are simply incorrect. I’m glad your kids had a positive experience. The multiple victims (and there is no need for scare quotes around that word – it is an actual thing) obviously didn’t. And yes, one of the victims was 18 – for part of it. But at least one of them was not. You can choose to keep trying to steer the story back to the single case where it was simply an inappropriate relationship, but that’s not an accurate description of all the cases. Regardless of your feeling that he took the high road by not appealing in the face of overwhelming evidence or that he got a raw deal (I don’t know how you convince yourself… Read more »
I was on deck last night at Nitro. If anyone wants to have a real concern for the youth swimmers, move on with your own lives and let everyone’s focus turn to allowing these young athletes to become their best. Some amazing kids and swimmers are in the water at Nitro with a great coach in Elliot McGill as well as the other coaches. USA Swimming has acted as well as Mike Koleber. Tim O’Brien has done the right thing and left. Fix the way you don’t treat everyone in your own life and let these swimmers continue to flourish as they have been.
Kind of surprised no one from his former team has brought this up. Since I was on the team when it happened, I can say that he was caught having a relationship with a female that was 18 years old, but was still a part of the team and hadn’t yet graduated HS. This would have been between roughly 15 years ago. Clearly, he made a major mistake and deserved his termination. However, it’s kind of hard to understand a lifetime ban coming a decade and a half removed. I would seriously hope he learned his lesson, but I’m assuming he may have done something in a similar vein to have had this part of his past dug up.
Nitroswimmom, social media is great for Nitro as long as it’s positive. But the minute it’s negative you want the attention to go away?
I am really shocked by the fact that most of the defense of this man, who has received an uncontested lifetime ban from his life’s work for sexual misconduct, has come from people with the moniker “swimmom”. I hope that this athlete’s Mom was looking out for them….
It is not likely that the ban was uncontested. He is not appealing the ruling which is not the same thing as it being truly uncontested. There are official proceedings held by USA Swimming which involve the accused and the accuser. I would imagine he was involved in the proceedings. He has chosen not to appeal the sanctions handed down by USA Swimming resulting from their proceedings. From what I have heard the appeals process is not so helpful so perhaps he is pursing other options. It certainly does not look good that he chose not to appeal but who knows.
We may never know specifics of this situation unless the victim/s decides to tell her or his story or if there are legal procedures. at some point if his name is added to the list, it will cite reasons. There’s no doubt around the country there are many more perpetrators, victims, & witnesses who are silent so far. It OK to speak or write the truth and get justice.
USA Swimming’s Safe Sport Code of Conduct http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=1599&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=6074&ItemId=5773
USA Swimmings Complaint Process
http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=2728&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en
INDIVIDUALS SUSPENDED OR INELIGIBLE – PERMANENTLY
It cites the reason/s.
http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=1963&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=10011&ItemId=5107
INDIVIDUALS SUSPENDED OR INELIGIBLE –… Read more »
Tim is now listed on the USA Swimming site of Permanently Banned individuals. Code of conduct sections 304.3.5, 304.3.5
USA swimming and athlete protection… what a frickin’ joke. There is like 5 postings per week of predator coaches. No wonder people don’t think coaching club is a real profession.
Who thinks that?? This may be a huge revelation to A LOT of club coaches
My heart goes out to Tim’s swimmers. It is tough for a group of kids to lose the coach they know and love.
As we have been through this with our team’s head coach, I am suspect of the USA Swimming proceedings that determine guilt or innocence. I sure hope this man is guilty because, as with our head coach, he has not just lost his job, he has lost his career. He will have to find a new way to support himself and his family (if he has one).
Anyone waiting on additional information likely just have to keep waiting. USA Swimming won’t be talking and the coach himself will not likely be talking either.
The wait is over. 304.3.5.
I meant that we would not be hearing details of the situation from USA Swimming. The coach is also bound by confidentiality agreement, though now that he is not a member of USA Swimming perhaps he could spill the beans. Guessing that’s not likely though.
I sure wish people would stop throwing around phrases like “prey upon swimmers” and “situations involving abuse” because nobody on here actually knows if that is the situation AT ALL.
Some did, and now we all do… 304.3.5
Here is the official text of the reason why O’Brien was banned: http://swimswam.com/usa-swimming-adds-tim-obrien-public-list-banned-coaches/