This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Former University of California-San Diego men’s rowing coach Geoff Bond is accused of verbally abusing at least one of the athletes, who has a family, after his child took his own life.
Brian Lilley Jr., who was on the squad from 2019-2021, was 19 at the time of his suicide death, and his parents and friend Parker Kinney told The Associated Press in a story published Wednesday that they believe Bond was considered the result of vosi. verbal abuse.
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Brenda Lilly points to her son Brian Lilly Jr. as he competes in a regatta on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in Easton, Connecticut. Brian Lilley Jr., 19, who committed suicide on January 4, 2021, was a rower at the University of California, San Diego.
(AP Photo/Julia Nickinson)
“This guy basically crushed Brian’s self-esteem, his threat to kick Brian off the team. And you don’t have to be a sports psychologist to tell you how damaging that was,” Brian Lilley Sr. said.
Brenda and Brian Lilley Sr. filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Bond and the school, alleging the coach mistreated their son because he kept the rower on the team despite the coach’s allegations of sexual abuse against the athlete. contested the decision to allow him to stay. Brian’s parents believe Bond verbally abused their son, leading to his suicide in January 2021.
“I felt like they were trying to sweep the whole sexual-assault allegations under the rug, and a lot of kids had legitimate concerns about it and felt like, ‘This was so messed up,'” Kinney told the AP. “A lot of guys didn’t talk about it. Brian talked about it, so Geoff got back at him. Brian’s main concern was that it would hurt the integrity of the team, which I agreed with.”
Brian Lilly cries as he talks about his son Brian Lilly Jr. during an interview with The Associated Press, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in Easton, Connecticut.
(AP Photo/Julia Nickinson)
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Bond’s defense team filed a motion to dismiss Lilly’s case, saying coach Brian Jr. had not seen Lilly in the nine months before his death and that the coach had reached out to see if the rower would return to school during the pandemic. in San Diego from the East Coast where he lived.
Gary Champagne, a freshman at Cal, defended the coach for Bond in 2002-03.
“I really liked his coaching style and I feel like it’s a great fit for young college players,” Champagne told the AP.
Brenda and Brian Lilley look at pictures of their son Brian Lilley Jr. at their home Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in Easton. Brian Lilley, 19, who took his own life on January 4, 2021, was a junior rower. at the University of California, San Diego.
(AP Photo/Julia Nickinson)
The Lillies said their son had never had a history of mental illness before rowing at school.
UC San Diego declined to comment to the AP, citing the pending litigation. Bond left school on January 13.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.