A little league coach has been dismissed after a New Hampshire man claimed his 11-year-old daughter was intentionally beaned in an effort to force her off the team.
Dan Klein of Madbury said this month that multiple coaches planned to hurt his daughter. The Oyster River Youth Association launched an independent, third-party investigation.
"Based on its findings, ORYA determined that no player was or is in danger," the league's director, Matthew Glode, said in a statement. "Additionally, ORYA did not find evidence to substantiate the initial claim that several coaches were complicit. However, it was determined that one volunteer coach did in fact violate ORYA's policies. He has been dismissed."
Glode did not say who was forced to leave his position.
"Local law enforcement has found no reason to investigate," he added.
In a four-page email dated April 7 and addressed to ORYA Board of Directors Chair Ben Genes and city officials, Klein alleged, in part:
"Eventually Coach Robar made a comment about "beaning" [her] in practice if she ended up on his team. Shortly thereafter Robar stated more specifically 'If she ends up on my team I'll have [the pitcher] bean her right in the ear hole and she'll quit instantaneously.'"
U.S. & World
In his email, Klein alleges that ORYA coaches Troy Brissard and Kirk O'Quinn witnessed the conversation first-hand at Libby's Bar in downtown Durham on March 21.
ORYA President John Gill and Majors/Coordinator/Board Treasurer Pete Ventura held a draft to assign players to team rosters in preparation for the upcoming Major60 season, according to Klein.
The New Hampshire father said his daughter was the last player for draft selection and, by default, was assigned to the team up in pre-determined order, which was the "Phillies."
Klein's daughter is the only girl on the team. Once picked, Klein alleges Phillies head coach Rob Follis said, "this isn't going to go well."
As the conversation worsened, Klein said that Brissard announced he would take the girl on his team.
Klein went on to say that the "ORYA Harassment Policy" states ORYA will not tolerate this kind of behavior. He also quoted the policy, saying," The Board of Directors may find it necessary to take immediate action to protect all participants, volunteers and employees pending completion of an investigation."
Klein also cited a past ORYA harassment report he made in 2015, stating one of the coaches involved was also one of the coaches who spoke of harm to his daughter.
Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig responded strongly to Klein's email saying," In terms of the alleged incident, the thought that grown men would sit around in a local bar and discuss intentionally 'beaning' a young girl in the head in order to drive just her out of ORYA boy’s baseball is simply unconscionable. We look forward to the outcome of ORYA’s investigation into these serious allegations."
