It’s never great to hear bad news first thing in the morning, but as the country rises from their slumber today, we get news of another high school swim coach who has been arrested on accusation of having sex with a student (from NBC10 in Philadelphia). Rustin High School coach Ken Fuller was arrested on Wednesday and arraigned Wednesday night.
The story is disturbing, as they all are – on three separate occasions, he is alleged to have met a female student off campus, bought her alcohol, and had sex with her; one time even calling the school pretending to be her father to get her excused from class.
The charges, according to NBC10, are “institutional sexual assault, corruption of a minor and related charges,” and bond was set at $250,000.
Fuller was a former All-SEC Conference swimmer at Auburn before finishing his career at Drexel. He has trained for a number of big-name coaches in his career (who we won’t mention here to avoid associating them with a potentially horrendous crime; his full Rustin High bio can be seen here). He does not appear to have been a teacher at the school, rather was a coach independent of his profession.
The Rustin High School Girls placed 21st at this year’s PIAA AAA State Championship Meet.
Update: USA Swimming has confirmed that Fuller was a USA Swimming coaching member, and has initiated an Emergency Board of Review.
“We’ve initiated an emergency Board of Review hearing in this case. An emergency board of review convenes quickly, most usually in cases of criminal charges, and allows USA Swimming to take swift action on the membership status of the individual in question. An Emergency NBOR can suspend membership until a full Board of Review hearing can take place.”
He was also the coach of a local summer team called the Pennypacker Swim Club.
What a shame. By All SEC Conference Swimmer I hope the public knows he only swam one year. Don’t let this man’s name tarnish the Tigers. War Damn!
too often this goes on usa swimming…not enough is being done about it….I hope the the guy if guilty is sent away and pays for his crime…abusing his powers as a coach…I feel terrible for the young girl and the family.