Mike Burgmeier - very Bad softball coach

[Skarp]

You're a troll, and your ardent effort to discredit the young girl who went to the police is disgusting. For you, this is a petty message board fight. For me, it's not. I am not responsible for Mr. Bergmeier's behavior. BTW, I know of one person who had an inappropriate relationship with him, not two. Reading comprehension really isn't your strong suit.

You know, I wrote one of my standard posts eviscerating you for, among other things, implying that I am trying to discredit this girl (I'm not), and pointing out that your posts have been horribly muddled and unclear (they have been).

Instead, I will apologize to you for jumping you and instigating this entire exchange. Upon review, your comments didn't warrant it...at least not without some prior clarification. Chalk it up to a lousy mood. Or maybe menopause.

Anonymous, unsupported claims deserve less weight than others, but there is a place for them. It's not my place, and certainly not my ambition, to silence you or to drive you off.

I will still wait for corroborating evidence from a credible, verifiable source before I draw any conclusions. But I think that we and everyone else here can agree on one basic thing: Mike Burgmeier should get exactly what he deserves.

[OCwildcatMom]

They should cut his balls off and make him wear them as earrings.

I would be disturbed if any adult/coach was texting my 13 year old for any reason other than team information.

[SimiDad]

First time poster, long time reader...

I also know Mike reasonably well. I've never been to his house, but have talked with him a bit. My DD has played for him in travel ball and high school varsity.

My DD was shocked, and never mentioned any inappropriate communications or contacts. His ex-fiance was very young looking, but definitely 20s. I don't know how long they were together. All the girls really liked Mike, even though he was difficult to take seriously.

There was no "talk" about him around the team, unless it was just the moms. I don't know who his new girlfriend is, so it is not well known whether she is an ex-player. Unsubstantiated allegations are what they are right now.

As far as teenage girls, they lie and exagerate, too. No different from adults in that. Of the girls who played on Mike's 14U Mayhem team back then, some of them are very credible and some not as much.

I will wait until the facts are in before I make a judgement on him.

[3_mom]

Wow Simidad hard for me to believe you have never heard anything about this coach, I do not even live in Simi and have heard stories about this coach. Wakeup people ! Quit sweeping things under the rug and acting like if it is not my kid then we will pretend it is not happening. When will people realize that if it is rumored to be happening with certain individuals then they should be banished from our sport because it usually means it is happening. There is no way anyone who is rumored to be abusing children regardless of age should be allowed to coach. We need to stand up as a community and ban these predators. Quit keeping your fingers crossed and hope it isn't your kid, do something about it !!

[SoCalASABlue]

So multiple posters state that they have heard stories about this coach previously. What did you do to spread the word - or was the answer just to not let your own DD play for him? Do the police, child protective services, etc. read Hey Bucket to catch the latest info on prospective molesting coaches?

I agree that IF FOUND GUILTY he should be castrated and put in a cell with the worst sodomite Bubba.

Here's an article from the San Diego newspaper where the victim claimed to have been attacked by gang members but in reality was caught having sex with a guy she met on the Internet. When this happens, actual rape victims are harmed because the level of proof needed to convict (served on a jury lately??) goes that much higher.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... itas-teen/

Obviously we want our kids to be able to come to us any time they have a problem but we actually have to be listening.

[weekend4trvl]

predator and prey ...
Out of the dozens and dozens of young girls he's had access to, he'll only pick out one or two. It's almost always the girl who is of little value to her parent. In other words "the girl who's dad will kill anyone who lay a hand her" is safe. Most of our DD's are safe.

[Under the Radar]

There are some Red Flags we should always look out for & remember if a predator has never been caught, then the ASA background check is not going to mean you are safe.

1. Coach is too touchy with players.
2. Coach is calling your DD (players) directly, to find out how their day went at school.
3. Coach is texting your DD (players) with non softball content.
4. Coach is asking if he can give your DD (players) a ride to or from practice & he has no kid on the team.
5. Coach is emailing your DD (players) with non softball content.

Now I do not know this guy personally nor have I ever heard anything about him until this popped up. But what I have heard from several people is that the above 5 things were all going on with this guy. Very creepy....

The only reason a coach should be talking to your DD in any format should be game locations, time change, uniform ect..... Also we should all be on the look out not just for our own DD but all the players on any team.

[Skarp]

There is no way anyone who is rumored to be abusing children regardless of age should be allowed to coach. We need to stand up as a community and ban these predators.

Calling someone a predator based on a rumor is not justified. However I do agree that rumors coupled with objectively suspicious behavior are more than sufficient justification to discreetly remove someone from coaching, and from proximity with the girls. And if that person attempts to coach elsewhere, I think it is justified to contact any interested parties and inform them about the suspicions as well.

At that point it's not about accusing anyone of anything. It's about protecting the girls in an abundance of caution. And I don't know why any adult would want to continue coaching young girls after they have become the target of suspicion regarding possible sexual abuse or inappropriate behavior. If I was a coach who was approached about perceived misconduct (by parents, other coaches, the organization, etc.), and I knew that I was innocent, I would immediately remove myself from the position and take steps to protect myself from the slightest possibility of continued misperception. No more coaching. No more contact with minors except where absolutely necessary. And no matter how off base it was, I would be glad that it was brought to my attention, rather than allowed to circulate as gossip for months or years.

I personally am suspicious of anyone who has been accused of this type of impropriety and who continues to want to coach kids. That just doesn't add up to me, so I have to attribute it to something other than rationality. Like a compulsion.

[SoCal Breakers]

Why does any coach have your daughters phone number or email? If they have to get hold of your daughters shouldn't they call the parents? We as parents really need to start checking everything phones, emails, facebook, etc...

[artomatic]

Why does any coach have your daughters phone number or email? If they have to get hold of your daughters shouldn't they call the parents? We as parents really need to start checking everything phones, emails, facebook, etc...

These details change as the girls get older.
My kid now gets her team emails, texts, etc directly, as do all the players, and plans her own schedule.
Well, that's the plan, anyways, she is still learning that responsibility.
The team parents also get the emails, but it's up to the players to take care of their business.