TN cheer company named in SC related case denies it failed to protect minors from sex abuse
The president of one of the companies accused of ignoring reports of sexual abuse from cheerleaders issued a statement denying the allegation and said they may take legal action to defend the company.
“We are exploring all avenues, including legal measures, to defend ourselves from any false narrative that erroneously suggests Varsity Spirit somehow willfully turned a blind eye to misconduct in cheer as part of a broader conspiracy,” Bill Seely, president of Varsity Spirit said.
“The truth matters: for the survivors and for the sport.”
Varsity is named in lawsuits in South Carolina and Tennessee and is described as a promoter of cheer camps and competitions and seller of related merchandise. Its headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and its founder Jeff Webb, along with parent company Varsity Brands is named as a defendant in the Tennessee lawsuit.
The lawsuit says, “Varsity Spirit and its affiliates and subsidiaries, include branding and merchandise, competitions, and camps, as well as the regulatory side of cheer by and through USASF and USA Cheer,” controlling 80% to 90% of the market.
In the lawsuit, three people describe sexual abuse and inappropriate contact by coach Dominick Frizzell at Premiere Athletics, which is owned by Varsity Brands. The lawsuit says reports were made to various entities within the Varsity franchise but Frizzell kept coaching and training at the cheer gym.
Other lawsuits are pending in federal and state courts against Varsity and Rockstar Cheer in Greenville as well as several people who coached at the gym, including owner Scott Foster.
The allegations of sexual abuse came to light after Foster killed himself in August amid a federal investigation into sexual abuse at his gym.
In all, six lawsuits are pending, each involving Varsity Spirit as well as its related businesses.
Seely, in his statement, described the allegations as disturbing, abhorrent and unforgivable.
“Many of us at Varsity Spirit — like many of you — have grown up as the first generation of cheerleaders who brought athleticism, performance, and safety to all star cheerleading,” he said. ”Our commitment to the safety of today’s athletes — who will carry on this tradition — is fundamental to our mission and the future of the sport.”
He called the lawsuits “reckless mischaracterizations.”
“The survivors, more than anyone, deserve a full and complete factual record on which to pursue justice,” he said. “All parties involved in these matters, including attorneys who purport to represent the interests of survivors, have a responsibility to the truth.”
Strom Law Firm attorney Bakari Sellers, who brought five of the lawsuits, said he was glad Varsity has promised to protect survivors and looks forward to see what they do going forward, especially with regard to uncovering the root causes of the abuse.
He said he looks forward to the discovery process and depositions of Varsity leaders and others as the case moves forward. He also called it “untoward” for Varsity to praise survivors and then criticize their lawyers.
