Coached into Silence is a feature-length documentary which deals with sexual abuse within the world of organized sports. The film will tell the stories of a diverse group of young athletes whom the system failed to protect. Far more sinister than those failures of prevention, this film will shed light on the organizational, institutional and legal systems which have conspired in attempting to silence the victims while protecting profits, reputations and in some cases, the predators themselves.

A message from director Chris Gavagan:

Over our six years of work on Coached into Silence, we have found ourselves in unexpected places. From State Capitols to Halls of Fame, from dusty Little League fields to state-of-the-art Olympic training centers.

We’ve met a hundred new heroes and we’ve returned to the scene of the crime, a house of horrors where a serial sexual abusing coach gave his “protege’s” the “special training" that they needed over the course of decades. 

That we are still filming after all these years is also unexpected, but the finish line is within site. Every moment of work has enriched and informed the stories that we have to share, while the motivation to get the film out into the world where is can reach the most people and do the most good has never been stronger. The time is always now to do whatever is within your power to protect a child. That is a power that each and every one of us has, if we just know what to do, or what to look for.   

There are many ways to get involved. You can join our engaged active community on Facebook, take part in conversations and share what you know. You can dig deep on our resources page and learn more about the issue and ways that you can make a difference in your own community. If you had the means and the motivation, you could even make a tax-deductible donation to help bring us across the finish line.

The Internet is a big place. You could be doing anything, but you've spent a few moments here. Thank you for that. For your interest, for spreading the word, all of which mean so much. It takes courage to look directly at subject matter that the rest of the world, too often, pretends does not exist. 

It is the courage of these survivors and the strength of these parents that we honor here. Those who were the child that just wanted to play, and now work toward a future when a child who plays a sport can just be a child, instead of becoming a victim as they did. 

with gratitude, 

Chris Gavagan

director, Coached into Silence

THE STAT SHEET

Over 40,000,000 children participate in organized sports in the United States every year.
 

Only 16% of children in America have never participated in a team sport. That doesn’t include the millions who have competed only in individual sports. 
 

2.5 million adults volunteer as coaches annually. The vast majority of those are the well-intentioned good people.

Yet within those coaching ranks there are predators, drawn to youth sports by the easy, constant access to children. 

Under the guidance of a good coach sports can provide children with priceless lessons that will serve them their entire lives. In the hands of the wrong coach, a child can lose more than just a game. 

They can lose everything.