Gymnastics coach’s sexual abuse leaves scars in Missouri
Content warning: This story includes references to and descriptions of child sexual abuse. Kampbell Hemeyer watched a little boy run out of the courtroom, pleading with court officers. “I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to go with Dad,” he cried. The little boy’s well-worn Ninja Turtles shirt and light-up shoes […]
Content warning: This story includes references to and descriptions of child sexual abuse.
Kampbell Hemeyer watched a little boy run out of the courtroom, pleading with court officers.
“I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to go with Dad,” he cried.
The little boy’s well-worn Ninja Turtles shirt and light-up shoes were nothing like her dress pants and blazer. But when they locked eyes, Hemeyer saw herself in him. She no longer wanted to be in the courthouse. She didn’t want to face her abuser. For the first time, she turned to her mother and cried.
“My brain hadn’t fully grasped the concept of me being there quite yet,” said Hemeyer, who turned 18 not long before the trial. “I was about to face my abuser for the first time since everything happened, since before the investigation really got going. I just felt an immense feeling of how none of this is fair for children, kids who are surviving going through court.”
Hemeyer’s feelings about seeking justice are not unusual. In several cases reviewed by The Midwest Newsroom, offenders might not face legal consequences. Parents grapple with whether to report incidents, and survivors wonder if going to law enforcement with their accusations is worth it.
Photo courtesy of Washington Police Department
Former volunteer gymnastics coach David Schneider is serving a 50-year prison sentence at the South Central Correctional Facility in Licking, Missouri.
Hemeyer’s abuser, former volunteer gymnastics coach David Schneider, is at the South Central Correctional Facility in Licking, Missouri, where he is serving a 50-year prison sentence for four counts of child molestation and one count of attempted molestation.
The charges stem from his time as a gymnastics coach at the now-closed Kids in Motion gymnastics gym in Washington, Missouri, where he volunteered from 2011 to 2014. The gym was owned by Piper Hoemann.
The gym reopened at a new location and under a different name, Fitness Made Fun, in 2018. Its owner is Nadiana Peck, the previous owner’s daughter. Peck declined to answer questions from The Midwest Newsroom.
Hemeyer and other gymnasts accused Schneider of sexually abusing them during a stretching exercise known as “over splits,” where coaches assist gymnasts by straightening their legs and pushing down on the gymnasts’ hips to create a deeper stretch. Often, at least one leg is elevated during the over splits.
Hemeyer said she was around 10 years old when the sexual abuse began. She started at Kids in Motion when she was 8 years old and continued gymnastics until her freshman year of high school.
Schneider was safety certified by USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for the sport, and attended five clinics on upper-level spotting techniques, according to trial documents.
In this image taken from her YouTube channel, Olympian Shannon Miller works with a young gymnast to demonstrate the over splits, an exercise in which at least one leg is elevated to create a deeper stretch.
Schneider’s initial interview with the Washington (Missouri) Police Department about sexual abuse allegations was on Feb. 6, 2018. That same month, USA Gymnastics placed Schneider on its list of permanently banned former professional members, which means he is not eligible to coach at USAG member gyms or USAG meets.
The sanctions came a month after Larry Nassar, the disgraced former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison. Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct and admitted to using his trusted position to assault and molest girls, many of them gymnasts and other athletes, under the guise of medical treatment.
When safeguards fail
Kids in Motion was affiliated and competed with USA Gymnastics until its membership ended when the gym closed. Coach or professional membership is required for participation and credentialing at USA Gymnastics-sanctioned events. Although coaches at member clubs are not required to be USA Gymnastics members, USAG member clubs are prohibited from allowing anyone on the banned list to coach in their club.
The federal Safe Sport Act of 2017 says that all adult members interacting with youth athletes are mandatory reporters. Any suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, must be reported within 24 hours to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
During his trial, Schneider’s victims reported that for years, he repeatedly slid his hand down girls’ legs and into their shorts during these stretches. The abuse ranged from touching the inside of their shorts, over their leotards, to inside their leotards or even touching their genitals. He would say things like, “Sorry, hon,” to the girls, but make no effort to remove his fingers.
Before coaching Hemeyer and her fellow gymnasts, Schneider played a key role in establishing the swim program at the Four Rivers YMCA in Washington, Missouri, where he coached a team for over a decade. Additionally, he coached another swim team in Union, Missouri. In 2009 he served as the girls volleyball and soccer coach at Crosspoint Christian School in Villa Ridge, Missouri.
Delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and legal proceedings pushed the start of his trial to March 29, 2022. Two days later the Franklin County jury convicted Schneider on four counts of child molestation, and one count of attempted molestation.
Hemeyer was among those who testified against Schneider.
“Going on stand was hard,” Hemeyer said. “You’re being asked really, really tough questions and being asked by the defense about things that are supposed to trip you up, and you feel like you’re being victimized all over again.”
Silence or justice?
Danielle Schmidt placed her daughter in gymnastics at Kids in Motion when the child was 5 years old. Schmidt was a coach at the gym and even worked alongside Schneider on occasion. One day after practice, when her daughter was 8 years old, she told her mom she didn’t like it when coach Dave put her in the over splits. Schmidt asked why, and her daughter responded, “He touches me down there.”
The Midwest Newsroom is not using the daughter’s name because she is a sexual abuse survivor who does not want to be identified.
“She was absolutely devastated, mortified and angry with me because she did not understand why I had to tell on her,” Schmidt said. “Her biggest fear was that Dave was going to find out that she told on him. It wasn’t that he touched her, it was that he was going to be mad at her because she told on him.”
Schmidt called the owner of the gym, Hoemann, whose husband worked as a state trooper. She said Hoemann had Schmidt’s daughter show her exactly how Schneider was touching her.
Hoemann told Schmidt that her husband — the state trooper — said it wouldn’t be worth pursuing because the court would rule in favor of the coach, Schmidt said. The Midwest Newsroom could not reach Hoemann for comment.
A 2014 National Institute of Justice study of child sexual abuse investigations found anywhere from 22% to 47% of cases are declined by prosecutors. Further, the researchers found over 90% of cases involving allegations of sexual abuse of a minor did not continue to trial after details were analyzed by the prosecution. Some recent research has shown that while a small proportion of cases result in criminal charges, once charges are lodged, cases are actually much less likely to end in a dismissal.
Schneider has appealed his conviction. Bryan Mathews is the prosecutor currently assigned to the case.
“The difficulty in these cases is they happen behind closed doors or they’re one-on-one crimes, typically,” Mathews said. “It’s very, very seldom that we have a case where there is an eyewitness who can speak to the actual criminal acts that took place outside of these children.”
Like many parents, Schmidt wanted to protect her child from the ordeal of a trial, and from having to face her abuser.
“I had to decide whether I was going to put my 8-year-old on the stand all by herself against Dave,” Schmidt said. “The more I thought about it, the more I realized putting her, at 8 years old, on trial is probably going to be more emotionally devastating than the act itself.”
‘No zones’ and caution
Two weeks after Schmidt discussed her concerns with Hoemann, Hoemann sent a memo to the Kids in Motion staff titled “Molestation Policy.” The memo, reviewed by The Midwest Newsroom, listed positions to avoid, specifically that girls are not to be taken to do the over-splits stretch in a one-on-one setting.
Hoemann wrote in her memo to staff: “This gym has been subject to complaints and concerns with direct violations mandated or suggested in our policy. I admonish everyone to take these new policies very seriously. Accusations, whether true or false, can tear apart families, destroy reputations, and tear apart this program which we have tried so hard to build. The following revisions are put into my own words, so they can be better understood. Please understand these policies are for your own safety.”
The memo goes on to list “No zones” where gymnasts are to not be touched. It continued, “Male coaches be EXTREMELY cautious.”
Under Missouri law, Hoemann should have reported the abuse to police immediately after Schmidt told her what had happened to her daughter. Hoemann pleaded guilty in 2019 for misdemeanor failure to report child abuse.
“Because of your failure to report, (Schneider) was allowed to continue working with little kids,” Franklin County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Michael Hayes asked Hoemann during the trial. “Yes,” Hoemann responded.
‘Not set up for children’
Ella Kroeter was 2 years old when she took her first “mommy and me” gymnastics class. She loved gymnastics. She was around 6 when Schneider became one of her coaches at Kids in Motion in 2012.
She said Schneider repeatedly put his hands up her shorts and touched her crotch area when she was a third-grader. She remembers telling one of the older girls, Hoemann’s daughter Gabrella, about the abuse.
“She (Gabrella) threatened me that if I ever said that again, I would be kicked off the team and out of the gym,” Ella said. “Gymnastics was everything to me, so I didn’t say anything else about it.”
On a December morning in 2017, as a news story aired on the family television about the Marshall Faulk sexual harassment case, Ella walked into the room and said, “It was like when coach Dave got fired for sticking his hands up our shorts doing the splits.”
The Marshall Faulk case involved Jami Cantor, a former NFL employee, filing a wrongful termination lawsuit claiming the former NFL star and other players had sexually harassed her.
This was the first that Jennifer Kroeter, Ella’s mother, had heard about Schneider sexually abusing her daughter.
Ella went to school that day, but her parents stayed home from work to discuss the next steps to take. They called Hoemann and set up a meeting with her to discuss the abuse. Hoemann wouldn’t meet them inside the gym, Kroeter said. Instead, the meeting took place by storage units in the parking lot.
Standing in the cold that day, Ella (by that time, around age 12) told Hoemann her story. According to Jennifer Kroeter, Hoemann asked a few questions and told the family she would get back to them in a week.
“I didn’t have the guts to go to the police that night,” Jennifer Kroeter said. “I was too worried about how it was going to affect her. Once we did, and I saw how it played out, it wasn’t pretty.”
A week passed, and the family heard nothing from Hoemann, Kroeter said.
Christmas of 2018 came and went. Ella returned to school from break, and while her parents were mulling over what to do, she went to the school counselor, Shelly Struckhoff. Ella told Struckhoff everything that happened, and as a mandated reporter, Struckhoff contacted police.
“It was like a huge relief, because we just didn’t know what to do,” Jennifer Kroeter said. “We were just like, ‘Oh my God, why didn’t we just do this two weeks ago?’ We were agonizing, asking ourselves, ‘Do we want to put our daughter through this?’”
Jennifer and her husband, Matt Kroeter, both teachers and mandated reporters, have encountered children sharing confessions they were required to report. Jennifer Kroeter has witnessed firsthand how these experiences often fail to deliver the outcomes the children and their loved ones hoped for.
“The system is not set up to cater to the victims. It’s set up for the defendants. And there were times when I felt like we were the ones doing something wrong.”
Jennifer Kroeter, parent
The couple grappled with exposing Ella to the extreme stress of a trial, possibly for nothing.
City of Washington detective Lt. Steve Sitzes was a co-investigator on the case. He said children who testify about abuse face a lot of struggles long after their cases are over. They are often labeled as victims, a title that stays with them throughout high school and even college.
Survivors in the Larry Nassar case have spoken about the relationship they have with the word “victim.” This label was used to define them during the case, and sticks with many of them today.
“You never want to tell a parent that they’re wrong for not letting their child testify,” Sitzes said. “In a small town like this, everybody knows everybody else’s business. Parents have to ask themselves, ‘Do you want that known?’”
In cases with no physical evidence, juries rely on victim statements to come to a verdict. In the case against Schneider, each girl gave nearly identical testimony. Court records show girls from different classes and ages, many who didn’t know each other, all described the abuse in the same way.
“After going through the trial, I am thankful that I didn’t do it when (my daughter) was 8,” Danielle Schmidt said. “He would have walked free if she was by herself. He would have gotten away with it. So in the end, it was a blessing that I waited and that the numbers had stacked up once the girls were aware and together.”
Kristofor Husted/The Midwest Newsroom
One young survivor of sexual abuse by a St. Louis gymnastics coach is now a junior in college. She sits on a bench near the campus quad on May 1, 2025. She asked for her face to remain unidentifiable because she’s worried about how it could affect her professional and personal future.
A team, again
Although the trial came years after the abuse, testifying brought up emotions and memories that took the girls right back to when they were in the gym with Schneider.
“I just felt an immense, intense feeling of how none of this is fair for children,” Hemeyer said. “You don’t really know what to expect and you don’t know how hard it’s going to be, going in this room with these officials who are in these robes and look scary, facing really sad situations in your life. And it just felt so unfair to me and to all the girls who were affected by him.”
The trial was a heavy time for all parties involved, but alongside the Schmidt family fighting for justice for their daughter, they were grieving the death of their 12-year-old son. Schmidt and other parents had to take the stand.
“I knew in the back of my mind that they were going to put me on the stand and rip me apart. I was emotionally vulnerable. I was mentally vulnerable. I was grieving and I knew I was going to be the one that they were going to try and mentally manipulate to win the case. I was terrified,” Schmidt said.
Sitzes said that ultimately, it was the girls’ testimony that led to Schneider’s conviction. In addition to telling their stories, the girls had to demonstrate what the abuse looked like on dolls.
“It took a lot of courage to get up there and tell your story in front of a courtroom full of people. It really did.”
Lt. Steve Sitzes, City of Washington detective
Today, the gymnasts who testified still experience psychological effects from the sexual abuse they experienced as children.
“It created trust issues with some of my male coaches, all males, really,” Ella Kroeter said.
An excerpt from Kampbell Hemeyer’s victim statement shows just how deeply Schneider’s abuse affected her.
“I look back at my naive self and I am filled with pity for that little girl. I was roughly 10 years old at the time, and ever since then, my view of physical touch, intimacy, and self-worth is different, wounded if you will, by Dave Schneider’s actions. My view on the world has been altered, and my life has never been the same.”
“It’s like there’s a part of me that’s dead inside despite my efforts in ignoring it and convincing myself that I am stronger than my past. A part of me that Coach Dave killed. The part that should embrace the affection shown by loved ones feels damaged; instead of feeling the love they have for me, I feel nervous and anxious at their initial touch.”
Hemeyer said despite these life-altering events, the survivors want to inspire others to get justice from their own abusers.
“Try not to be scared and be a voice for other victims,” Ella said. “Get your voice out there; speaking about it helped lift a weight off my shoulders.”
Hemeyer brought up a quote to finish her victim statement: “Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.”
If you need help or support:
There are many resources available for survivors of sexual abuse, harassment, assault or domestic violence. Here are two national resources:
The Midwest Newsroom is an investigative and enterprise journalism collaboration that includes Iowa Public Radio, KCUR, Nebraska Public Media, St. Louis Public Radio and NPR.
There are many ways you can contact us with story ideas and leads, and you can find that information here.
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METHODS To tell this story, reporter Gabrielle Lindemann viewed publicly available documents regarding the David Schnieder case including court opinions, police records and trial transcriptions. She interviewed survivors of sexual abuse and parents of survivors for over a dozen hours. She spoke with experts regarding child sexual abuse and youth sports. This story draws on interviews and documents collected for over two years.
REFERENCES “Former gymnastics coach David Schneider sentenced to 50 years in state prison for child molestation”(The Missourian | June 1, 2022)
“Permanently Ineligible and Ineligible Members and Participants” (USA Gymnastics | continuously updated)
Larry Nassar sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for decades of sexual abuse (CNN | Jan. 24, 2018)
Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 (Congress.Gov | March 6, 2017)
National Criminal Justice Reference Survey (NJRS | March 2019)
Marshall Faulk case (New York Times | Dec. 12, 2017)
David Schneider Case Header (Casenet | Updated continuously)
Trial documents: Trial transcription, Schneider appeal opinion, memo from Kids in Motion, official charging documents
TYPE OF ARTICLE News: Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
Lakeshore Foundation receives ESPN Innovation Challenge grant
The Lakeshore Foundation has received a $100,000 grant from ESPN’s inaugural Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge. Take Back Sports is a new youth sports initiative created by ESPN and Disney to expand access to sports for youth. They launched their official website on Monday. On top of ESPN’s $5 million charitable investment in the program […]
The Lakeshore Foundation has received a $100,000 grant from ESPN’s inaugural Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge.
Take Back Sports is a new youth sports initiative created by ESPN and Disney to expand access to sports for youth. They launched their official website on Monday.
On top of ESPN’s $5 million charitable investment in the program to reimagine youth sports, ESPN announced the Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge at the Aspen Institute’s Project Play Summit in March. Through cutting-edge training models, inclusive programming and community-rooted solutions, the Innovation Challenge aims to spotlight approaches that reimagine how kids engage with sports — fostering a more accessible and positive youth sports experience for all. ESPN doubled its original investment from $50,000 to $100,000 per grant in response to more than 150 compelling applications from across the country, and the Lakeshore Foundation was named as one of 10 recipients.
Lakeshore’s Super Sports Saturday pilot will bring inclusive, Paralympic-style sports to youth with physical disabilities in underserved areas of Alabama. As the only multi-adapted-sports organization in the state and a national Paralympic training hub, Lakeshore is uniquely equipped to deliver high-impact, free programming that blends fun, fitness and skill development. With ESPN’s support, the pilot will host five events in Montgomery, train local mentors and lay the foundation for a scalable model that creates access, independence and a culture of multi-sport play for youth with disabilities across the Southeast.
This year’s other Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge recipients include:
The Center for Healing and Justice through Sport (CHJS) received a grant for Collective, a first-of-its-kind digital credentialing platform that brings visibility, accountability and trust to youth sports coaching. Developed in partnership with RAIS3 Partners, Collective allows families and organizations to see who’s coaching their children, what training they’ve completed, and whether they’re equipped to foster safe, inclusive environments. With ESPN’s support, CHJS will onboard 2,500 coaches, parents and programs in Boston — making it the first fully “trackable” city for coach credentials — setting a new national standard for quality, transparency and equity in youth sports.
City Parks Foundation’s impactful “Everyday Play” program delivers free, daily, multi-sport programming to underserved youth in New York City parks. By offering equitable access to tennis, soccer, track & field, golf, and more — along with trauma-informed coaching, career pathways for alumni, and extended summer play — CityParks is addressing systemic barriers to youth sports while keeping kids active, engaged, and supported where they live. This grant will directly fund operations at Kaiser Park in Brooklyn, serving children with high needs and helping sustain a proven, community-rooted model that prioritizes fun, health and opportunity for all.
Let Her Play has a proven, scalable model that connects young girls with collegiate female athletes to inspire sports participation and leadership. They uniquely address the gender gap through a groundbreaking “Playing the Long Game” initiative that empowers former athletes as fun-focused youth coaches and mentors to keep girls engaged longer in sports. Their data-driven, community-rooted approach tackles critical participation drop-off and creates lasting impact by fostering role models who reflect and motivate the next generation.
Mudsock Youth Athletics received a grant for its commitment to keeping teens engaged in community-based sports by making play fun, inclusive, and youth-driven. Through its “Mudsock Way” initiative, the organization is training coaches and expanding its Youth Action Board to ensure teen voices are centered in shaping programs — using the grant to deepen that youth leadership model and reduce burnout and attrition in year two.
The Official Leadership Network (OLN) uses a pioneering scalable, tech-driven solution to one of youth sports’ most urgent challenges: the critical shortage of trained officials — especially in underserved communities. Through a strategic partnership between UMPS CARE Charities, Sports Officials Care and RefReps, OLN is building a diverse pipeline of high school students trained not only in officiating fundamentals but also in life and leadership skills. With ESPN’s support, OLN will digitize its proven curriculum into engaging, multi-sport video modules — transforming officiating into a gateway for youth employment, confidence and long-term civic leadership.
Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC) earned a grant for its transformative Game On Philly! initiative, which places trained community coaches and AmeriCorps members directly into neighborhood recreation centers to deliver high-quality, trauma-informed sports programming. The program’s innovative partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation ensures scalable, sustainable recreation for youth ages 6–14 where they live, play and grow.
Shriners Children’s Portland creates lifelong athletes by proactively addressing injury prevention, sport burnout and early specialization. Leveraging its expertise as a nationally recognized pediatric orthopedic hospital, the organization will lead educational workshops and hands-on injury prevention programming for coaches and parents across Portland, equipping key community stakeholders with tools, resources and expert-led guidance. With ESPN’s support, Shriners will launch this first-of-its-kind effort in the region, helping ensure young athletes stay healthy, engaged and active in sports for years to come.
Volo Kids Foundation has an innovative, equity-centered approach to expanding youth sports access in under-resourced communities nationwide. By leveraging a unique partnership with its for-profit arm, Volo Sports, the organization activates a sustainable pipeline of trained volunteer coaches to lead free, multi-sport programming across eight cities. With a proven track record of engaging over 70,000 children and 15,000 volunteers, Volo Kids addresses both physical activity gaps and youth mental health challenges, while building character, confidence and community — making it a scalable and impactful model for reimagining accessible youth sports in America.
Women’s Coaching Alliance is tackling two major issues in youth sports: the lack of female coaches and the shortage of available coaches overall. Through its “Coach Today, Lead For Life” program, WCA is expanding a proven model that trains and pays young women to become leaders and role models in their communities — helping more kids, especially girls, stay in the game while creating a more equitable and sustainable coaching pipeline.
Youth sports and military appreciation at ONEOK Field
TULSA, OKLA. (KTUL) — The Tulsa Drillers are set to kick off July with a series of home games against the Wichita Wind Surge, featuring three consecutive nights of fireworks in celebration of the July 4th holiday. The games will take place from Tuesday, July 1, through Thursday, July 3, at ONEOK Field. The Drillers […]
TULSA, OKLA. (KTUL) — The Tulsa Drillers are set to kick off July with a series of home games against the Wichita Wind Surge, featuring three consecutive nights of fireworks in celebration of the July 4th holiday.
The games will take place from Tuesday, July 1, through Thursday, July 3, at ONEOK Field.
The Drillers will wear special-edition holiday jerseys and caps for the series, which also marks the continuation of the Propeller Series against the Wind Surge.
Tulsa currently leads the series 7-5.
On July 1, the game will start at 7:00 p.m. and feature Youth Sports Night.
Young fans wearing sports jerseys will receive free tickets and can join a pregame parade on the field.
Then on July 2, it’s Military Appreciation Night, with current and retired military personnel eligible for two free tickets with proper identification.
The game will begin at 7:00 p.m.
The series finale on July 3, starting at 6:30 p.m., will include a blood drive by Our Blood Institute.
Donors will receive free tickets to a future Drillers game.
The night will also feature an all-you-can-eat buffet option for fans.
Pa. Catholic school teacher, coach charged with child porn – NBC10 Philadelphia
A Bucks County Catholic school teacher and youth sports coach is accused of possessing child pornography, officials announced on Wednesday. Richard Adamsky, 65, was arrested and charged with child sexual abuse material and criminal use of communication facility. A photo of Richard Adamsky The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children […]
A Bucks County Catholic school teacher and youth sports coach is accused of possessing child pornography, officials announced on Wednesday.
Richard Adamsky, 65, was arrested and charged with child sexual abuse material and criminal use of communication facility.
A photo of Richard Adamsky
The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported to law enforcement the possible downloading or obtaining of child sexual abuse material on March 30, 2025. Investigators tracked the IP address of the person who uploaded the image to Adamsky’s home in Warminster Township, according to the criminal complaint.
On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at the home on Gibson Avenue. At the time, Adamsky was the only one inside the house, officials said.
Adamsky allegedly told investigators that for the past four to five years he has been searching for, downloading and saving hundreds of child pornography images on his computer, according to the criminal complaint. When asked how many of the images Adamsky had saved, he told investigators “too many,” officials said.
Adamsky was then arrested and charged Wednesday morning. He is currently in custody at the Bucks County Jail after failing to post $500,000 bail.
Online court records do not reveal legal representation who could speak on Adamsky’s behalf.
Adamsky has taught at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School in Warminster, Pennsylvania, for more than three decades and also coached youth sports at the school. Investigators say the age group Adamsky taught is the same age group that was depicted in the child pornography images. According to his biography, Adamsky also coached at Archbishop Wood and Lenape Middle School.
Adamsky’s biography has been removed from the Nativity of Our Lord website. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia wrote he has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
“Neither the school, nor the parish, nor the Archdiocese had any indication of alleged wrongdoing on Mr. Adamsky’s part until being notified of his arrest earlier today. Based on information provided by law enforcement, it is our understanding that these activities involved Mr. Adamsky’s personal electronic devices only and that there were no allegations that he had physically harmed a minor,” a spokesperson wrote. “As a condition of his employment, Mr. Adamsky had up-to-date criminal background checks and child abuse clearances on file. Additionally, no complaints of inappropriate behavior with minors had ever been lodged against him.”
Makawao youth wins state Scouting award | News, Sports, Jobs
Makawao youth Noah Kalehuawehe is the recipient of the state John Henry Felix Leadership Through Service Award from the Scouting America, Aloha Council. Photo courtesy Scouting America A Makawao youth has received the prestigious John Henry Felix Leadership Through Service Award from the Scouting America, Aloha Council. Noah Kalehuawehe also received $1,944 in recognition of […]
Makawao youth Noah Kalehuawehe is the recipient of the state John Henry Felix Leadership Through Service Award from the Scouting America, Aloha Council. Photo courtesy Scouting America
A Makawao youth has received the prestigious John Henry Felix Leadership Through Service Award from the Scouting America, Aloha Council.
Noah Kalehuawehe also received $1,944 in recognition of his community service.
Kalehuawehe’s personal essay reflected on the brotherhood he found in Scouting and his service to the Lahaina community after the 2023 wildfires.
Scouting America, Aloha Council celebrated the accomplishments of 106 Scouts who earned the rank of Eagle during the 2024-25 academic year at the annual Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet & Mentoring Luncheon Saturday at the Council Headquarters in Nuuanu.
Hosted by the National Eagle Scout Association, Aloha Chapter, the event recognized Hawaii’s highest-achieving Scouts and honored individuals whose leadership and service exemplify the values of Scouting.
Earning the rank of Eagle Scout is a rare achievement as only about 6% of all Scouts nationwide reach this milestone. It requires years of dedication, community service, leadership development and the completion of a capstone Eagle Scout Service Project.
A highlight of the event was the mentoring session where new Eagle Scouts met in small groups with accomplished professionals across industries. Mentors included leaders from SSFM International, Navian Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric, Torkildson Katz, the University of Hawai’i, the State of Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management, and the U.S. Air Force, among others — demonstrating how the values of Scouting extend into every facet of professional and civic life.
South Maui is having its monthly Kihei 4th Friday’s town party from 6-9 p.m. June 27 at Azeka Shopping Center …
Kokua Pool in Kahului will be closed on July 3-6 for pool maintenance. The facility at 275 Uhu St. will reopen from …
The dates for the two-day Financial Literacy for Teens workshop, covering topics such as budgeting, saving and …
Faith-based religious sports building community, friendships and leaders worldwide
Sports and religion have found a successful connection in many communities of faith, in part because it can attract youth and young adults to spirituality. (Photo by Tullio Puglia of UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) PHOENIX – Across the country, places of worship are not only spots for spiritual growth but sites to foster deeper connections […]
Sports and religion have found a successful connection in many communities of faith, in part because it can attract youth and young adults to spirituality. (Photo by Tullio Puglia of UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
PHOENIX – Across the country, places of worship are not only spots for spiritual growth but sites to foster deeper connections within their communities. One product of this engagement is the development of sports programs aimed at youth and young adults.
These programs offer more than just recreational opportunities. They provide space for faith, unity and development.
“Church sports programs are more than just games,” said Ward leader Kevin Craig, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. “They’re about building relationships, teaching faith through teamwork and connecting families.”
In Phoenix, many churches, temples and synagogues have embraced the power of sports to strengthen community ties. For many, sports programs are a way to engage a younger audience, offer mentorship and create long-lasting bonds.
The programs are designed with more than just competition in mind. They’re mainly about nurturing essential values like discipline, teamwork and leadership all while integrating faith into the experience.
“The focus of the ministry is more to minister to the athletes and teach them that God gave these athletes the ability they have in their sports, and to please him, we just need to be who he made us to be,” said Wendy Kerychuck, co-founder of the Phoenix-based non-profit Athletes International Ministry.
“I like to say we just have to bloom. I love my flower gardens. I plant roses, daisies and geraniums, and all they have to do to make me happy is bloom, be a rose, be a geranium. That’s what we tell these athletes.”
Sports engagement is part of many different religions The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, for example, said its goals include enriching “physical, mental and spiritual growth.”
Instilling values
Arizona State religious studies professor Terry Shoemaker, right, here with Tracy Fessenden, left, and Randall Balmer, believes sports programs within faith organizations can enhance “the insularity of the religious communities.” (Photo courtesy of Jacob Leveton)
These programs not only teach athletic skills but also instill religious values, making them a powerful tool for spiritual development. Whether it’s helping a teammate, working hard for a goal, or showing perseverance after a loss, the lessons from spiritually based athletics extend beyond the court.
A priority is helping the ability to engage youth. Kids are not inclined to sit and listen to someone preach for an extended period of time. By combining athletics with religious principles, these programs provide a space for young people to grow both physically and spiritually.
However, some warn that religious sports programs can be overly insulated.
“Adding sports to the mix often enhances the insularity of the religious communities,” said Terry Shoemaker, a religious studies expert and professor at Arizona State University who has studied the intersection of sports and religion, warns. “So if we think about recreational sports as a way to not only develop young people’s honesty, disciple, ability to play by the rules, ability to accept victory in a gracious way but also the ability to accept loss in a gracious way, but also to meet kids who aren’t like them, like kids of different colors or races or ethnicities, or genders, disabilities, you’re now reducing that if all your sports take place at your church.
“If the church is providing you not only your Sunday morning gathering, but it’s providing you a means to watch a movie with other kids, you’re not going to the movie theater as much. It’s now providing your sports outlet. Now, you’re no longer playing in those leagues that were so important to youth development. It’s now all contained within your religious community. And while there may be positives to that, I don’t want to disregard that, but for a broader society, I think there’s a lot of negatives to that.”
Religious sports programs have a profound impact not only on youth but also on young adults. They provide a chance to bond over something fun and meaningful. Samantha Gulledge, a young adult member of the Mormon Towne Lake YSA Ward in Tempe, said her experiences have helped her meet friends and strengthen bonds.
“I’m an athletic person, so I have always enjoyed sports,” she said. “I feel like sports programs are a very casual way to make friends. But also, you know, it’s kind of like in church: You’re all striving for the same goals, and so you just have that camaraderie pretty quickly.
“It affects faith in that way that even when I was a kid, and there were sports, to be perfectly honest, you didn’t always want to go to church because you know, … ‘church is boring, there are more fun things to do.’ But having sports and making friends while doing so, it definitely made it more of an incentive to go, because you’re making friends who you then get to see at church.”
Community take priority
These programs enable individuals to spend quality time with others who share their faith, reminding them of the importance of community both within and outside the spiritual walls.
Religious sports programs are also particularly useful as a tool for outreach, welcoming people who might not yet be part of the congregation. These programs serve as a non-threatening way to introduce new people and families to a faith environment, offering them a space to belong before they even enter a church, temple or synagogue.
“It’s a great way to introduce people to the church, too,” Craig said. “I mean, you always want to form a relationship with somebody. And it’s sometimes easier to form a relationship with somebody on a sporting field than it is sitting next to them in a pew, where it’s a spiritual atmosphere.
“We really encourage the young men and young women to invite friends out from school and let them have some exposure to the rest of the members and such.”
By engaging in sports, families have the opportunity to experience a religious community in a casual and approachable setting, often leading to a deeper connection with the faith itself.
And these outreach knows no borders.
“We serve in eight different countries across the globe, one of which is in Kenya, where we have a kind of an outpost of ministry site in a large slum called Kibera,” said Charlie Dunn, Chief Development Officer for the Virginia-based Sports Outreach Institute. “If you read the statistics, it’s always numbers one through three on the list of the worst places to live on the planet.
“We are partnered with a school that is not a part of our organization. It’s another faith-based school that brings children in and provides them with a solid education, including feeding programs, all within the midst of the slum. But our partnership is that we offer them sports so that they can become accredited in their physical education curriculum, and they allow us to connect our children to their schooling and instruction.”
These outreach efforts across the U.S. and the world make sports programs accessible to many, creating an environment where every child who wants to participate in sports has the opportunity to thrive, build confidence and foster personal growth.
The long-term impact of religious sports programs extends beyond the field. These programs often teach young people important life lessons that carry over into adulthood, including leadership, self-discipline and the ability to work effectively with others.
“We’re able to create teams from places like Adobe Mountain Correctional Facility (in north Phoenix) and bring them out to play in the league,” Wendy said. “This gives families the opportunity to see their child outside the gates.
“A lot of times, those kids are on championship teams. They win championships, and they sort of became heroes in their families. You know, you have a family that just doesn’t know how to win, and their kid becomes a winner, and they’re exposed to the gospel, and that just means something to them.”
Religious sports programs have proven to be invaluable tools in fostering stronger, more cohesive communities. They build youth leaders, help strengthen communities for young adults and offer spiritual growth through the power of sport.
“When people make the decision that they’re going to live their life for God the best they can, they’re so grateful the fruit of that is incomparable,” said Larry Kerychuck, co-founder of Athletes International Ministry.
Bucks County Catholic teacher had hundreds of child porn images: DA
Remember these flood safety tips whether in your car or at home When flooding is in the forecast, here are a few tips to remember Authorities allege Richard Adamsky downloaded hundreds of sexually explicit images of prepubescent girls, some as recently as March. The investigation began after a tip from the National Center for Missing […]
Remember these flood safety tips whether in your car or at home
When flooding is in the forecast, here are a few tips to remember
Authorities allege Richard Adamsky downloaded hundreds of sexually explicit images of prepubescent girls, some as recently as March.
The investigation began after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, leading to a search of Adamsky’s home.
A longtime Bucks County Catholic grade school teacher and youth sports coach is accused of collecting hundreds of sexually explicit images of prepubescent girls.
Authorities allege that the images found on electronic devices belonging to Richard Adamsky,65, depicted girls in the same age group that he taught at Nativity of Our Lord parish school in Warminster.
At a press conference Wednesday, Bucks County District Attorney Jen Schorn announced her office has charged Adamsky with felony child sexual abuse material possession and criminal use of a communication facility.
“It shakes the foundation of your trust when an educator, especially when you have an elementary school educator, engaging in this type of criminal conduct,” Schorn said. “That type of deviant sexual attraction to pubescent-age or prepubescent-age children is not normal.”
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There is no indication at this stage in the investigation that Adamsky inappropriately touched any children, but Schorn urged parents and guardians of children who spent time with Adamsky to talk with their children and contact police with any information.
Warminster police opened an investigation last month after the Bucks County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was forwarded a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving a possible downloading of an image depicting a prepubescent girl posing nude, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The IP address that downloaded the image was traced to the Warminster home of Adamsky, the affidavit said.
On Wednesday morning FBI agents and local authorities executed a search warrant at Adamsky’s home.
Among the images authorities allege was found on Adamsky’s computer was a prepubescent girl exposing her genitals, which he saved on March 28.
Authorities allege that Adamsky admitted he had been searching and downloading child sexual abuse material for the last four or five years.
He estimated he had saved “hundreds” of images depicting child pornography on his computer, the affidavit said.
“When asked how many such images Adamsky believes he has saved, Adamsky responded, ‘too many,’” according to the affidavit.
Most recently Adamsky taught eighth-grade, according to a staff biography that recently appeared on the school’s website. As of Wednesday his name no longer appears as an employee on the school website.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia released a statement late Wednesday confirming that Adamsky was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case. The release did not indicate if it was a paid or unpaid leave.
“These charges are serious and disturbing. The Archdiocese is cooperating with law enforcement and remains fervently committed to preventing child abuse as well as protecting the children and young people entrusted to its care,” the press release said. “Child pornography is a scourge that must be eradicated.”
Neither the school, parish or Archdiocese was aware of any alleged wrongdoing by Adamsky before law enforcement notified the parish school Wednesday morning, according to the statement.
“Based on information provided by law enforcement, it is our understanding that these activities involved Mr. Adamsky’s personal electronic devices only, and that there were no allegations that he had physically harmed a minor,” the release said.
Adamsky had up-to-date criminal background checks and child abuse clearances on file, which is a condition of school employment, and the school has no complaints of inappropriate behavior between Adamsky and students, the release said.
According to his recently removed teacher biography, Adamsky is certified by the Philadelphia Archdiocese to teach religion. He is also a member of the Nativity parish.
Adamsky is also deeply involved in youth sports in Bucks County as a coach and a PIAA football official. He was a finalist for the Leadership in Catholic Youth Sports Award, according to his bio.
He has coached football, softball, basketball and track & field, at Nativity as well as Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, the Warrington Athletic Association, Lenape Middle School in Central Bucks and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Doylestown.
Adamsky was arraigned Wednesday morning before District Judge Christopher O’Neill and transferred to Bucks County Correctional Center in lieu of $500,000 bail. He has no legal representation listed as of Wednesday, according to the docket.
To Make a Report
If you would like to report a violation of The Standards of Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries, contact the Archdiocesan Office for Investigations at 1-888-930-9010.
If you would like to report an allegation of sexual abuse, contact your local law enforcement agency and/or the Office for Investigations at 1-888-930-9010.
If you need support or assistance, victim services are available to you through the Victim Assistance Office of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at 1-888-800-8780 or philavac@archphila.org.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett. Reporter Michele Haddon can be reached at mhaddon@gannett.com
Year 23 decision looming 
| First Take
