(See July 13 retraction at bottom)
by Kevin Cody and Garth Meyer
Half an hour before the Redondo Union High School swim team banquet at South End Racquet and Health Club on May 31, team members received an email from girls water polo coach Shelby Haroldson. “MANDATORY! MUST READ ASAP!!” read the subject line.
“[RUHS Athletic Director Andy] Saltsman has advised our coaching staff that if any disrespectful and/or inappropriate behavior occurs at the banquet there will be repercussions,” the message stated, “and your spot will not be guaranteed in the upcoming seasons for water polo and swim.”
Minutes later, team members received a text, adding that anyone “crashing the banquet and wearing teal will lose their position on the water polo team plus swim team. Andy Riggle the head of athletics knows about this. He will make sure that those who have disrespected Julie or other coaches [tonight] will be completely banned from all sports moving forward.” [The text was time stamped four minutes after the email. But Easy Reader had not been able to identify the sender. A district spokesperson said the sender was not Haroldson, nor any other district staff member.]
The color teal “signals you support survivors and are a safe person to talk to,” according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
The warnings followed a post on a private RUHS girls water polo team Instagram page calling for a protest against the school’s handling of allegations of inappropriate public displays of affection by a male assistant swim coach toward a junior year female swimmer.
On May 1, assistant swim coaches Sean Masi and Rachel Pinto reported their concerns about the alleged behavior to head coach Julie Brancato.
Masi also filed a 13-page report detailing the allegations with the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The Center was created in 2017, after Congress passed the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act.
As “mandated reporters,” youth coaches are required by California law to report “suspected child maltreatment” within 36 hours.
RUHS Principal Anthony Bridi stood at the banquet room entrance as students arrived that evening.
No vocal protests occurred, though more than two dozen swimmers wore teal, according to a parent in attendance.
The next day, in an email to swimmers and parents, Principal Bridi attributed the alleged misconduct to “a conflict between two RUHS assistant swim coaches.”
“The allegations that contributed to this were promptly and thoroughly investigated by RUHS administration,” Bridi wrote. “Please be assured that the matter has been addressed and resolved.”
The statement did not inform swimmers or their parents what the conflict was about, nor what the resolution was, noting, “as a personnel matter, we are limited in what we can share publicly.”
Two weeks earlier, on May 15, Assistant Principal Jeff Rosadini told Masi by email that he completed an investigation into Masi’s and Pinto’s report to Coach Brancato, and Masi’s report to SafeSport.
“… I found no substantial evidence to reinforce your claim of emotional or sexual abuse. Witnesses interviewed either did not acknowledge the claims or refuted them and stated they were without merit.”
Rosadini concluded by telling Masi he was terminated.
“Based on the season being complete and you have already stated you are not returning, I feel it would be best if your association with Redondo swim ends as of today (5/15/2023).”
The 21-year-old Masi, a former Manhattan Beach Country Club lifeguard, and current coach at Surfside Swim Team, plans to attend an out of state university in the fall.
The district did not respond to questions from Easy Reader about whether the assistant coach named in Masi’s SafeSport report remains on staff for RUHS swim, though photos taken the day after Masi’s termination, and again three weeks later show the coach with Redondo swimmers at the school pool. He is not named in this story because he is not named in the school’s public statements about its investigation.
He did not respond to Easy Reader’s requests for comment.
Masi, when asked about his reports to the administration and SafeSport, said in an email statement: “If I don’t prioritize the interests and safety of our athletes above my own, then I am unworthy of bearing the title of coach. Safeguarding the well-being of these remarkable individuals remains paramount above all. I have dedicated myself to uphold these values throughout the entirety of my career, in and out of the pool, without yielding to any external influence or compromise.”
Four swim team members, all of whom requested anonymity, disputed Principal Bridi’s characterization of the alleged misconduct as a conflict between two assistant coaches.
“It’s just not true,” one teammate said. “It’s the girl that was facing this behavior, and her closest friends, they went to [Masi] and told him. I know they did.”
“I’ve heard this from a million other girls,” said another RUHS swimmer. “[The ones who told Masi] are very good-looking girls [whom the accused assistant coach] is very, very close to. I’ve seen [the accused] act around girls on the team, not like groping, but certain hand placement on the back… one to two girls in particular. We didn’t feel safe on deck, we didn’t want to practice.”
One of the teammates witnessed an incident on May 1 which was recounted in Masi’s SafeSport report.
“That was one of the points. And then we saw that, wow,” she said. “It was already an initial concern that there was something inappropriate going on – but without that, if you were looking at them just sitting there, that’s probably not where your mind would go to.”
In his SafeSport filing, Masi recounted another, earlier incident, in mid-April, when he and others saw the coach named in the SafeSport report seated on a swim office desk laughing, and touching the face of the junior year female swimmer.
Masi also disputed Bridi’s assertion that his reports to the administration and SafeSport stemmed from a conflict between him and the coach that he reported.
“Regardless of the relationship I have with the coach in question, my athletes’ safety is my No. 1 priority, and this fact is well known to them,” Masi told Easy Reader. “It was my responsibility and obligation to report the incident to my direct supervisor and the U.S. Center for SafeSport, as instructed by the administration during my initial onboarding as an assistant coach. Even though my supervisor instructed me to hold off reporting the incident, I followed protocols and submitted to SafeSport.”
Masi reports, administration responds
The following is a chronology of what Masi submitted to SafeSport, and the RUHS administration; and the administration’s responses.
The timeline was assembled from interviews with Masi, and Redondo High swimmers, and from related emails and texts.
Superintendent Dr. Nicole Wesley, Assistant Principal Jeff Rosadini, Athletic Director Andy Saltsman, head swim coach Brancato, and assistant coach Pinto all declined Easy Reader requests for comments regarding this story.
Principal Bridi told Easy Reader in a June 19 email, “I am responding on behalf of all RUHS employees you have reached out to over the weekend.”
A representative of U.S. SafeSport told Easy Reader that they cannot comment on specific cases, to protect the integrity of their process.
Tuesday, April 25
According to Masi, a conversation came up at practice when the accused coach was not at the pool. The junior year swimmer and three other female team members talked to Masi. As he recalled, he asked the junior year swimmer what was going on with her and the assistant coach. It’s gross, one of the team members blurted out. The junior year swimmer said she knew it was wrong, but didn’t know what to do, according to Masi.
Wednesday, April 26
On a team bus ride back from a meet, Masi said he was seated across the aisle from the girl receiving the alleged improper attention. While he talked to her about swimming, she turned the conversation to inappropriate remarks the other assistant coach allegedly made to her, and mentioned how he was stressing her out.
Thursday, April 27
The girl approached Masi in the swim office and asked him to talk to her father at the following evening’s meet with Mira Costa about her swimming for another club team. Her current club team was coached by the RUHS assistant coach Masi would report.
Friday, April 28
At a Mira Costa swim meet, Masi said, he told the father that his daughter appeared to be under a lot of stress, and that she might be happier swimming for another club team. The father acknowledged his daughter was under stress, Masi said. The subject of her relationship with the other assistant male coach was not discussed.
Monday, May 1
Masi said he was talking to three boys team swimmers in the swim office when the boys began staring out the window. He followed their gaze and saw the male assistant swim coach outside on a bench, sitting shoulder to shoulder with the junior year swimmer, appearing flirtatious.
One of the boy swimmers said, Something’s up. A girls team manager said, Something fishy’s going on, Masi recalled.
He said he told assistant coach Pinto, who was also in the swim office watching outside, We need to have a talk with Julie [head coach Julie Brancato].
We do, Pinto responded, according to Masi.
Monday, May 1, afternoon
Masi said he and Pinto talked to Brancato by the stairwell leading to the RUHS gym.
They told the head coach what they’d witnessed earlier that day between the swimmer and the male assistant. Masi said he also recounted to Brancato the conversations he’d had with the girl about receiving the unwanted attention.
He reminded Brancato they were mandated reporters, he said.
That evening, the head coach told Masi in a text, Let’s keep it confidential until we sort it out.
Wednesday, May 3
Masi texted Brancato that he filed a report with SafeSport.
Saturday, May 6
Brancato texted Masi, inviting him to a meeting on Monday, May 8, at 3:30 p.m., after the swim team leaves. She said she also invited the junior year swimmer and her parents.
Monday May 8
Masi asked Brancato to clarify if the coach he reported was invited to the meeting. Brancato texted back, Yes, he will be there.
Masi said he called SafeSport for advice. The SafeSport person he talked to told him not to go to the meeting.
Brancato texted Masi to say the meeting was canceled, and asked him to instead meet that afternoon with Assistant Principal Rosadini, who oversees athletics.
Monday, May 8, afternoon
Masi gave Rosadini the documentation he sent to SafeSport. He told the vice principal that coach Brancato asked him to wait until after CIF (postseason) was over on Friday, before acting on his information.
Rosadini copied Brancato’s texts about delaying reporting.
He then told Masi there was an allegation against him, that he had been recruiting RUHS swimmers for club teams, specifically Surfside, during the recent Mira Costa swim meet. Surfside rents the Redondo Union High pool for practices.
Masi said he explained that he discussed swim clubs with the junior year swimmer’s father, because she asked him to. He said he had not mentioned Surfside to the dad because Surfside doesn’t compete at the level the daughter swims at.
“I wasn’t recruiting. It was a matter of ensuring my athletes’ safety,” Masi told Easy Reader. “The only reason I mentioned other swim organizations is because a swimmer, in front of a few peers, had approached me in distress reporting inappropriate, unwanted advances from a fellow coach. I mentioned to the swimmer there are other options if you don’t feel safe here. This was later misconstrued as ‘recruiting.’”
Rosadini told Masi he would conduct parallel investigations into his allegations, and the allegations against him.
Rosadini then told Masi that he and the other coach would be put on leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Monday, May 15
Rosadini sent Masi the email stating that he found no substantial evidence of his claim of emotional or sexual abuse.
Regarding the allegations against Masi, Rosadini wrote: “I found that you did speak to RUHS students during sanctioned practices and meets about outside swimming organizations inappropriately. However, I do not believe these conversations reached the level that would be considered recruiting or tampering.”
The vice principal’s email ended with Masi’s termination notice. Rosadini followed up with another message containing a link to the school district’s resignation form.
Swim team members were not officially told of Masi’s termination. They begin talking about his absence as the “spontaneous departure,” Masi and an anonymous team member said.
Wednesday, May 24
Principal Bridi asked Masi by email to meet with him the following day at 3 p.m. “to clarify any questions you might have about your future on the RUHS pool deck.”
Though Masi was no longer coaching for Redondo, he was coaching for Surfside Swim Team at the Redondo pool. Bridi asked Masi to bring his key.
Thursday, May 25
Masi was accompanied by his father to the meeting with Principal Bridi. Assistant Principal Rosadini was also present.
Bridi began by stating the school’s investigation found no merit in Masi’s allegations of sexual abuse. The principal then said he was hearing rumors that there is a “pedophile” on the Redondo pool deck, and that those rumors were coming from Masi.
He told Masi if the rumors continued he would contact Masi’s employer at Surfside. He then asked him for the name and phone number of Surfside’s head coach. Masi gave it to him. Surfside’s head coach in John York.
Masi’s father told Bridi he had heard the pedophile rumors as well. And that the source of the rumors was a Redondo High School administrator who was attempting to cast his son as the abuse suspect in Rosadini’s investigation.
Masi told Bridi numerous Surfside swimmers and their parents have asked him if he was the abuse suspect, and if that is the reason he was fired, and not the other coach.
Masi said his only defense was to show the students and their parents the email Rosadini sent him, absolving him of the recruitment allegation, and dismissing the sexual abuse allegations about the other coach.
Masi said he had never used the word “pedophile” in his life.
Bridi said “pedophile” might not be the right word, but that Masi was rumored to be warning people about the coach who was investigated for inappropriate behavior. Masi repeated what his father said; that a school administrator was the source of the rumors – about Masi, not the other coach. He told Bridi the name of the school administrator, which he said was given to him by a Redondo school district employee and by a Redondo swim team member.
Masi’s dad asked Bridi and Rosadini to refute the rumors that his son was the target of the abuse investigation, and to silence the administrator he said was the source of the rumors.
Bridi offered to talk to students or parents who approached him on the issue.
Masi’s dad responded to Bridi’s offer by asking if he meant to say he will not talk to the administrator he believed responsible for the rumors about his son. Because that is ridiculous, he told Bridi. He reminded the principal that his son did his duty as a mandated reporter.
Bridi turned the conversation back to cautioning Masi that he will speak to the head Surfside coach if he continues to hear Masi is spreading rumors about abuse on the Redondo High pool deck.
We need to move forward, Redondo is moving on, Bridi told Masi and his father.
Wednesday, May 31
Masi signed the resignation form.
“I was terminated via email after doing nothing wrong,” he told Easy Reader. “Then I was sent a second email approximately 10 minutes later with a link to a form advising me to resign. Needless to say, I was confused by Rosadini’s treatment. The administration pulled me aside following my report and advised me it would look cleaner on my resume. I’m young, I took the offer and chose to leave on my own terms because it’s the beginning of my career.”
Unknown date
Bridi talked to Surfside head coach John York about Masi. When asked about the call by Easy Reader, Bridi emailed the following response: “As a confidential personnel matter, I am unable to make any comment.” York also declined to discuss the phone call with Easy Reader.
Thursday, June 1
(The day after the banquet)
Bridi emailed the statement to swimmers and swim parents stating, “Please be assured that the matter has been addressed and resolved.”
Monday, June 19
In response to Easy Reader questions about the Rosadini investigation, and about Masi’s termination, Bridi sent Easy Reader a copy of his June 1 statement to swimmers and parents.
Wednesday, June 21
In response to more questions from Easy Reader, Bridi emailed back, “Hello, speaking on behalf of RUHS, we do not have any additional information to provide.”
Tuesday, June 27
In response to being asked by Easy Reader if swimmers were punished for wearing teal to the team banquet, Bridi responded, “No student consequences were issued in regards to the topic.”
Monday, July 3
“The Board stands behind Mr. Bridi’s (original) statement on this matter. I am aware of the allegation and aware that the administration did a thorough investigation resulting in no evidence of inappropriate interactions,” Rachel Silverman Nemeth, President of the Redondo Unified High School District board, wrote in an email to Easy Reader. “I am also aware that [District Superintendent] Dr. Wesley shared with you that there is no story here.” ER
Retraction:
Last week’s Easy Reader cover story
(July 6, 2023) about the Redondo Beach
High School swim team mistakenly
attributed to water polo coach, Shelby
Haroldson, the sending of a text message
to swim team members warning against
a protest at the swim team banquet. Also,
Andy Riggle, was misidentified in the
text message, which Easy Reader quoted,
as the district administrator who directed
the text be sent. In a statement this week
to Easy Reader, the district said no district
employee was responsible for the
text, and, specifically, the district did not
warn team members not to wear teal, nor
did they discourage students from exercising
their right to be heard.
Easy Reader apologies for the errors.
