This Coach Is Banned From Working With Kids. Why Is He Still Coaching?

The story of Ryan Richardson, a former football player and coach of Texas Fierce Elite, began with his suspension from coaching volleyball in early 2024. Richardson's gym in Pharr, Texas is a place of dreams, with trophies and medals lining the walls, and teenage girls dreaming of college scholarships. However, his suspension was not due to merely Instagram posts showing him in skimpy boxer briefs.

Instead, it stemmed from severe allegations of sexual misconduct against him. One mother alleged that Richardson had been having a sexual relationship with her daughter since she was 16 and he was 36. Other players accused him of grooming and physically and emotionally abusing them. USA Volleyball, after referring the case to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, suspended Richardson and added his name to its public disciplinary list.

Richardson was permitted to keep coaching his teenage girls for two years, despite his ban from attending USA Volleyball events. He maintained that the allegations were attempts to "retaliate and defame someone’s character" and that the safety of his athletes was always his top priority. However, in February of this year, SafeSport listed Richardson as "permanently ineligible" to coach due to the numerous allegations against him.

Despite his suspension, Richardson continues to coach at his gym in Pharr, posting daily videos of his work with Texas Fierce Elite players. He has not been charged with any crime and has not responded to multiple requests for comment. The investigation into Richardson's case highlights the flaws in the system meant to protect children from sexual abuse in youth sports.