A former soccer coach is suing Loyola Academy over allegations he was wrongfully terminated.
A lawsuit was recently filed by a former Loyola Academy girls soccer coach involving claims that he was wrongfully terminated over allegations that he made inappropriate comments to players on his team. Craig Snower, the former coach, filed the suit against the Wilmette Catholic high school earlier this month and is seeking more than $250,000 in damages.
According to the suit, Snower, 44, was fired from his coaching position back in May 2018, bring an end to his longtime career as a soccer coach at the school. However, Snower argues in his lawsuit that Loyola terminated “his employment based on false, unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations of sexual misconduct.”
Snower’s suit also notes that “locker room talk and banter” was pretty common among his players, some of which he described as “bawdy,” but he never took part in the conversations or made sexually inappropriate comments. He did point out, though, that a handful of his former players and their parents disapproved of his “tough stance on student use of alcohol and late-night partying.” It’s also worth noting that during his time serving as a coach from January 2000 to May 2018, school officials never received complaints of Snower making inappropriate comments until May 10, 2018.
Additionally, Snower alleges the “high school recklessly and without reasonable cause reported him to the local police and the Department of Children and Family Services.” As a result, Snower was subjected to an investigation by the Wilmette Police Departing after his termination, though in the end he was not charged with a crime. When commenting on the case, Patrick Collins, the Wilmette Deputy Police Chief said Loyola Academy officials “contacted the Department of Children and Family Services and the agency then reached out to Wilmette and Glenview police.” He added, “Based on the interviews, there was insufficient evidence of criminal activity.”
Despite begin found innocent by the police department, the Illinois Youth Soccer organization stood by the school and “refused to reinstate Snower and barred him from participating in their related activities.” In addition to being barred from coaching soccer at Loyola, Snowers coaching relationship with FC United, a private soccer program, was also terminated.
Shortly after firing Snower, high school officials issued statements saying Snower had been fired “in response to complaints claiming he made inappropriate or offensive comments to team members.” They added that they “terminated Snower after receiving several confidential complaints in the course of a week.”
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