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GASTONIA, NC — Taking the stand, former wrestling coach Scott Goins described a team culture of horseplay and hazing, not sexual abuse. He pushed back against claims made by several former wrestlers.
The former East Gaston High coach faces nearly two-dozen sex charges. Three accusers say Goins touched them inappropriately and forced them to perform sex acts. Most of the alleged incidents happened in the late 1990s.
Monday, Goins told jurors the wrestlers’ stories were inconsistent and exaggerated. “Did you ever threaten any of these wrestlers, ‘You gotta do this or you’re gonna get beat down.’ Anything like that?” the defense attorney asked. Goins replied, “Absolutely not.”
He admits on a camping trip, older wrestlers hazed younger ones and forced them to simulate a sex act. But Goins says he was not involved.
“Once that trip was over, did any of those wrestlers come to you and go, ‘You know I didn’t agree with that,’ or bring it to your attention at all?” the defense attorney asked. “No sir,” Goins replied.
