Yuyun Lusiyani
In early 2024, Ryan Richardson, a prominent volleyball coach in Pharr, Texas, faced his first suspension from coaching, a development that sent ripples of concern through the tight-knit community of parents whose teenage daughters played for his club, Texas Fierce Elite. Richardson convened these parents in the dimly lit, cool back room of his gym, a space adorned with trophies and medals, where one-way tinted windows offered a view of the courts but obscured any internal happenings. Notably absent on that day was a twin-sized mattress, which had for years occupied a corner of the room, ostensibly for recovery and massages. The parents were anxious; their 14- and 15-year-old daughters were on track for the prestigious Girls Junior National Championship in Las Vegas that summer, but Richardson’s suspension by Lone Star Region Volleyball, the state’s governing body, threatened to derail their aspirations. The suspension stemmed from complaints about Richardson’s Instagram posts, including a provocative mirror selfie in skin-tight boxer briefs, an issue quickly escalated to USA Volleyball, the sport’s national governing body.
More than just a tournament was at stake. For over 15 years, Richardson had cultivated a powerful dream for families in the Rio Grande Valley: a pathway to college sports scholarships. In Pharr and its surrounding cities, communities where over 90% of the population is Latino and poverty rates are more than double the national average, opportunities for higher education are often scarce, and funding them even more so. Richardson’s players frequently recounted his assertions that he and Texas Fierce Elite represented their singular route to a scholarship. At such a critical juncture for college recruiting, with scouts from across the nation poised to attend the national tournament, the prospect of Richardson’s absence loomed large.
During the meeting, Richardson, a former football receiver, sidestepped any mention of his Instagram posts, instead attributing his suspension to "vindictive parents" disgruntled about their children’s playing time. He assured the parents the suspension would be short-lived, promising to find a way to continue coaching even if it persisted, a vow that would prove disturbingly true.
Escalating Allegations and SafeSport’s Intervention
The initial suspension, far from disappearing, unearthed a cascade of far more grave allegations. One mother, Maggie Gutierrez, would later reveal to ProPublica and The Washington Post that Richardson had engaged in a sexual relationship with her daughter, a relationship she alleged began four years prior when her daughter was 16 and Richardson was 36. Other players subsequently came forward, detailing experiences of alleged grooming and physical and emotional abuse. These serious complaints led USA Volleyball to refer the case to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the independent body established by Congress to address abuse in youth and Olympic sports. SafeSport ultimately suspended Richardson, placing his name on its public disciplinary list.
Yet, despite these escalating measures, Richardson’s coaching activities with teenage girls continued unabated. He maintained daily practices and appeared on the sidelines of tournaments hosted by other volleyball organizations for two years. In February of this year, SafeSport declared Richardson "permanently ineligible," substantiating a litany of allegations against him, including an intimate relationship with a minor, sexual misconduct involving a minor, physical misconduct, and bullying.
The fact of Richardson’s continued coaching was not hidden. For the past two years, he consistently posted videos on social media, often publicly visible, showing him working with Texas Fierce Elite players, supervising practices, and promoting the club. Following his initial suspension in early 2024, Richardson publicly denounced the complaints as an attempt to "retaliate and defame someone’s character," asserting to local news outlets like MyRGV that he "would never do anything to risk the physical or mental wellbeing of these strong young ladies." He even portrayed himself as an "enthusiastic proponent" of SafeSport’s child protection rules, expressing surprise and disappointment at the lack of information regarding his alleged wrongdoing. Richardson did not respond to multiple requests for comment for the recent investigative report. However, after ProPublica and The Post sent him a detailed summary of their findings, he posted an Instagram video featuring a girl training at his gym, captioned: "Say what you want but this work will be on display for as long as I live !! Not interested in answering to the narrative created by outsiders just invested into the next one who is looking for change!!"
The Flawed System Designed to Protect Athletes
This case illuminates critical failures within a system specifically designed to safeguard children from sexual abuse in youth sports, a system born from the ashes of the Larry Nassar scandal. The 2018 law established the U.S. Center for SafeSport to oversee the country’s 50 national sports governing bodies, including USA Volleyball, tasked with preparing young athletes for Olympic and Paralympic sports. SafeSport was empowered to investigate abuse allegations, particularly sexual abuse, and to suspend coaches, listing their names in a public database. This "SafeSport list" was intended to prevent accused coaches from simply moving to another club or sport, a pervasive issue for decades.
However, Ryan Richardson’s continued presence in youth volleyball demonstrates a profound breakdown in this protective framework. ProPublica and The Post’s investigation revealed that SafeSport, USA Volleyball, and its regional affiliate, Lone Star, collectively failed to prevent Richardson from interacting with children, even as allegations mounted. SafeSport itself delayed suspending Richardson for months despite the gravity of the allegations. Furthermore, the organization reportedly failed to act against a coach accused of "aiding and abetting" Richardson by allowing him to work with players post-suspension. While SafeSport declined to comment on individual cases, its vice president, Hilary Nemchik, emphasized that national governing bodies like USA Volleyball are responsible for enforcing SafeSport’s sanctions and making membership decisions. Nemchik acknowledged "gaps in the system," citing instances where coaches evade sanctions by moving to organizations outside the SafeSport Movement or where NGBs are reluctant to fully prohibit banned individuals. She pointed to USA Gymnastics’ termination of a club’s membership for repeated SafeSport violations as a benchmark for NGBs prioritizing athlete protection.
USA Volleyball, in a statement, claimed an "internal review" confirmed its full compliance with all SafeSport requirements and policies, prioritizing athlete safety. Lone Star, similarly, disputed the accuracy of "several factual assertions, characterizations, and implications" in the story but refused to elaborate on specifics or internal processes, stating its commitment to athlete safety.
The Rise of Richardson and His Methods
Richardson’s Elite Sports Performance gym, opened in 2013 in a warehouse-like building on Feather Avenue in Pharr, was a unique offering in the Rio Grande Valley. It promised a level of youth sports training that transcended mere practices and games. The facility boasted expensive equipment designed to enhance jumping height and technique, along with trampolines and battle ropes for strength training. Richardson, who played football at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, specialized in volleyball, a rapidly growing sport for girls. He often told players he entered volleyball after dating a libero, a defensive position for smaller players.
Richardson’s coaching was characterized by a demand for perfection, often delivered with profanity and yelling. Former players described being called "pussy" or "piece of shit" for minor errors, or "fucking fat" if their jumps were inadequate. Madisyn Sosa, now 20, who played for Richardson from age 14, recalled: "He would tear us down to the point where we needed validation from him because he was the only one to build us up." This behavior was tolerated, as another former athlete explained, because "college was always the end goal." Richardson built a reputation for successfully sending athletes to local and Division I colleges, often on scholarships. Rafael Castañeda Jr., a rival club director, acknowledged Richardson’s standing: "He’s known to be one of the top ones, so these parents, they took the chance."
Richardson meticulously documented his program’s ascent on social media, sharing hundreds of videos of his "family" of teen girls. His gym’s back room filled with trophies, culminating in his under-14 team finishing ninth nationally at the USA Volleyball championship in Indianapolis in 2022.
Beyond the court, Richardson spent considerable time with his players, taking them fishing, to the beach, and even to church. They frequently socialized in his hotel room during tournament trips, engaging in TikTok dances. He posted photos and videos of these activities online, using affectionate captions like "my fierce baby" and "my love." Three former players noted his particular interest in liberos, the position his former girlfriend played. In one Instagram story, Richardson described a "journey" with a libero he called his goddaughter, writing, "This little 11 year old redheaded girl laid her head on my shoulder and fell asleep, for some odd reason I couldn’t shake the feeling of a father… the relationship blossomed from coach to godfather to dad."
Richardson also enforced a mandatory hug at the end of practice, sometimes pulling girls onto his lap and saying, "I love you," even when prospective parents were touring the gym. One parent found this unusual but dismissed her concerns, questioning why he would do something inappropriate in front of others. And then there was the bed in the back room, maintained for years, described to parents as being for recovery and massages.
The First Alarms: Maggie Gutierrez’s Discovery
It was in this very room that Maggie Gutierrez first found Richardson alone with her teenage daughter. Gutierrez had enrolled her daughter, a promising 13-year-old libero, with Texas Fierce Elite because of Richardson’s reputation. While acknowledging his "aggressive" coaching, Gutierrez observed her daughter’s transformation into one of the team’s top players, leading Richardson to waive fees for her private sessions.
One day in 2022, Gutierrez arrived at the gym to pick up her then 16-year-old daughter. Richardson’s car was the only one in the parking lot, and the gym was empty. Opening the back room door, Gutierrez discovered Richardson and her daughter in the dark. Richardson, with his back to her, appeared to be tying his pants. "I was furious," Gutierrez recounted. "I could tell my daughter was nervous, and didn’t know how to react." Richardson denied anything untoward had occurred, following up with a flurry of WhatsApp messages that Gutierrez said he later deleted. "He convinced me not to say anything," she said, and for a time, she complied. Her daughter also insisted their relationship was not romantic, and she wanted to continue playing, having received a Division I scholarship offer. Gutierrez decided to keep a close watch, but her daughter soon began turning off her phone’s location.
The relationship between Richardson and Gutierrez’s daughter continued for over a year, as evidenced by Snapchat messages reviewed by ProPublica and The Post during the SafeSport investigation. In August 2022, the 16-year-old daughter and Richardson exchanged "I love you" messages and planned meet-ups. In spring 2023, when she was 17, Richardson wrote, "I want to camp in you love," and a day later, "I love my girlfriend." He sent her a video of her sleeping on his chest, remarking, "We look so peaceful together. It’s beautiful." That May, Richardson wrote, "I don’t like that we are only sex right now so I really would love to get past this high school Shit when you are on your own pretty much… I love you very much and I’ll be that man for you!!" Gutierrez remained unaware of these exchanges. Richardson even encouraged her daughter to start college a semester early to train with her team.
In January 2024, at 18, the daughter left for college. Richardson swiftly created a WhatsApp group with Gutierrez, titled her daughter’s "support group," discussing a gift box he claimed to be sending to campus from the club. Then, in February, Gutierrez received a call from her daughter’s college volleyball coach. The coach reported that Richardson had met her daughter for a weekend out of state, and other players had spoken of her daughter’s "older boyfriend"—identified as Richardson. Gutierrez was stunned.
By spring, with her daughter back in the Rio Grande Valley, Gutierrez felt compelled to act. She reported Richardson to police in McAllen and Pharr, alleging a relationship that began when her daughter was under 17, the age of consent in Texas. Police denied records requests citing privacy statutes, but excerpts from the McAllen report confirmed an officer met with Gutierrez. However, her daughter declined to speak, and police closed the case, noting her daughter was now an adult. Pharr police also declined to investigate. Feeling frustrated, Gutierrez turned to Lone Star, hoping to prevent Richardson from coaching.
SafeSport’s Delayed Action and New Testimonies
By the time Gutierrez approached Lone Star, Richardson had already been suspended for several months due to his social media posts, a situation covered by local news. Richardson maintained his innocence, but USA Volleyball upheld his suspension for at least six months. While USA Volleyball initially referred the social media behavior report to SafeSport, the latter reportedly declined to investigate, deeming the allegations non-sexual and redirecting the case back to USA Volleyball. It was only after Gutierrez contacted Lone Star in May that SafeSport accepted the case.
SafeSport’s investigation subsequently gathered more reports. Two former players, two parents, and rival club owner Rafael Castañeda Jr. confirmed speaking with SafeSport investigators. Madisyn Sosa described Richardson FaceTiming her while he showered, frequently discussing sex and boys, and once claiming a teammate gained weight from "having sex with that boyfriend all the time." She also recalled an incident where Richardson embraced her, lying on top of her for an "uncomfortably long time," asking, "Why don’t you love me?" Another player corroborated this. An Instagram video Richardson posted showed him gripping Sosa’s arm while lying on the floor, both laughing, captioned "The love is unreal…" Sosa remarked, "That was the normal for us."
Beliza Longoria, another former player, reported what she believed was grooming. Richardson was allegedly fixated on her teenage sex life, once calling her a "fucking slut" after learning she had a sexual relationship. She recounted waking up to him filming her and a teammate as they slept with their heads on his shoulder. On tournament trips, he encouraged girls to spend time in his hotel room, sometimes wearing only shorts. Longoria described one night where Richardson sat shirtless, drinking, until she and teammates grew uncomfortable and left, an incident corroborated by Sosa and another teammate.
Longoria had previously tried to report Richardson in 2021 when, at 14, he allegedly slapped her face and cursed at her during training. She and her parents reported it to Pharr police, but no action was taken, and Longoria left the club. Police again cited privacy statutes in denying records, and Richardson denied wrongdoing, with Sosa recalling the team believing his denial. A SafeSport investigator later informed Longoria that a report had been filed about the 2021 incident, though she was unsure by whom. A person familiar with USA Volleyball operations confirmed the 2021 report and Lone Star’s apparent lack of disciplinary action. Three years later, Longoria hoped for a different outcome.
Investigator Under Scrutiny and Exploited Loopholes
Jason Krasley, the SafeSport investigator assigned to Richardson’s case, did not immediately place the coach on the public disciplinary list, a measure SafeSport uses for "severe" allegations, including child sexual abuse involving current access to minors. Months passed without Richardson’s name appearing, which he presented to Texas Fierce Elite parents as proof of his innocence.
Despite his suspension by Lone Star and USA Volleyball, Richardson found a way to continue coaching. He transferred control of Texas Fierce Elite to his employee, Gavin Rudder, a close associate for years. Rudder, whose Instagram handle "Mr_ESPvolleyball" mirrored Richardson’s former "Mr_ESP" (Elite Sports Performance), posted photos celebrating their bond. Rudder did not respond to requests for comment.
Under Rudder’s nominal leadership, Texas Fierce Elite remained registered with Lone Star, allowing Rudder to take the girls to USA Volleyball-sanctioned tournaments. However, ProPublica and The Post found that Richardson remained the de facto head of the club, a direct violation of his suspension. He managed practice schedules, arranged tournaments, collected fees, and ordered jerseys, as confirmed by team WhatsApp messages and interviews with a former club coach and two parents. Richardson primarily coached the oldest team, his social media posts showing him running drills and online game streams featuring him on the sidelines. The former coach, who left in early 2025 and wished to remain anonymous, stated, "He was the only one that touched the team." She added that while Rudder and other coaches handled younger teams, Richardson was often present and frequently intervened.
A mother whose daughter played on the under-15 team shared WhatsApp messages revealing Richardson’s continued deep involvement, including requiring girls to book "at least one private session a week" with him before the national tournament. Rudder, a member of the WhatsApp group, was aware of these activities. The mother sent these messages to Lone Star in July 2024, detailing Richardson’s involvement and Rudder’s enablement. Yet, Lone Star renewed Rudder’s membership, and Texas Fierce Elite remained in good standing for the new season starting in September.
Longoria, witnessing Richardson’s continued social media posts, grew increasingly frustrated. In January 2025, eight months into SafeSport’s investigation, she emailed Krasley, the investigator: "WE NEED TO SCHEDULE A MEETING. I am so worried for these kids who are under [h]is program and I am so angered that he is still coaching." She attached a photo of Richardson at a tournament in New Orleans, arms around a young player.
Krasley did not respond because he had been fired in November, following his arraignment on allegations of stealing money during a drug bust as a police officer. Three days before Longoria’s email, Krasley had been arrested again, facing felony rape and involuntary sexual servitude charges. He is awaiting trial, and his attorney has sought to dismiss the case due to alleged prosecutorial misconduct. SafeSport’s then-CEO, Ju’Riese Colón, expressed shock and announced an audit of Krasley’s 114 cases, reopening three without specifying details.
"Defy the Opps": Richardson’s Continued Operations
In February 2025, a year after Richardson’s social media posts were first reported to SafeSport, his name finally appeared on the center’s disciplinary database, temporarily suspended from all SafeSport-mandated sports organizations, including USA Volleyball. Longoria felt a flicker of hope that Richardson would finally be kept away from young athletes.
However, this SafeSport suspension had minimal impact. Just weeks later, on March 8, Richardson was coaching the Texas Fierce Elite team at the Adidas Bluegrass Tournament in Louisville, registered as the coach. He was exploiting a loophole: the SafeSport law mandates bans for national governing bodies like USA Volleyball but does not apply to private nonprofits. The Junior Volleyball Association (JVA), a nonprofit with over 250,000 participants, had allowed Richardson to join despite his USA Volleyball suspension. The Louisville tournament, while not JVA-affiliated, permitted coaches to register with JVA memberships.
In late April 2025, Richardson and his players attended the Showdown in the Smokies tournament in Tennessee. Online streams showed him pacing the bench in gray shorts and a black T-shirt. For his birthday after the tournament, Richardson posted an Instagram video of himself dining with five teenage players, with no other adults visible. In July 2025, four months after his SafeSport suspension, JVA renewed his membership.
JVA, like other independent youth sports nonprofits, generally bans coaches on the SafeSport list. A JVA representative, Taylor Jakubowski, admitted to ProPublica and The Post that JVA had failed to audit its roster against the SafeSport list in Richardson’s case, attributing it to a colleague. JVA eventually "canceled" Richardson’s membership in December 2025, the same month reporters inquired about him. JVA Executive Director Lisa Wielebnicki clarified that JVA did not operate or administer the tournaments and thus did not determine participation. (Richardson later reapplied and was denied membership).
Richardson’s gym also secured affiliation with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), a massive youth sports nonprofit with some 760,000 athletes, which ProPublica and The Post’s investigation had previously identified as a potential haven for coaches accused of abuse due to its lack of a policy banning coaches suspended by SafeSport or other organizations. The AAU stated it had "permanently banned" Richardson in November 2024, after Gutierrez and another Texas Fierce Elite mother raised concerns he would move his gym there. The AAU declined further comment but previously stated its commitment to athlete protection.
Despite these bans, Richardson, Rudder, and Texas Fierce Elite unveiled a new brand in summer 2025: "The Complex, est. 2025." Richardson promoted it on social media as "a new chapter" with the slogan "DEFY THE OPPS"—slang for "the opposition." An AAU member directory lists a girls’ volleyball club called The Complex at Richardson’s gym address. The AAU did not respond to inquiries about its ownership.
Crucially, Richardson still needed USA Volleyball. For aspiring college athletes, USA Volleyball memberships are essential, serving as the gateway to regional and national championships where college scouts actively recruit. For the season beginning September 2025, Lone Star allowed Texas Fierce Elite to remain in good standing and approved Rudder’s membership for another year. Richardson celebrated with a video of a Texas Fierce Elite practice, captioned: "TAKING BACK EVERYTHING THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THESE KIDS !! GOD SEE ME THRU IT ! Let’s work!!"
Rudder, as a USA Volleyball member and registered club owner, was directly violating the SafeSport code by allowing Richardson to work with athletes. The code explicitly prohibits members from associating banned or suspended individuals with registered clubs or allowing them to coach. Months of Richardson’s public social media posts showed Rudder’s complicity, with Richardson often coaching alongside him. Public registration forms even listed Richardson as Rudder’s assistant coach at tournaments.
The SafeSport code clearly states USA Volleyball’s responsibility for enforcing bans and suspensions, but a senior USA Volleyball official indicated enforcement was delegated to regional affiliates like Lone Star. Karen Tarmon, Lone Star’s SafeSport coordinator, stated in November 2025 that the organization couldn’t act against Rudder or Texas Fierce Elite without formal complaints and video documentation from a club director or parent. She asserted that Lone Star had not received such documentation.
However, ProPublica and The Post found that Lone Star had received reports from three individuals—Castañeda, Longoria, and the other Texas Fierce Elite mother—all alleging Richardson’s continued coaching. These emails included videos, text messages, and photos. Tarmon also claimed Lone Star lacked "authority over a club" until the "sanctioned season" began on November 23, despite SafeSport’s rules applying at all times and Lone Star’s own handbook allowing governance over registered teams year-round. Frustrated by Lone Star’s inaction, Castañeda contacted USA Volleyball’s SafeSport office in November with photographic and video evidence from Richardson’s public Instagram. By January, Rudder and Texas Fierce Elite were back at USA Volleyball-sanctioned tournaments.
Permanent Ineligibility, Persistent Coaching
Ryan Richardson has made no attempt to conceal his ongoing coaching activities. He posts videos almost daily, often with Rudder, showing him working with girls. He has filmed himself alone with players in the gym’s darkened back room and performing cupping therapy on a girl lying face-down, wearing only a sports bra and shorts. On February 13, 2026, Richardson posted a video of himself training Texas Fierce Elite’s under-14 team, captioned "TFE14," stamped with the club logo and the brand of a new training center named after a former player.
On February 19, the U.S. Center for SafeSport issued its definitive ruling: Ryan Richardson was permanently banned from coaching. His name now rests in the SafeSport database under the grim designation of "permanently ineligible." Yet, on February 20, Richardson was back to training Texas Fierce Elite players, and back to posting about it online. He has not stopped since.
This case exposes severe systemic vulnerabilities in youth sports protection. The failures of SafeSport, USA Volleyball, Lone Star, and other organizations to enforce sanctions and close loopholes have allowed an accused and ultimately banned coach to continue working with vulnerable minor athletes. It highlights the urgent need for stricter enforcement mechanisms, clearer lines of accountability, and a more unified approach across all youth sports organizations to truly safeguard children and restore trust in the systems designed to protect them. The narrative of Ryan Richardson is not merely a story of individual misconduct, but a stark illustration of a system struggling to live up to its fundamental mandate.
Joko Widodo
admin
Nila Kartika Wati
Pevita Pearce
Nana Wu