Nikki Stanton shared her experiences of abuse at the hands of NWSL coaches as part of the league’s investigation into “widespread misconduct,” as detailed in the report released Wednesday.
The 29-year-old midfielder played under both Rory Dames and Christy Holly, two coaches who were frequently named in both the US Soccer investigation and the joint NWSL and NWSLPA investigation into abuse in the league.
Stanton dealt with “inappropriate sexual and objectifying remarks” while playing for both the Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue FC, which later became Gotham FC, according to the 125-page report from the NWSL and NWSLPA. Stanton played for OL Reign in 2022 but is currently a free agent.
After the report’s release, she took to Twitter to thank “all the brave souls” who shared their stories of abuse and misconduct in the NWSL before she did.
“I was able to share, and put my name to mine,” she wrote. “There’s been an immense amount of mental, emotional & sexual abuse endured by far too many for far too long, including myself. Sending love & healing to all.”
Thanks to all the brave souls before me who shared their painful stories, I was able to share, and put my name to mine. There’s been an immense amount of mental, emotional & sexual abuse endured by far too many for far too long, including myself. Sending love & healing to all. 🤍 https://t.co/ojTvM914tr
— Nikki Stanton (@GutiNikki7) December 14, 2022
While playing under Holly at Sky Blue from 2014 to 2017, Stanton experienced “manipulative” behavior from the coach, she told the investigative team. If Stanton wanted to make the U.S. women’s national team, Stanton told her, she needed him.
When Holly found out she was dating another player, he “became a monster,” Stanton said. He stopped their regular personal training sessions and he make jokes about “ripping [her] contract up.”
In 2018, Stanton was traded to the Red Stars. Per the report, she felt “worthless” while playing for Dames in Chicago, where she spent the 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons.
“(Dames) knew how to take the things that meant the most to you and turn them against you,” Stanton told investigators.
She recalled Dames calling her into his office in the presence of his two assistant coaches. Dames told her one of the other coaches had told him she “had a really bad attitude” and was a bad teammate,” she said. When Stanton started crying, she remembers Dames telling her, “Your response is making me feel better about the accusation.”
The assistant coaches later told Stanton they had “never complained about her attitude,” she said.
On a different occasion, Dames called Stanton into his office and told her she was playing poorly, she said. Stanton recalled Dames saying, “I don’t know if it’s because your girlfriend is world famous and you can’t handle her fame.”
At the time, Stanton was dating Australian star Sam Kerr, who played for the Red Stars in 2018 and 2019.
Other witnesses reported that Dames would use “homophobic” language directed at players as a way to demean them.
