“I would be isolated in an office with an overpowering coach" - Kara Eaker retires from gymnastics at 20 after facing verbal and emotional abuse

Kara Eaker, a former elite gymnast who represented the United States at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, winning two gold medals in the team event, joined the University of Utah gymnastics team in 2020 to continue her passion for the sport and education. However, Eaker recently retired from gymnastics and left the university, citing verbal and emotional abuse from her coaches.

Kara Eaker explained her decision in a detailed statement. She said that she endured two years of verbal and emotional abuse while training with the Utah gymnastics team, which seriously affected her physical and mental health.

The 20-year-old was diagnosed with severe anxiety, depression, anxiety-induced insomnia, panic attacks, PTSD, and night terrors. She also had thoughts of self-harm and suicide and couldn't properly take care of herself.

She had hoped to find a supportive "family" and "sisterhood" in the Utah gymnastics program but instead experienced what she described as an "unhealthy, unsafe, and toxic environment." Her coaches personally attacked, humiliated, and yelled at her in front of her teammates.

She wrote she was isolated in an office with a coach who used condescending and manipulative tactics to make her feel worthless. Kara Eaker received feedback that she didn't care about the team and wasn't making enough of an effort to fit in with her peers.

"I would be isolated in an office with an overpowering coach, door closed, sitting quietly, hardly able to speak because of condescending, sarcastic and manipulative tactics," Eaker wrote.

“When a male coach suddenly erupts with anger and physically slams down mats and gets up in an athlete's face as a tactic to intimidate them, it's impossible to have the confidence to speak up for yourself. The words are so intense and hurtful that it feels like a knife that's stabbed so deep in my body that there's no way to pull it out," she added.

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Kara Eaker reveals more details of abuse and cover-up in Utah in her retirement statement

The women representing Team USA pose following the Women's competition at the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials

Kara Eaker has come forward to reveal the challenges she faced while dealing with abuse at the University of Utah. She wrote that she had reached out to the university's athletic department to report the abuse and seek support. However, her attempts were met with dismissal.

One administrator even denied the existence of abuse, attributing the issues to a mere personality clash. Eaker saw this response as a form of gaslighting, where her concerns were downplayed. Furthermore, she expressed her disagreement with the findings of the previous investigation conducted by Husch Blackwell, a law firm hired by the university to look into the abuse allegations.

Eaker believed that the investigation was incomplete and omitted critical evidence and information. She deemed the report to be both inaccurate and lacking in credibility. Kara Eaker now stands as a source of support for those who need help or wish to join her efforts. She encourages everyone to speak out and stand up for what is right, emphasizing that no one is alone in their journey.

"I want to help girls and women find their voices, because together we can make a difference. I hope my voice will help you to recognize the early warning signs of abuse in order to get help and report it. There is strength in numbers as more of us come forward. So I encourage you, speak out and stand up for what you believe is right. Stand with me as we make a difference to stop the abuse and the suffering," she concluded.