Doug Wojcik's attorney releases video to counter abuse allegations

The College of Charleston called for a second investigation of basketball coach Doug Wojcik last week after a former player claimed he was physically abused twice during the 2012-2013 season. Tuesday, Wojcik's lawyer, Scott Thompsett, released video footage of the alleged incidents. 
Doug Wojcik's attorney releases video to counter abuse allegations
Doug Wojcik's attorney releases video to counter abuse allegations /

The College of Charlestoncalled for a second investigation of basketball coach Doug Wojcik last week after a former player claimed he was physically abused twice during the 2012-2013 season. On Tuesday, Wojcik's lawyer, Scott Thompsett, released video footage of the alleged incidents.

The video, provided to the The Post and Courier, shows an incident from a December 2012 road game at Elon in which former player Trevonte Dixon, who first alleged the physical confrontations, turned the ball over and committed an off-ball foul. 

Thompsett released a statement with the video: 

The video of the Elon game shows that coach Wojcik substituted Dixon out of the game after the young man committed a turnover and then almost immediately committed a defensive foul away from the ball. Dixon returned to the bench, then Coach Wojcik kneeled in front of Dixon coaching him on his mistake.

The entire encounter lasted a few seconds, and there's nothing that comes even close to physical abuse. In fact, the same type of conduct can be seen dozens of times a night on ESPN during the college basketball season. It's called coaching, and it's what the College of Charleston hired Coach Wojcik to do."

The video also contains footage of Charleston practices. Dixon alleged that Wojcik threw balls at players "maliciously" during practices. Thompsett's statement addressed those allegations too:

"The practice drill is called Screen Up, Screen Down. It teaches players to guard an offensive player who is attempting to get open for a pass via up screens and down screens, while the defensive player must also be on guard for a pass to deflect or intercept. It is a defensive drill that teaches the Ball-You-Man relationship. This is a fundamental skill that coaches teach all over the country...

The video we’ve provided shows players occasionally getting hit with the ball in the back, legs or buttocks because they were not looking for the pass. And that’s what happens in real game situations. The drill simulates a game situation. 

But it’s obvious that contrary to Dixon’s allegation, Coach Wojcik did not maliciously throw balls at players because they performed the drill incorrectly; rather, he was teaching and instructing. In fact, at one point in the video Coach Wojcik gives a high-five to Dixon as positive encouragement."

The new allegations followed a 50-page report alleging Wojcik used physical threats and obscenities to verbally attack players and other personnel. The report includes input from 12 players and nine staff.

The school announced earlier this month that Wojcik is not allowed to recruit on the road.

Athletic director Joe Hull reportedly said during a June 30 meeting with players that Wojcik would be fired, only to be overriden by outgoing president George Benson, who ordered Wojcik to undergo mandatory counseling and suspended him for a month without pay.

Sources told The Post and Courier that the new investigation is rooted in a desire to find cause to oust Wojcik.

In a July 3 report, CBSSports cited a source who said, “Doug's already telling people he knows he's done”

The Cougars have gone 38-29 in two seasons under Wojcik.

- Alex Hampl and Chris Johnson


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