Two words sum up the reaction to the sexual-abuse allegations against Stephen Decatur basketball coach Tom Crews: shock and surprise.
Crews was released Friday on $15,000 bond after being arrested on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a child.
In a sworn court statement Friday from Decatur police investigator Rick Hughes, Crews allegedly challenged a player with a wager based on shots that the player took. If the player missed a shot, according to Hughes’ statement, the player was to remove a piece of clothing. The player ended up shooting baskets naked after he lost the bet.
“The juvenile stated that he was naked taking shots from an area of the court that he doesn’t normally shoot from,” wrote Hughes.
The incident allegedly took place at Roosevelt Middle School, where Crews is a social studies teacher.
“I was surprised, shocked,” Roosevelt Principal Mary Wortman said Saturday. “I would find (the allegations) highly unusual from what I have seen of him in a professional capacity. I have seen nothing to suspect this type of behavior by him.”
“The players are shocked,” Decatur Herald and Review sportswriter Rex Spires said. “I don’t think they are ready to believe that these allegations are true.”
There are two other allegations against Hughes. In one, Hughes is alleged to have grabbed a player’s genitals as he chided the player to become better..
A third charge alleged that Crews had summoned two players to his office and when the players arrived, Crews was standing there naked.
Crews has been suspended from his coaching and teaching duties without pay.
“If (the allegations) are true, I’m really sorry for the young men,” said Decatur Eisenhower basketball coach Sid Tucker, whose team plays against Stephen Decatur in the Big 12 Conference. “My initial reaction was that I was shocked that this kind of action would take place at this level or any level. I think coaches are supposed to be special people to deal with young men.”
Crews, who was an assistant coach at Loyola University under Will Rey, was hired at Decatur in the fall of 1995. In his first season he led the Runnin’ Reds to their first winning record in 10 seasons and went undefeated in the Big 12.
“He turned the program around at Decatur,” Spires said. “I think the community got behind the program and everyone seemed to like him.”
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A condition of Crews’ release is that he not have contact with students at Stephen Decatur or at Roosevelt.
Details as to how the allegations came forth were not given.
“We also have our own internal investigation,” Decatur Principal U.S. Davidson told the Herald and Review. “(Crews) will be afforded due process rights as far as responding to the allegations. He has not been fired because the whole process has to take place first.”
Tim Cruz, Decatur football coach, is now coaching the team.
No court date has been set. Principal Davidson told the Herald and Review that police and caseworkers from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services have interviewed several students.