Christopher Poskey, a former athletic trainer, has been sentenced to 36 months of probation by a Kansas court. Poskey was found guilty of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, which occurred during his employment at Blue Valley Southwest High School.
Official written statements in this case are sealed, but the investigators told KCTV5, “Poskey admitted to them that he engaged in multiple sexually explicit conversations with minors or those he believed to be minors.”
As a part of this sentencing, Poskey agrees to give up his license to practice athletic training.
Poskey allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conduct including the use of explicit images of himself while at work and on-duty as the athletic trainer. Poskey admitted to contacting the minors via social media while in court. The incidents occurred in March of 2023.
Poskey’s sentencing comes at a time when a brighter spotlight is being shown in sexual abuse in youth sports. Now, organizations like SafeSport exist to protect athletes and end abuse in sport, however there is still a long way to go.
According to a report by SafeSport, “93 percent of respondents who experienced sexual harassment or unwanted contact during their time in sports did not report it.” The report goes on to find that athletic trainers were among the most common perpetrators of sexual harm to an athlete.
As more perpetrators, like Poskey, are unmasked and facing charges, it may encourage more affected athletes to come forward to make a change in the industry. For now, SafeSport is focusing on the impacts of the sexual harm facing athletes and how it can be mitigated.
Only 49% of SafeSport’s surveyed athletes have sought treatment to deal with their mental health concerns following an incident, but more than half have experienced a common mental health symptom such as struggling with depression or anxiety, suffering from suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harm.
In Poskey’s case, the state first aimed for a prison sentence, but in still unreleased documents, the judge found reasonable cause for the probation sentence. Either way, Blue Valley Southwest High School has assured families that Poskey will never return to campus or work as an athletic trainer.
