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A former coach of Olympic champion Amber Glenn is facing allegations of sexual misconduct involving two of his past students, one of whom was underage at the time.
Benjamin Shroats, aged 47, has been charged with one count of sexual assault and another for indecency with a child, involving sexual contact. These charges were filed on Wednesday in Collins County, Texas, as confirmed by jail records obtained by The Post.
Two athletes, who remain unnamed, brought the accusations against Shroats to the Allen Police Department, prompting an investigation that began on February 15, according to a report from NBC News.
The investigation claims that Shroats “engaged in inappropriate relationships with two of his athletes,” and one of these relationships allegedly commenced when the athlete was still a minor, according to police statements.
With a 30-year career in the North Texas skating scene, Shroats has firmly rejected the accusations, stating that he “unequivocally denies the allegations against him.”
“For the past 30 years, Mr. Shroats has been a well-respected figure skating coach/instructor in the local DFW community,” attorney Scott Edgett told the outlet. “Out of respect for the judicial process and potential future jurors, we will not be litigating this matter through media commentary.”
Shroats was booked into Collins County Jail on a 200,000 bond, according to records.
A condition of his bond bars Shroats from teaching and coaching his students, KDFW reported.
As part of his bond requirements, Shroats is barred from teaching and coaching.
Glenn had trained under Shroats’ tutelage beginning when she was 9.
She compared the skating coach to being a father figure on the ice.
“I took harness lessons from him on my double axel. He became a full-time part of my team when I was Novice. He’s like my rink dad or big brother, making sure I stay on track. While he can be relaxed and chilled, he can also turn up the heat when needed. I can completely rely on him to be organized and consistent,” Glenn told FigureSkatersOnline in 2014.
Glenn is currently coached by Damon Allen and Tammy Gambill. It was not known when the skater parted ways with Shroats.
The 26-year-old first-time Olympian has had a rollercoaster two weeks at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, including nabbing gold as part of the Team USA winning group in the Team Event.
Glenn had placed third with a score of 138.62 in the women’s free skating portion.
She placed 13th in the short program on Tuesday but found some redemption and finished 5th in the women’s free skating Thursday.
Fellow American Alyssa Liu, 20, struck gold in the event with a dazzling performance, scoring a season-best 150.20 in the competition for a total score of 226.79.