Rory Dames, former head coach of the Chicago Red Stars, was called "abusive" in anonymous player surveys and a 2018 USSF investigation found evidence to back many of the complaints. However, the investigation was not shared throughout the organization or the league, and Dames faced no consequences. He went on to resign from the Red Stars in November 2021, as the Washington Post prepared to publish a report about his verbal and emotional abuse toward Chicago players. The Yates investigation would later find that Dames also created a "sexualized environment" at the youth club he coached and verbally abused players there. Among other allegations, the report said that he spent time with girls from youth clubs in their bedrooms without another adult there and forced youth players to speak to him about about sex.
