Can College Coaches Sleep with Students? A Story of Power, Ethics, and Scandal

I’ll never forget the night we sat around at the bar after a big college football game, passing beers back and forth, swapping stories. The topic started with a wild rumor about a coach from our alma mater—one we’d all once admired—who got caught up in a scandal with a student.

"Man, do you remember Coach Reynolds?" my buddy Jake said, shaking his head. "Dude was a legend. And then—bam!—turns out he was hooking up with one of the star athletes. Whole career down the drain."

We all nodded. Everyone had heard about it. Everyone had an opinion.

The Gray Area: What’s Legal vs. What’s Right

The first thing that always comes up when we talk about this is whether it's even illegal. The answer? Not necessarily. At most universities, a college coach sleeping with a student isn't against the law—assuming both are consenting adults. But that doesn’t mean it’s ethical, or that schools allow it.

Title IX regulations put a big emphasis on power dynamics. Most colleges have strict policies against professors and coaches getting involved with students, even if the relationship is consensual. It’s not about morality—it’s about influence. A coach has control over an athlete’s future: playing time, scholarships, recommendations. Even if the student thinks they’re in love, is it really a free choice?

The Scandals That Shocked College Sports

Some stories stick with you. Like when Rick Pitino, one of the biggest names in college basketball, got caught in a series of messy personal scandals, including allegations involving recruits and women linked to the team. While his downfall wasn’t exactly about student-coach relationships, it opened the floodgates of conversation about the blurred lines between authority figures and young athletes.

Then there’s Larry Eustachy, the former Iowa State basketball coach who partied with college students, drinking and getting a little too close for comfort. He lost his job—not for doing something illegal, but for breaking the trust of his program.

And let’s not forget the horrifying case of Jerry Sandusky at Penn State—not a consensual relationship but a grotesque abuse of power that shook college sports to its core. It forced every school to rethink their policies on coach behavior.

The Players’ Perspective: When It’s More Than Just a Fling

Back at the bar, my friend Sarah leaned in. "Okay, but what if it’s real?" she said. "What if a coach and a student actually fall in love?"

It’s a fair question. There have been cases where relationships between coaches and students turned into marriages. It’s rare, but it happens. The problem is that even if it’s genuine, the power imbalance makes it hard to tell if both people are truly making the decision freely.

A 2018 NCAA survey found that nearly 25% of female college athletes reported experiencing some kind of unwanted sexual advance from someone in a position of power within their sport. That’s not just about love—it’s about pressure.

The Locker Room Talks: What Athletes Really Say

"I remember this one assistant coach at our school," said Mike, another guy in our group. "Dude was always a little too friendly with the girls on the volleyball team. Everyone joked about it, but now I wonder—was it really a joke?"

This is where things get tricky. A lot of athletes have stories about that one coach who seemed to cross the line but never got called out. Maybe it was a weird comment, a too-long hug, or an invite to grab drinks "just to talk." Sometimes, the relationships stay hidden for years.

Where Do Schools Draw the Line?

Most universities today have strict "no fraternization" policies that forbid relationships between coaches and students. If a coach gets caught, they’re usually fired—even if there’s no evidence of coercion. Some schools even require coaches to report any potential romantic relationships to HR, which is basically a death sentence for their job.

Still, loopholes exist. Assistant coaches, graduate assistants, and trainers sometimes slip under the radar. Since they’re closer in age to the athletes, their relationships don’t always get the same scrutiny, even if they should.

The Debate: Should It Always Be Banned?

After another round of drinks, we found ourselves split.

"Look, it's messy," I admitted. "But at the end of the day, these are adults. If there’s no coercion, why should it be anyone’s business?"

"Because it’s never really equal," Sarah shot back. "Even if a player thinks they have power, the coach still controls their future. That’s not a real choice."

Jake leaned back in his chair. "I just think if a coach is willing to risk their career over a relationship with a student, they probably shouldn’t be coaching in the first place."

It’s an argument that doesn’t have a simple answer.

Final Thoughts: What’s Next for College Sports?

What’s clear is that times are changing. The old "boys will be boys" attitude isn’t cutting it anymore. Schools are cracking down, and social media makes it harder than ever for sketchy behavior to stay hidden.

But as long as there are young athletes and powerful coaches, the line between mentorship and something more will always be blurry.

And every time we meet at the bar, there’ll be a new story to tell.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.