A Winnipeg man is facing more charges after another victim came forward claiming they were sexually assaulted by the coach when a teenager.

Police say that Kelsey Albert Dana McKay, 51, was charged on September 7 with two new offences of Sexual Assault and Luring a Child Under 18. The victim had come forward after police had announced a slew of charges against McKay related to his time as a football coach in the late 1990s and 2000s at Vincent Massey High School and Churchill High School, both in Winnipeg.

In April of this year, the Sex Crimes Unit arrested and charged Kelsey Albert Dana McKay, 51, of Winnipeg, with five counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual exploitation, one count of sexual interference, and four counts of luring. More victims came forward in April after the initial charges were announced. In total, McKay is now facing 24 charges related to the accusations.

"There have been more [sexual assault] cases reported with this individual, and that's why we felt the need to take further steps," says George Labossiere, the Inspector for the Community Support Division for the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS). 

McKay was placed on leave from the Pembina Trails School Division in April and is reportedly still on leave. 

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Call to Action

At the start of this new school year, the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse in sports is a relevant topic to discuss. One the WPS is focusing on.

"What we propose is to enhance what we currently have in our crime prevention tool box," says Labossiere. "We have a great website that talks about a variety of common crimes and what members of the public should be looking for. But we didn't have something specific to the student athlete and coach relation."

After the McKay arrest, WPS are putting out more materials and putting on presentations for the public to bring awareness and educate people on the dangers of grooming and sexual exploitation and assault. 

"There are a number of tips to watch out for [when it comes to grooming]. Coaches play a vital role in the young student athletes and there's a trust built between coach and athlete."

WPS shares a few aspect to the coach/athlete relationship that are red flags:

  • A coach having 1-on-1 electronic communication with an athlete (team group chats are acceptable)
  • Inviting an athlete to a coach’s home should never occur (team gatherings in public are acceptable)
  • Being alone in a vehicle with an athlete (carpooling or driving with more than one athlete is acceptable)
  • Sharing a room alone or overnight with an athlete (room checks with a chaperone is acceptable for overnight team trips)
  •  A coach frequently touching an athlete without asking permission or insisting that personal massages are beneficial
  • (asking permission to touch an athlete only to demonstrate proper technique is acceptable only with permission)

"The intent might be good, and it probably is in the vast majority of cases but truthfully it's not a safe situation for an athlete to be riding along with their coach alone."

Kids and parents should be aware of the signs and behaviours of the grooming process that can lead to sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
 
Anyone wishing to book a presentation about sexual abuse in sport or other topics can do here.

"For victims to step forward and relive those terrible situations by telling their story is very difficult," says Labossiere. "And yet, it may help them a little with the healing process and help prevent any wrong doing in the future with those accused. It does encourage other people to come forward. If anybody needs the support of the police or would like to report anything, by all means do so."