Victorian Tennis Coach Jailed for Assaulting Students During ‘Strength Training’
A veteran tennis coach who exploited his position of trust to sexually assault young students under the guise of “strength training” has been jailed for one year.
Geoffrey Hollow, 70, pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to 12 charges, including indecent acts with a child under 16, sexual assault, and grooming. His victims were seven girls aged between 11 and 17, assaulted between 2011 and 2022 in Victoria’s far northeast.
Abuse Under the Pretense of Training
Hollow conducted so-called “strength training sessions” during which he took his students aside and instructed them to sit on a makeshift stool made from a bicycle seat. He told the girls to lift their tops and lower their shorts for “massages,” during which he touched their buttocks, hips, and thighs.
In another disturbing pattern of abuse, Hollow supplied tight shorts to his students, claiming they were purchased for an underprivileged migrant girl. He pressured them to try the clothing on, wear it without underwear during tennis training, and return it to him so he could wash it.
Crimes Uncovered
Hollow’s crimes came to light in November 2022 when several students disclosed his behavior to a parent, who reported it to police. Investigators later found hundreds of photographs of young girls on Hollow’s electronic devices, though authorities ruled the images did not meet the legal definition of child abuse material.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
In sentencing Hollow at Wodonga on Wednesday, Judge Peter Rozen described the offending as “serious and very concerning.” He emphasized that Hollow had betrayed the trust of parents who placed their children under his care.
“Parents had entrusted the care of their children to you,” Judge Rozen said.
“You took advantage of that trust for your own sexual gratification.”
Victim impact statements revealed that some of the girls struggled with guilt for not reporting Hollow sooner, fearing they had enabled further abuse. Judge Rozen stressed that none of the victims bore responsibility for Hollow’s actions.
“There is only one person who is responsible for this offending and that is Geoffrey Hollow,” he said. “None of the victims and none of the parents are responsible.”
Considerations in Sentencing
The court acknowledged Hollow’s guilty plea, which spared the victims the trauma of testifying at trial. Judge Rozen noted there was no evidence Hollow suffered from a condition such as pedophilia, making his risk of reoffending difficult to determine. However, he said Hollow was unlikely to return to a position of authority and that sex offender treatment programs could reduce any future risk.
Hollow was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and an 18-month community corrections order, requiring him to undergo sex offender treatment.
A Breach of Trust
The case underscores the devastating impact of abuse committed by individuals in positions of trust. For more than a decade, Hollow exploited his authority as a coach, blurring professional boundaries to groom and assault his young students.
Judge Rozen’s remarks highlighted the enduring harm inflicted on the victims, while also reassuring them that responsibility lay solely with their abuser.
The outcome ensures Hollow will be monitored through corrections programs once released, but for many in the community, the damage done to his students — and the trust of families — cannot easily be undone.
