PAPILLION, Neb. (KMTV) — Former Gretna Elite Academy Soccer Coach Kyle Marek pleaded no contest to one count of attempted child enticement on Tuesday.
Marek, who is 47 years old and from Omaha, sent "inappropriate SnapChat messages to two juveniles he was coaching" who were 14 and 15 years of age in March and April of 2021. Marek also coached for the Papillion La Vista Community School District as a junior varsity coach at Papillion La Vista High School. He was arrested on May 10, 2021.
Gretna Elite Academy was formerly known as Elite Academy, or Elite Academy NE, before it merged with the Gretna Soccer Club in 2020 to create Gretna Elite Academy Soccer Club. It boasts a lengthy list of players who went on to NCAA Division I and Division II schools.
The attempted child enticement charge is a Class II felony, which carries a minimum of one year and a maximum of 50 years in prison. Marek's sentencing will take place on July 12.
“Youth athletics should be a safe place for all children. Instead, Marek used his role as coach to gain influence and access to these victims,” Chief Deputy Sarpy County Attorney Bonnie Moore said in a press release. “It took a lot of courage for these victims to come forward and hopefully their actions will inspire others to speak up.”
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