The son of a Hollywood director who was additionally a water polo Olympic prospect gave an explosive deposition after being accused of sexually and racially attacking one other participant.
Lucca Van der Woude was booted from the elite LA highschool Harvard-Westlake after his arrest over alleged underwater approaches to fellow star Aidan Romain.
Van der Woude, who’s the son of moviemaker Thomas revealed the extraordinary circumstances behind his departure within the new paperwork, in line with the Orange County Register.
He admitted the college banned him from campus following his February 2024 detaining and wouldn’t permit him to return for lessons or sports activities.
However his water polo profession didn’t take a success. He stated he transferred to Newport Harbor Excessive Faculty earlier than the 2024-25 educational yr, was cleared to compete and went on to win the CIF Southern Part Open Division championship.
The title got here simply 9 days after Van der Woude admitted in LA County Juvenile Division Courtroom on Nov. 7, 2024, to sexual penetration with a overseas object, particularly digital penetration in opposition to a minor.
His Aug. 6 deposition has raised questions over whether or not he ought to have been allowed to compete for Newport Harbor in any respect and whether or not the college may in the end be stripped of its championship.
CIF guidelines bar college students who go away a college for disciplinary causes from competing at their new college.
Van der Woude additionally admitted below oath he used the N-word whereas in highschool, together with in school and water polo practices, and for probably the most half escaped punishment for saying it.
The admissions mark the most recent beautiful flip within the scandal surrounding the previous US nationwide youth staff star, who has been accused by former Harvard-Westlake teammate Romain of repeatedly sexually assaulting him and subjecting him to racist abuse.
Romain’s lawsuit alleges Van der Woude grabbed his butt and digitally penetrated him throughout assaults underwater.
Van der Woude was finally arrested by Los Angeles police on the Harvard-Westlake campus in February 2024.
After transferring to Newport Harbor, Van der Woude continued representing Group USA internationally and, in December 2024, mentored among the nation’s high 13- and 14-year-old gamers at a USA Water Polo camp held at a prestigious Olympic coaching website.
The testimony additionally make clear his alleged racism. Van der Woude acknowledged utilizing the N-word whereas he was in highschool.
“Have you ever ever used the N phrase?” Romain’s legal professional Daniel P. Watkins requested.
“Like, have I ever stated it? Sure,” Van der Woude responded.
Requested whether or not he had ever been disciplined for saying it in highschool, he answered: “No.”
Van der Woude additionally recalled apologizing to Romain over his use of the slur.
Requested why he believed an apology was essential, he stated it was “as a result of it, like, offended his, like, race and tradition.”
“As a result of he’s African-American,” Van der Woude stated when requested how he knew.
He stated he apologized to Romain face-to-face over lunch and believed the 2 had patched issues up. “I believed we had been buddies once more,” he added.
Romain’s allegations describe a extra disturbing relationship.
His lawsuit accuses Van der Woude of repeatedly sexually assaulting him and alleges he and one other teammate subjected Romain to months of racial abuse.
Van der Woude and one other participant allegedly “whipped” Romain with a sports-equipment-grade bounce rope within the weight room in what the go well with describes as “a re-enactment of slavery,” whereas telling him: “Get again to work!”
The go well with alleges the pair taunted Romain with racial slurs and known as him the N-word practically day-after-day for roughly 5 months.
“They weren’t attempting to cover it,” Romain beforehand stated, in line with courtroom paperwork obtained by the California Put up.
“When the lights would flip off, they’d say, ‘The place’s Aidan?’ or ‘The place’s arbitrary black particular person?’”
Romain alleges Harvard-Westlake officers had been advised by him and one other scholar Van der Woude had digitally penetrated them however didn’t contact legislation enforcement or youngster protecting providers as required by legislation.
Van der Woude was later ordered by the juvenile courtroom to pay Romain’s household $49,266 in restitution, in line with an order reviewed by the Register.
The testimony comes as Van der Woude’s authorized staff is individually attempting to strike dozens of allegations from Romain’s lawsuit.
The scandal has already derailed one main step in van der Woude’s once-promising water polo profession.
He had dedicated to UCLA, however the college rescinded his provisional admission after a March 2025 Register report detailed his arrest and the allegations in opposition to him.
Van der Woude as a substitute performed water polo at Golden West School final season.
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