A former water polo player at Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School in Chicago filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court Monday against the school and former coach, alleging the coach groomed and sexually abused her.

       The former player, identified as “Jane Doe” in the complaint, said that her former head coach had an inappropriate relationship with her from 2014, when she was 14, till 2018, when she was 17, according to the lawsuit. The alleged abuse included sexual molestation, oral sex and rape.

       “Minor children are unable to fully comprehend the nature of the conduct and how it will affect them later on in life,” the player’s attorney, Colleen Mikaitis, said. “Mother McAuley, as the high school, is supposed to protect individuals from predators.”

       The coach worked at the school from about 2010 to 2019 as the head coach of the water polo team, according to the lawsuit.

       “Upon information and belief, (the coach) was forced to resign as the coach and/or head coach of Mother McAuley’s water polo team in approximately 2019,” the lawsuit stated.

       A police report was not filed in relation to the alleged abuse, Mikaitis said.

       According to the lawsuit, the coach groomed the player by taking her out to dinner, offering advice and having the teenager babysit her children. It also stated that the school knew that the coach was alone with children at her home and school-sponsored activities.

       In a written statement Tuesday, Mother McAuley said its mission is to “provide an exceptional education for young women and prepare students to live in a complex, dynamic society by teaching them to think critically, communicate effectively, respond compassionately to the needs of their community and assume roles of leadership. … Above all, we strive every day to create a safe and welcoming environment where every student’s well-being is protected.”

       The school said it cannot comment on pending lawsuits, but said it takes “these allegations very seriously.”

       The coach named in the lawsuit could not immediately be reached for comment.

       pfry@chicagotribune.com

       Twitter @paigexfry

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