The Jerry Sandusky's defense began presenting its case on Monday, calling its first six witnesses, many of whom are long-time friends or coworkers of the former defensive coordinator.
Two former Penn State assistant football coaches, Dick Anderson and Booker Brooks, testified that it is not uncommon for adults to shower with young children.
Brooks said he has showered with children many times, including his granddaughter at the YMCA.
Anderson said he saw Sandusky bring young boys to shower occasionally in the East Area Locker Room, but never saw anything inappropriate occur between Sandusky and a child.
He said he has also showered with young boys at the YMCA, but he said he himself had never brought a boy with him to take a shower.
Anderson, who retired from coaching at Penn State in January, coached with Sandusky for about 20 years -- from 1973 to 1984 and from 1990 until Sandusky's retirement in 1999.
He said Sandusky had a good reputation in the area and among coaches prior to the allegations against him.
"He had a wonderful reputation in the community. He was well thought of in every regard," Anderson said.
In Anderson's testimony, he explained the daily schedule for Penn State coaches, specifically in the preseason, which usually begins around August 5.
Coaches are the busiest during the preseason and the actual football season, Anderson said, but during the offseason, coaches travel in the wintertime "fairly often" for recruiting purposes.
Anderson testified that Sandusky traveled more than Anderson did when they were coaching at Penn State because he attended many banquets and clinics on top of his recruiting traveling requirements.
Because of how the coaches were, Anderson said coaches would not have time to play basketball or racquetball during the late afternoon. He said sometimes, coaches would workout at lunchtime.
Some of the people who said Sandusky abused them testified that they played sports with Sandusky in the late afternoon.
Brooks worked as a Penn State coach for 15 years. He testified that he thinks Sandusky is a "great guy."
Former Second Mile fundraising consultant David Pasquinelli testified that he thought Sandusky always had a good reputation and worked well with children.
He said he worked with Sandusky from October 2007 through the spring of 2009, but has known him for about two decades.
"I saw a mutual admiration between Second Mile youth, boys and girls, with Jerry," Pasquinelli said.
Clint Mettler, a participant in the Second Mile programs who later volunteered for the organization, also testified that Sandusky had a good reputation.
He said people spoke "very highly of him."
Linda Caldwell, who founded the Golf for Life Mentor program in which the person referred to as "Victim 4" participated at Sandusky's suggestion, also testified Monday. She said the form that was admitted into evidence during the testimony of the man called "Victim 4" was a form used by her program.
Brett Witmer, a Bellefonte Area School District teacher who formerly worked at an after school program that "Victim 4" attended also testified Monday.
"Jerry certainly seemed to be an important person in [the person referred to as Victim 4's] life," Witmer said.
