Kain Colter is Misunderstood
By Ken Reed
A lot of people in the sports world — most notably the college football world — view Northwestern football player Kain Colter as an ungrateful rebel. They believe he’s attacking Northwestern specifically and is focusing on money.
The truth is, he’s loved his experience at Northwestern. He is simply focused on protecting the college athletes of today and tomorrow — especially when it comes to health-related issues stemming from their college playing careers.
Colter is spearheading a new organization for college athletes called the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA). The intent is to give a voice to the voiceless, the thousands of college athletes across the country. The initial focus is on football and basketball players.
This isn’t really about Northwestern. It’s about Colter trying to spur change in a system that steps on athletes’ basic civil and economic rights.
In this era of big money college sports, the athletes certainly deserve more economic considerations. But Colter’s first fight is for better health insurance. CAPA’s pushing for the development of a fund that former players can use for football-related health reasons after their playing days are over.
“I sacrificed my body for four years, and they sold my jersey,” said Colter. “They should protect me.”
Yes they should Kain. Yes they should.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
Sports Forum Podcast
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Episode #30 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The State of College Athletics with Dr. David Ridpath: Problems and Potential Solutions – Ridpath is a sports administration professor at Ohio University and a member of The Drake Group, a college sports reform think tank.
Episode #29 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The Honorable Tom McMillen Visits League of Fans’ Sports Forum – McMillen is a former All-American basketball player, Olympian, Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Congressman. We discuss the state of college athletics today.
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Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- Reed Appears on Ralph Nader Radio Hour League of Fans’ sports policy director, Ken Reed, Ralph Nader and the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner discussed a variety of sports issues on Nader’s radio show as well as Reed’s updated book, How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan. Reed's book was released in paperback in February, and has a new introduction and several updated sections.
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Vanderbilt Sport & Society - On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss with guest Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director for League of Fans and author of How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
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