Coaches Showing Leadership On Social Justice Front After Death of George Floyd
By Ken Reed
Most coaches have a leadership gene, no matter what level they coach at. It’s part of their makeup.
Following the despicable, appalling, unfathomable (it’s hard to pick the most appropriate word) death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis cop, coaches across the country have been stepping up and showing leadership in addressing the social justice problems we have in this country.
Scroll through the tweets at #CoachesStandForJustice and you will be heartened by the heartfelt and passionate statements and pleas for change from coaches across America, from youth leagues to the pro ranks.
Others have written longer pieces, like Phoenix Suns’ head coach Monty Williams.
“It IS time to raze the institutional foundations of racism and segregation within politics, law enforcement and society at large,” wrote Williams in an open letter. “It must happen NOW. Borrowing from C.S. Lewis, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
We have no choice. We must start where we are today — as sad and upsetting as this current situation is — and work towards an ending that fulfills the promise of America, as stated in the Pledge of Allegiance: “… with liberty and justice for all.”
Indiana football coach Tom Allen says our words, and more importantly, our actions must be powered by love.
“My heart is broken by what is going on in our country,” tweeted Allen. “Racial injustice is wrong and it MUST be addressed!! I Believe we are to LOVE EACH OTHER! No matter one’s skin color. Love is a choice. Our prayers are with George Floyd’s family. John 15:12. #LEO.”
#LEO stands for Love Each Other.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr believes white people have to do more if we’re ever going to see significant change in this country.
“[Even] though I’ve tried, I haven’t done enough and I don’t think any of us have done enough,” said Kerr. “When I say us, I mean white people. We haven’t done enough. It’s just the truth.
If we had, this sort of thing wouldn’t be happening.”
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich agrees with Kerr.
“The thing that strikes me is that we all see this police violence and racism and we’ve seen it all before but nothing changes,” said Popovich in an interview with journalist Dave Zirin.
“That’s why these protests have been so explosive. … And white Americans have avoided reckoning with this problem forever because it’s been our privilege to be able to avoid it.”
Massive protests are needed as a spur to change (like the 1963 March on Washington protest that drew 250,000 people and which gave us Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech), but, as Williams says, protests need to be done in a none violent way.
“To those who are using the façade of a protest or march by choosing to destroy and tear down, I challenge you to be better,” wrote Williams. “As I tell my players, I’m not calling you out, I’m calling you up. Destruction of property and life is NOT the answer.”
Coaches have made some great points the last couple days, but I think Kerr and Popovich really hit the nail on the head. White people simply have to do more in this fight for social justice.
“I guess I’m saying it’s not enough to sign a petition, or send a tweet or make a statement,” Kerr said of himself and other white people.
“We have to actually do something. There’s got to be a call to action, and then we need a list of things to check off, and we need to do them collectively and demand that those things be done. It’s embarrassing and humiliating that we’re still in this place, and it’s tough to reconcile all this stuff.”
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #22 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Rethinking Sports Fandom with Author Craig Calcaterra – We discuss Calcaterra’s new book “Rethinking Fandom: How to Beat the Sports-Industrial Complex at Its Own Game” and explore new ways to be a fan in the year 2022.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Google Podcasts; PocketCasts; & Anchor
Episode #21 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Chatting About a Broken Game With Baseball Writer Pedro Moura – Moura is a national baseball writer for Fox Sports. We discuss how and why the game of baseball is broken, what factors caused it, and offer a few thoughts on how to “fix” a great game.
Episode #20 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Coaching Youth and High School Sports Based On What’s Best for the Athlete’s Holistic Development – We chat with long-time youth, high school and college basketball coach Jim Huber.
Episode #19 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Capturing the Spirit of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League with Anika Orrock – We discuss the hoops AAGPFL women had to jump through to play the game they loved as well as the long-term impact and legacy they have in advancing sports opportunities for girls and women.
Episode #18 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking about the 50th Anniversary of Title IX and the Lia Thomas Controversy with Nancy Hogshead-Makar – Hogshead-Makar is a triple gold medalist in swimming, a civil rights attorney and CEO of Champion Women.
Episode #17 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking Sports With Legendary New York Times Sports Columnist Robert Lipsyte – We chat about Lipsyte’s amazing career and some of the athletes he covered.
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.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
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.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
Books