While February is officially Black History Month, Up2Us Sports honors and celebrates Black voices all year long. We are proud to be the nation's most diverse AmeriCorps program, with 42% of our coaches and 38% of the youth they serve identifying as African American. Black History Month is an opportunity to pay special tribute to their voices and stories. We asked some coaches to share their thoughts on what Black History Month means to them and why representation in coaching matters. These are their stories.
Coach Sierra, Squashsmarts, Philadelphia
Why is representation in coaching so important?
Representation in coaching is important to me because if you see somebody who looks like you, it means you can do it. Whether that means ethnicity, or body types, or gender expression - seeing coaches who look like you helps you to know you belong. It makes you feel equal, like somebody's on your side.
Coach Rory Robinson, Youth Mentoring Partnerships, Philadelphia
What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History Month to me is a time to celebrate the wonderful times and things that the Black culture has achieved throughout time. It is a time to celebrate what the culture has gone through and how we overcome the many controversies we faced.
Do you have any African American sports icons that have inspired you?
A sports icon that inspires me is LeBron James. LeBron is a strong role model for the community and gives back to the culture.
Coach Kaitlyn Crook, Girls on the Run, New Orleans
What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History month is a reflection of the many ways that African Americans have perserved in the United States. It is also a celebration of Black Excellence, in all regards. While it is a great time to revisit and learn more about Black history, it is also a chance to look at what Black scholars, athletes, entrepreneurs are accomplishing today, as well as look forward towards the future and aspiring changemakers.
Why is representation in coaching so important?
Representation matters, especially in coaching, because it gives our athletes a chance to see themselves and their potential futures in us. Outside of that, the cultural competency and base understanding is unmatched when coaches and athletes come from the same or similar backgrounds and/or hold the same identities.
Coach Henerick Charles, Dr. Henry W. Mack/West Little River K-8 Center, Miami
What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History Month means the celebration of all of the African Americans that had or have positive impact on the entire World. This month means a lot to me because I am Black, and it gives me a good feeling to know that all the hard work that people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, and Malcom X put in the past made a change in today’s society. The impact those three had on the World is amazing.
Why is representation in coaching so important?
Representation in coaching is important because your players and other people will gravitate toward you due to your representation. Anyone that a coach coaches cares about their coach representation because as a coach, you are part of the team, and most teams want to have or should have good representation.
Do you have any African American sports icons that have inspired you?
I have multiple African American sports icons that have inspired me, and they are LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan, Antonio Brown, Davante Adams, Jackie Robinson, Tim Howard, Usain Bolt and more. I have plenty more of sports icons that inspire me, but I could draft a book if I named all of them!
Coach Drew Preston, Kids in the Game, New York City
What does Black History Month mean to you?
It’s hard to put into words what Black History Month means to me as it is a part of me. Black History Month isn’t limited to a singular month but everyday, 365 days a year. Black History Month allows me to honor my ancestors and their ancestors because without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. Black History Month allows for me to not only reflect on our struggles but our joy.
Why is representation in coaching so important?
Representation is so important in coaching because it is important young people see individuals like them or from similar backgrounds be successful. It makes it seem less unattainable. When you see someone like you, it makes you feel more confident and likely to chase and follow your dreams. Representation allows for diversity and diversity embraces another’s uniqueness.
Do you have any African American sports icons that have inspired you?
Florence Griffith Joyner was a sports icon I was inspired by. My mom was the person to introduce me to her when I expressed that I liked running. This is when my love for track began. I was always interested but was shy and scared. However, when I saw someone so confident it made me feel more comfortable trying something I never tried. Another player that inspired me was Maya Moore. I grew up in Connecticut so I would always watch UConn games. Seeing her play growing up, made me interested in playing basketball, it made me realize basketball wasn’t only a boys thing. I grew up around boys and they wouldn’t allow me to play. Seeing her play made me more interested in the sport of basketball and how to play.
