Bigger Than The Game: Exploring the BIPOC / PAN African Scholar-Athlete's Journey through Prep Sport (Opinion)
Michael Martin Jr.
Steward of the CommUNITY, Marine Corps Veteran, Member - Gullah/Geechee Nation
High School sports provides a platform for the scholar-athlete to develop socially and obtain good skill sets to use in all facets of life. Prep scholar-athletes sacrifice countless hours balancing academics, social life and preparing for a combination of friendly competition and school spirit. The U.S. social structures are in flux, causing nationwide clamor to reexamine racial relationships. With careful consideration to local racial relationships in constant change, local prep sports must abandon previous ways of preparing the scholar-athlete for competition and character development, as it pertains to supporting the BIPOC and Pan-African Scholar-Athlete (BIPOC/PASA). What happens when the prep athlete is faced with this great nation's issues regarding underlying inequities and the social ills spills into the world of prep sports? I surmise that courageous conversations principled in restorative justice / racial equality must take place on and off the field of play. It's bigger than the game.
As it relates to supporting the BIPOC/PASA for moving through racially sensitive spaces in prep sports, high school coaches and supporting staff are traditionally considered the principal role model of character development, and the oracle of multi-layered support, on and off the field of play. The coach’s support, therefore, enables the scholar-athlete to optimally perform individually or function as a team and demonstrate model citizenship in their respective communities. What is the best course of action to prepare and support the BIPOC/PASA as an individual and a team regarding both the local and national social structure in flux?
Competing Values
Several local high schools took their prep rivalry to an all-time low by broadcasting several actions predicated by racial tension that should in no way have been allowed to happen. Specifically, this spring, the greater San Diego area underwent many social issues in both our communities and prep sports, in my opinion, causing city-wide social upheaval and adding to the racial division that already plagues “America's Finest City”. Speaking of racial division, NPR's Noel King argues a compelling backstory, detailing the highway system's contribution to historical racial division. An argument can be made that there is a correlation between the interstate highway systems and the Coronado and Cathedral Catholic High's racially motivated activities.
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I ponder how to better advise and support the BIPOC/PASA in their quest for a team or individual sports accomplishments amid rising racial tensions in “America's Finest City” prep sports; specifically, the school communities of Orange Glen High and Lincoln High. What happens when the BIPOC/PASA must travel to a community encouraging deplorable activities aimed at marginalized communities?
Call in Action?
As a result of these injustices, local Black coaches answered the call to better support the BIPOC/PASA by setting up a support group and social media following. Additionally, school leadership from the learning communities affected by the unfortunate incidents took action at the local level to start the healing process with a unified public denouncement of the horrific incidents. As a matter of fact, thanks to Coach Jeff Harper-Harris, Co-Founder of Coaches for Racial Equality was formed to initiate the healing process, and take on the much-needed dialogue. Furthermore, California’s governing body of High School Sports, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) mandated several sanctions to Coronado Cathedral Catholic. The restrictions dispensed by CIF, the outpouring of community support, and the actions taken by local school officials, in my opinion, are a start toward restorative justice and the spark needed to bring about the necessary changes in prep sports. In hindsight, and thanks to the collective action taken by the school communities, administration, and the coaches-initiated restorative circle, I believe that the BIPOC/PASA families and community members will be better equipped to support future BIPOC/PASA endeavors. Conversely, although previous occurrences were handled by the appropriate parties, Coronado and Cathedral Catholic's ill-advised antics are stark signals that some things change yet remain the same, even in prep sports. It's bigger than the game.
Looking Ahead
As for me - I'm excited about Greater San Diego's upcoming '21-'22 prep sports season. The season is underway with excitingly high volumes of electrifying competition and school pride. It should be noted that The leadership of the Lincoln High School football team and the school administration recently took a recent stance in solidarity, to increase awareness of racially charged social issues. They canceled their previously scheduled gridiron clash with Cathedral Catholic. Courageous conversations principled in restorative justice / racial equality must take place on and off the field of play. Would you agree actions like this is bigger than the game? Thank you for exploring with me. I hope these words resonate with you
Customer Service Representative at BaronHR, LLC
3 年Good to know that you are staying on top of the local sports scene. The youth need adults like you to help them through there athletic activities. I agree that dialogue is very important within the different communities. Especially, dialogue to help with race relations, even in the athletic sphere. Community and community groups should be working together. I used to tell Super Sonic Samba School that they should be playing in some of the different recreational centers in the low income areas to attract the youth in those neighborhoods. I even gave them the names and phone numbers of different recreation centers in south and Southeast San Diego. ???You make good points in your letter. Keep up the good work.?
Curator of Lived Experience for late diagnosed high-achiever ADHD women (cuz Ferrari brain w/bicycle brakes doesn’t come close ??) Host, she2e: Life in The Fast Brain ?? Attention Designed for a Higher Dimension.
3 年Thank you for this most informative post. Growing up south of the 8, but going to high school north of the 8 and working at large organizational institutions north of the 8 most of my adult career I knew growing up in the Southland was a disadvantage. I lived in Mission Valley with my daughters until my dad needed caregiving. Coming back to Southeastern really bothered me for a while until I realized these are my roots. If everybody leaves who will be here to raise up the next generation?
Thank you for taking time to put this piece together! Hopefully, this activates more parents and students to UNIFY.
BIM Manager at Inertia Systems
3 年Whoa brother! There is a lot to dissect. The connection of the Federal highway system to racial segregation is well documented. It created and now reflects harmful attitudes towards the "urban poor" by middle and upper class. Here in "Americas Finest City", we understand what it means to live "below the 8, west of the 5, in the 'urban core' or god forbid - in Chula Vista where I live now. This must have lingering effects on the youth and how their education shapes their experience. It can destroy self esteem or instill a sense of pride to succeed beyond the odds. When I moved here seven years ago and started teaching, I was shocked that many Hispanic students thought speaking Spanish made them look uneducated instead of bi-lingual. We had a good laugh about it but I also remember their painful glances at each other. They admitted that they were reflecting the attitudes of their educators. Thank God you are around to help them navigate.
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3 年Thank you Michael. This is a hugely important conversation and it is Bigger than the Game, as you have written in this article. It is unfortunate that sports/school culture enables Coronado and Cathedral to play at all, without demonstration of a clear path to changing their actions. I stand with Lincoln's amazing scholar-athletes. All of us need to have zero tolerance for this.