Coach, that may be your point of view, but you have only 2 BIPOC on your team and your perception of your locker room conversations may not be the same perception of BIPOC in the league or those of us watching from home. https://twitter.com/stagsj/status/1294290259220496384

A handful of players wouldn’t even wear a #BlackLivesMatter patch and have sat in silence the past 2 months during the biggest conversation about race in this country in almost 60 years.

They are exempting themselves from responsibility in challenging the racial status quo while being rewarded with social capital.

I’ve heard every excuse why players decided not to wear the #BLM patch. What it all comes down to is that they didn’t wear it in fear of being socially penalized by their friends/family. Or because they genuinely don’t think Black Americans face racism.

Having private conversations in the locker room and being unwilling to be in this “for a fight or political statement” is what continues the proliferation of racism.

The non-white players feel isolated in the locker room, the field, and when they go back home. I know because I’ve been in their shoes. Whether you and the team realize it or not, you’re granted systemic advantages in every space you occupy.

The defensiveness that I see in response to these kneeling images reflect uncomfortableness. An uncomfortableness in having to address race.

There might have been learnings behind the scenes but racism is a structure, not an event. It’s invisible to most who refuse to see it. I’m concerned when these “teammates” go back to coaching student-athletes without identifying, describing, and fighting racism.

“While implicit bias is always at play because all humans have bias, inequity can occur simply through homogeneity; if I am not aware of the barriers you face, then I won’t see them, much less be motivated to remove them.”- Robin Diangelo.

The problem is that most who didn’t wear the #BlackLivesMatter patch haven’t explained why, and haven’t voiced concern for Black lives. Do you care? How are you using your privilege to create more equity in lacrosse and your community?