Every time I speak with student-athletes I realize how much they want to have the uncomfortable conversations, are educated on the topics... and honestly are being held back by their coaches.

They want to use the locker room to talk about these things. But the coaches don’t.

Coaches, it is time for you to interrogate your relationship to conflict and discomfort. How you feel about conflict is the culture your team has. Are you conflict avoidant? Yelp your team is. Are you aggressive in conflict? Well surprise I bet your team is.

Your team and the culture is a reflection of you. I know that that is a tough pill to swallow. But now it is time to think of your personal relationship with developing the culture of your team.

If you aren’t comfortable talking about this neither will your white athletes.

You can’t expect to recruit BIPOC athletes into a culture that won’t talk about things that directly affect them and they are safe. It doesn’t work that way. They are actually unsafe.