Colleagues,
Yesterday’s events in Washington, D.C. laid bare a reality every coach knows firsthand. Leadership matters.
The challenges of 2020 – and now 2021 – have redefined what it means for coaches to lead. For 10 months and counting, we’ve supported our student-athletes through the physical and emotional hardships of a devastating global pandemic. This past summer, we stood alongside our teams and communities to cry out for change amidst a nationwide reckoning with racism and social injustice.
Now once more, we have a responsibility as coaches – as leaders – to help the young people in our programs process yesterday’s assault on our nation’s democracy.
The NABC is guided by the core values of leadership, advocacy, service, and education. As you address these historic events, I encourage you to embody each. Lead with integrity. Advocate for what is right. Serve the needs of others. Educate your team on the significance of what took place.
And through it all, never forget that sport has a unique and profound ability to unite.
I leave you with these words spoken last night by South Carolina coach Frank Martin. May we all take them to heart.
“I’m going to be positive with our players and make them understand how we need to look out for each other. I’m tired of everyone telling each other how much they hate this, they hate that. I’m tired of the division. I’m just tired of the negativity. I’m all for positive. I’m all for love. We’re all Americans.”
Sincerely,
Craig Robinson
NABC Executive Director
For help engaging student-athletes in civil discourse following yesterday’s events, see this article from PBS Newshour.
