This article appears in the May/June edition of US Lacrosse Magazine. Don’t get the mag? Join US Lacrosse today to start your subscription.
My phone keeps buzzing. My computer keeps dinging. Email is at capacity. Our social media accounts are ablaze. People keep dropping by my cubicle to pick up extra copies, holding them up and asking how we plan to keep the subject of race and racism in the spotlight.
Maybe the hubbub will subside. Then again, maybe it won’t. I hope it doesn’t. It can’t.
As I write this column, our April edition, featuring first-person narratives of nine black lacrosse players struggling with their identity in a predominantly white sport, is engendering all sorts of feedback (below).
Not everyone loves that we put our sport’s racial issues in such plain sight. To some, we are “race baiters” suffering from “white guilt” trying to force a “liberal agenda” on our readers.
No matter where you reside on the political spectrum, you should be concerned about the blinding whiteness of a sport whose growth rate has slowed in recent years.
According to US Lacrosse data collected in 2017, just 1.6 percent of our nearly 450,000 members identified as black, while 2.7 percent identified as Hispanic and 1.8 percent as Asian. In such homogeneity, it’s easy to become socially tone-deaf, seclude ourselves from new and different ways of thinking about the sport, and limit its mass appeal.
For our part, we will continue to depict and represent the achievements of people of color in the pages of this magazine. We will continue to show their faces, amplify their voices and shine a light on their struggle. We will continue to emphasize the importance of an inclusive culture to the sport’s future.
With every buzz and ding, I’m reminded that we must continue to question the status quo and support editorially all efforts to foster inclusion in the sport.
— Matt DaSilva, Editor in Chief (@mdasilva15)
Emails, direct messages and social media mentions came swiftly in response to “The Faces and Voices of Black Lacrosse.”
In a special 12-page section, we provided the platform for nine current or recent black lacrosse players to tell their stories in an attempt to shed light on life as a minority in a predominantly white sport. While many readers applauded our efforts, not all agreed with the approach.
Here’s a small sample of the comments we received via social media and as letters to the editor. To read the stories, visit uslaxmagazine.com/blacklax.
Must Dig Deeper
Thank you for paying attention to an often-ignored issue — race and racism.
With that said, a simple read of the comments section of the Instagram post for the April 2018 US Lacrosse Magazine points to how the issue falls woefully short in breaking new ground in a meaningful way on the matter of race and racism in the sport of lacrosse.
“Quit creating a problem where there isn’t one. This is how sports get ruined.”
“Why does everything have to be about race?”
“Thanks for bringing up such a divisive topic to ruin the sport.”
While your letter and the player stories in the issue were interesting and provided a window into the challenges for minorities in the sport, the magazine lacked any in-depth perspective from the governing body on why the challenges these players face matter to the entirety of the sport, as well as both why and how the current state must change.
As the mother of an African-American player who will be moving on to play lacrosse at the college level next year, I am extremely disappointed that the governing body failed to take much stronger stance on addressing the challenges and discrimination faced by players of color.
Yes, programs around the country to get sticks in hands and expand the reach of lacrosse among children of color are needed and laudable, but true inclusion will not be achieved simply through charity. The April issue fell short in addressing where the sport is failing in its efforts to drive true inclusion and what US Lacrosse is doing to break down the structural barriers and entrenched biases that still lead to marginalization at the youth and club levels.
Without a plan from USL to firmly ensure inclusion and address racism, players of color will continue to be excluded from realizing the same opportunities that are available to white players. We will end up with an increasing inequality and segregation in the game, with plenty of new sticks in hands being discouraged and turned away. To add, for some players of color the challenge is not one of resources, it’s one of racism — overt or covert — that keeps our sons and daughters from having positive experiences and open opportunities in the sport.
It is my hope that this issue of the magazine is just the beginning for USL to focus on addressing and resolving racial issues. Please do more. Please dig deeper. Please be bolder.
— Stephanie Scott, Maplewood, N.J.
Opening the Door
Thank you for the recent articles on African-American players in lacrosse. This has been a struggle for my son. As a father seeing the lack of color in lacrosse, I tried to redirect him back toward football, basketball and track. He is all lacrosse.
I’m proud of how he has handled the difficult situations that come his way. Whether it’s a parent yelling he doesn’t belong, other coaches insisting they see his birth certificate, receiving cheap shots, kids saying things during the games or being told to go grab a basketball, he has used his passion for the game to stay positive and to keep pressing forward in a way that only shows me he is stronger than I give him credit for.
Thank you again and thank you for opening the door to allow true change to grow the sport for everyone.
— Jim Tucker, Bothell, Wash.
Sticking With It
I was beyond impressed that you were willing to tackle race in lacrosse. As the white mom of a black youth player, I remain so confused why more boys of color don’t play, especially given the growing concerns about youth football.
What I don’t love is having to drive him out to the all-white suburbs to play among mainly white kids — even though many are his close friends — not to mention the assumptions and stereotypes that come along with having a dark-skinned black boy from the city dropped into the wealthiest suburb in Pittsburgh. He plays basketball with all black kids and soccer with a mixed group, but the sport he loves the most doesn’t reflect his lived experiences, which are much more diverse.
That said, he is sticking with it. His first game is this coming weekend, and I am excited to show him this cover story when he gets home. It would be easy to cover the fluff stories, and in today’s climate, your story will no doubt make some people uncomfortable. But you did it anyway. Kudos.
— Cate Reed, Pittsburgh
White Guilt
I’m new to US Lacrosse, waiting for my 12-year-old to get off the bus, just in time to have a conversation with him about the ignorance and racism in his new sport — to address with him that because he is white and plays lacrosse, he has to be a racist. I feel sorry for your white guilt. I have no doubt that the black players in the articles were victims of racism, but to castigate an entire race is in itself ignorant.
— Michael J. Sanguigni, Lexington, Ky.
What It’s Like
My son has been discriminated against in this sport both directly and indirectly since he started playing when he was 4. Recently, during the whole first half of a game, a little white kid taunted my son and repeatedly called him a [N-word]. During halftime, my son approached the referee and informed him of the situation, and was told by the referee to “stop complaining and play the game.”
Sadly, this is just one example of many of what it’s like to be black in this sport. Thank you for your interest in this very important social issue that has been harming the game we love for far too long.
— Terry Dorsey, Randallstown, Md.
For a mom who is new to the lacrosse world, it’s nice to see US Lacrosse having open dialogues on race-related topics. It’s a very welcoming feeling for a person that doesn’t look like everybody else. Great job! Keep it going!
— Kellie Nelson Graham
Thank you for having the bravery to acknowledge that the lived realities are different because of the world in which we live. It is unfortunate to see the comments of so many parents who would rather reject and mock this truth.
— Michelle Williams
Never heard that lacrosse is not for every child. Could it be that the resources just haven’t been in place? Check out what Zoe Stukenberg is doing at Patterson in Baltimore.
— Louise Gill Bartley
Together through mindful learning and listening, we can all grow.
— @exracva
As a former player, coach and current varsity official, reading this reminds me of why having thick skin is insurmountable to what it really feels like to run on the field as “the only one.” I appreciate the courageous personal reflection shared in the article. My hope is that those who actually take the time to read it will understand that it is not about pulling a race card, but merely shining light on your truth.
— @queenb_15
My daughter (above) is totally feeling the @USLacrosseMag cover story with Joey Coffy (@CornellWLax). She looked at the cover and said, “Wait mom, is this a joke? Is this for real?!” Representation matters.
— @MomOfAllCapes
While I don’t agree with everything [Joey Coffy] says, I do really like how candid she is. I wish everyone would stop holding back conversations because “they don’t have my background.” The fact of the matter is that most of us struggle. The issues may be different, but most of us struggle.
— @CDubMilner