Interesting Racism Piece from a Bowdoin Player

[clubball43]

I applaud the young man for writing and posting about his experiences. Read the letter closely. Not many people on this forum walk in his shoes and it’s worth really thinking about and discussing. No need to try to debate his points or argue the other side...just take a few minutes to consider his path.

[Matnum PI]

ClubBall, for whatever reason, for some, empathy does not come easily.

[MA Lax Fan]

“Let’s make lacrosse more inclusive” says all the woke, liberal, rich parents.

At the same time these same parents are paying $4,000 - $5,000 a year for club and spending $200,000 on their 19 year old’s prep school.....all hoping billy gets to play in college.

One of the best things for the sport is to promote it in the public schools and stop embracing this insanely expensive “club culture”.

[MA Lax Fan]

Also,

I’ve seen it a thousand times watching the summer club circuit. These parents and prep schools love inclusivity only when the black kid is an absolute stud. They will let him play for free, they will get him into Deerfield for free, etc....

But what about all the other black kids who just love the game but maybe aren’t that good?

Where are the parents and schools that want to embrace these kids.

I don’t see any of these woke prep schools opening their doors for blacks unless they are dominant on the field or court and that sucks.

[Matnum PI]

Listened to a Lacrosse discussion about diversity, racism, etc. and... It was a pretty bland discussion. In this discussion, Trevor Baptiste talks about being the low man in the pecking order at Denver (with a meaningful pause) and then how this changed relatively quickly when he was an upperclassman and Trevor discussed how helpful this power was and how much of the racism issue is about power and... It was a weak discussion. The moderator sensed that Trevor was roaming into some very real territory and he quickly shuffled away from it. Which was a shame. What it's like to be a black with and without power, both on the field and in the world, is an interesting direction.

[viper]

“Let’s make lacrosse more inclusive” says all the woke, liberal, rich parents.

At the same time these same parents are paying $4,000 - $5,000 a year for club and spending $200,000 on their 19 year old’s prep school.....all hoping billy gets to play in college.

One of the best things for the sport is to promote it in the public schools and stop embracing this insanely expensive “club culture”.

I agree 100% with your last statement. Unfortunately as long as their is $$ to be had here will be folks vying for that with their clubs, tournament providers, video services, etc. It's like the early recruiting thing - every college coach was "against it" but unless all were to give it up together, then nobody would give it up and lose an "advantage". It only changed when it was mandated.

[shoothi]

You want more inclusion, playing time etc.....get better....plenty of ways to do that on your own to get noticed.

Enough of the mamby pamby oh wooo is me, deal with life....if your not happy in your situation, either get happy or get out. No one is forcing you to stay.

For all you that feel this is insensitive....call me whatever you want...

[ergit]

More diversity and inclusion would be good for the sport of lacrosse, would contribute to its growth, and elevate the level of play. Without it, the sport will wither toward a long, slow, lingering death. Seen with my own eyes, the sport is predominantly, though not exclusively, wealthy and overwhelmingly white. I imagine a bit like polo...

[ergit]

I applaud the young man for writing and posting about his experiences. Read the letter closely. Not many people on this forum walk in his shoes and it’s worth really thinking about and discussing. No need to try to debate his points or argue the other side...just take a few minutes to consider his path.

Agreed.

[SidelineHorn]

The college coaching world could put an end to the club sports madness....but then they wouldn't reap the benefits...always follow the money.

[Surfs_Up]

There is definitely some sad racism situations in that article that continue to fester in all areas with stereotyping that happens all too much.

But, the diversity in lacrosse isn't necessarily a racism issue. Basketball, Football, has far more scholarships and the opportunity for a big pay off. What does lacrosse offer - predominately east coast schools, little money, and no future post lacrosse. If you are a super athlete, would lacrosse be where you would put your effort? Combine that with the cost, little tv exposure to show people the possibilities, its just an under the radar sport.

I hate comparing lacrosse to soccer, but they do seem to have parallels in this area in the USA. Soccer is cheaper though from an equipment perspective.

[Matnum PI]

Similar to you (though understandably not the same), Surfs up, I don't understand the emphasis and importance of diversity in lacrosse. Whether blacks play football or basketball over lacrosse or hockey strikes me as irrelevant. What most certainly is relevant is that, despite the small numbers of blacks (and other minority groups) within the sport, lacrosse players need to become more empathetic towards blacks, more sensitive to the other side of the literal and metaphorical segregated fences that course through america.

[Unknown Participant]

Similar to you (though understandably not the same), Surfs up, I don't understand the emphasis and importance of diversity in lacrosse. Whether blacks play football or basketball over lacrosse or hockey strikes me as irrelevant. What most certainly is relevant is that, despite the small numbers of blacks (and other minority groups) within the sport, lacrosse players need to become more empathetic towards blacks, more sensitive to the other side of the literal and metaphorical segregated fences that course through america.

Why are you singling out lacrosse players? How about non-black people "need to become more empathetic towards blacks, more sensitive to the other side of the literal and metaphorical segregated fences that course through america."

[Jim Malone]

Not just Blacks; sorta, kinda, like all non-white.

Too bad it is just not a discussion heading toward positive result.

Seems to be a platform for the bad guys to get going again in uncivilized manner disturbing the attempts to put civilized processes in place for resolutions.

Agree or disagree with this young man's Op-Ed, this is what the country is discussing. And, from where I'm sitting, this is an important discussion. A discussion about being more sensitive and empathetic towards Blacks.

[Matnum PI]

Similar to you (though understandably not the same), Surfs up, I don't understand the emphasis and importance of diversity in lacrosse. Whether blacks play football or basketball over lacrosse or hockey strikes me as irrelevant. What most certainly is relevant is that, despite the small numbers of blacks (and other minority groups) within the sport, lacrosse players need to become more empathetic towards blacks, more sensitive to the other side of the literal and metaphorical segregated fences that course through america.

Why are you singling out lacrosse players? How about non-black people "need to become more empathetic towards blacks, more sensitive to the other side of the literal and metaphorical segregated fences that course through america."

because we're a "lacrosse community".

[McLax]

Why are you singling out lacrosse players?

because we're a "lacrosse community".

Mic drop, thread closed.

[kramerica.inc]

Similar to you (though understandably not the same), Surfs up, I don't understand the emphasis and importance of diversity in lacrosse. Whether blacks play football or basketball over lacrosse or hockey strikes me as irrelevant. What most certainly is relevant is that, despite the small numbers of blacks (and other minority groups) within the sport, lacrosse players need to become more empathetic towards blacks, more sensitive to the other side of the literal and metaphorical segregated fences that course through america.

How do you propose that lacrosse players be more empathetic to blacks and more sensitive to the other side of the fence?

[Matnum PI]

How do you propose that lacrosse players be more empathetic to blacks and more sensitive to the other side of the fence?

The more I have discussions around the subject of empathy, the more I believe that the only way to become more empathetic is (1) just being fortunate in that G-d made you an empathetic person or (2) by experiencing other-ness, the vulnerability and pain of being an outsider. For many, many lacrosse players, I question whether this will happen. (i.e. It's very hard to make someone who doesn't care care.) But, if it does, it'll start with wanting to be empathetic. It'll start with lacrosse players having a sincere interest in lessening the pain of another person. The player will need empathy in order to attain more empathy. I think slow and steady increases in empathy is the goal. And, by having lacrosse stars, coaches, etc. espouse the importance of empathy, this will go a long way.

[dont ball watch]

“Let’s make lacrosse more inclusive” says all the woke, liberal, rich parents.

At the same time these same parents are paying $4,000 - $5,000 a year for club and spending $200,000 on their 19 year old’s prep school.....all hoping billy gets to play in college.

One of the best things for the sport is to promote it in the public schools and stop embracing this insanely expensive “club culture”.

The ONLY way we are going to increase public school/minority participation in this country is to implement 3v3 style (non-contact) lacrosse in the Middle + High School P.E. system (elementary school would be tougher in a lot of the country, but certainly in traditional lacrosse locations it's much easier/more common). Think along the same lines as schools that teach "broom ball", kickball, gym floor hockey, & of course-basketball, etc.

This approach simplifies the issue of equipment need/start up costs at public schools by setting up each school with say 100-150 boys sticks + 100-150 girls sticks. P.E. coaches are able to fill some severely underserved P.E. class periods/hours with actual skills of hand-eye coordination. Year to year you would maybe need to replace 10% due to damage, "lost"/theft, etc.
For brand new kids to lacrosse; the learning of HOW to use a lacrosse stick to pass, shoot, scoop etc. is one of gradual progression & can be achieved over the course of a 2-4 week time frame of P.E. class periods. After that, the basic concepts of the 3v3 game can be introduced, reviewed, & then "pick-up" style play can commence any time they wish, indoor or outdoor (weather + space permitting), in P.E. for the rest of the school year. You just repeat the process year after year until you really don't have to teach the beginning basics anymore.

Once you have 100s/1000s of kids in your school playing for fun in your P.E. classes, you simply add on to the full field/contact game by taking all of the highly interested players & form teams, hold tryouts, etc. You get the schools/athletic departments to own their school based team equipment & inventory it like they do with football or hockey equipment, which takes the financial barrier to entry burden is taken OFF of the individuals. Those that want their own equipment can still purchase what they want, within state league specs to match team equipment & all of that.

IMHO, US Lacrosse needs to be concentrating ALL of their growth efforts in the education system by breaking into the P.E. classes at every single school district in the country. Offer college internship credit to any/all college level lacrosse student-athletes in the country to head to the various schools to be the US Lacrosse "Ambassadors" that assist the P.E. coaches in learning + teaching the skills, concepts, etc. Figure out some way to get into the public school systems from a Federal level that filters down into the state/independent school district levels to where no Principal, AD, or coach can deny the opportunity.

At the same time, the lacrosse equipment companies need to SERIOUSLY figure out a plan for team equipment packages that are of a quality/standard for team bulk ordering that will last for 3-4+ seasons of HS practice + play at an affordable level to the schools/districts/school boards/tax payers. Yes, I get it they are a business & their interest is profit. Well, they can still make the public school team bulk ordering profitable, even ever so slightly, because the long term benefits will be the exponential growth of the lacrosse equipment/apparel sales at the club level as clubs begin to spring up in every corner of every county of every state. It's 1000% in their best interest to figure out the best route(s) to make this happen on a country wide scale (heck, even world-wide-dare to dream). Because you will ALWAYS have the Smiths + Joneses trying to keep up in the club/travel & even the HS game (big time public programs vs. each other as well as vs. the private school teams with deep pockets).
Once 1000s more high schools are playing, that's 100,000s more players playing which means you're selling 100,000s more equipment making the production costs continue to drop, thus allowing for more economically burdened families to afford their own equipment & the cycle just continues for the better!


Don't respond with more road blocks or problems. Respond with those + your ideas for how to beat/get around/overcome them.

[TopShelf]

I'm confused. Are there no white hoodlums? I'm pretty sure I was one.