The Tampa Bay Lightning are locked into a tight game against the Montreal Canadians as the last minute of regulation began. It is the second round of the playoffs and the Lightning are on home-ice as fans lean in with hopes of taking a 3-0 lead in the series. Tyler Johnson, who had been the best player for the Lightning leading into this game, finds himself with an opportunity to win the game with 1.1 seconds left on the clock, and BOOM! The Lightning win in extraordinary fashion!
I’m far from a hockey fan, but I knew better than to turn down tickets to a playoff game for the most beloved team in town. What struck me most about this moment, though, was what happened afterwards. There I was, celebrating the victory from the nosebleeds with my good friend who attended the game with me, and then it happened. I turned around and was engaged in the biggest hug I’ve ever given a stranger in my entire life.
Leave it to me to overanalyze a moment of passion, but I thought this instance was so symbolic of the reason sports have such a unique role in our society. Here I am, a young black man, hugging this stranger, who just happened to be an older white man, and there is absolutely nothing strange about it (other than the few awkward minutes we waited to file out of our seats afterwards). Less important was the fact that we’d sat next to each other for the entire game and never even said excuse me when passing in front of one another. The only thing that mattered in that moment was that we won.
I’ve come to realize that this is truly what there is to love about sports. Beyond the competition, the wins and losses, and the amazing athletic ability, sports have the unique ability to instantly create an environment of inclusion in the midst of competition and in the stands for spectators. Once an environment of inclusion is established, diversity is truly able to thrive, and we see that now as we all take pride as a nation in our athlete’s performance in the 2016 Summer Olympics (Shout-out to Simone Biles, Simone Manuel, Michelle Carter, and many others for making history!).
We could all learn something from sports. Dr. Richard Lapchick, a great friend and mentor of mine, opened my heart and mind to a perspective of sports that I have come to embrace wholeheartedly. He says that the ultimate power of sports is in the huddle. When in the huddle, it doesn’t matter your race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, social economic status – all that matters is that we pull together as a team in order to win. Now, just imagine if we could bring that same spirit into all of our communities and institutions.
I agree to a certain point that at the end of the day the win was the only thing that mattered and that sports overall is inclusive but I really think it depends on the sport. Being African American myself and having two boys who play hockey, the color of their skin has mattered. Having played all over the U.S., Russia, Sweden, and Canada some teams were inclusive and others not so much. My summation is that unconscious bias plays a role in the hockey coaches decisions on who to play and how they interact or don’t interact with the players, the billet families who host these hockey players (at the junior level), and the fans in terms of what players they root for. I hope there comes a day when the color of their skin doesn’t matter in all sports but particularly in hockey, but unfortunately it still does.
Deborah – Thank you very much for the comment and perspective! Having been involved with sports at a recreational and more organized level, I acknowledge that personal biases, prejudices and, simply put, opinions do still have an impact of sports (like many institutions) and participation. I don’t mean to insinuate that sports are free from the many -isms that plague our country and others. In fact, the unpleasant experiences of pioneers like Jackie Robinson (MLB) and Nat “Sweet-water” Clifton (NBA) remind us that sports are not immune to the ills of society. Fortunately, in many sports barriers have been knocked down enough for us to enjoy a safe space to a degree today. Considering hockey, a sport that has seemingly excluded African-Americans historically, the lack of representation alone would suggest that there are still barriers to be broken (and I applaud you and your sons on being a part of the push to break those barriers!). Overall, I believe that sports have a unique ability to create an environment for shared experiences that opens doors for communication and compassion at every level, and that often transcends society. Sports has been a platform for that transcendence for a while and many sectors of society lag terribly behind and could learn a thing or two… I am hopeful that the positives of your experiences in a sport that may be lagging outweigh the negatives and create a smoother path for those to follow.
This was so well written. Your eloquence is beyond your years . I am personally moved by this article because I’ve had to deal with discrimination while being an athlete–though many don’t look at cheerleading as a sport — however, at my school, all of the captains were White, and then the co-captain was African American/Hispanic/other, and was always a Senior. My senior year I was up for the role of Captain , and that particular year they decided to wait until mid-season to announce who they had chosen. One of the assistant coaches came to me in tears after a game because she was fed up with the way I was being treated. I cannot wait for the day when Race does not evoke discrimination! What are your thoughts on how we could fix this problem in our society ?
🏒🌟 Kudos to The Inclusion Solution for a thought-provoking piece, “A Point of View: On Hockey and the Power of Sports on Inclusion.” Just like our recent article, ‘Sports Allowance,’ your content beautifully highlights how sports can be a powerful catalyst for fostering inclusion and unity. Your insights into the transformative impact of hockey and its ability to break down barriers resonates deeply. Your commitment to shedding light on such crucial topics makes your article both informative and impactful. Keep championing the cause of inclusion through your exceptional content. Looking forward to more inspiring reads! 🤝🎉 #CompetitorExcellence #InclusiveSportsVision
Great article! It’s heartening to see how hockey, and sports in general, can be a powerful force for inclusion. The way it brings people together, transcending differences, is truly inspiring. Let’s continue championing diversity in the sports world!