The Women’s Coaches Advocacy Group distributes a quarterly newsletter to keep its members up to date on news, deadlines and other association happenings. The newsletter also serves to let members know what the group is working on, highlighting group members and information on how you can get involved. Below is a letter from group chair Haley Carter. To read the full newsletter, click here.
Letter from the Chair, Haley Carter
Colleagues, Friends, and Family,
The past several months have brought with them unprecedented challenges within the game and our lives.
The continued, systemic racism in our nation and inherently, within our footballing community, is not acceptable.
The Women Coaches Advocacy Group stands in solidarity with the Black Coaches Advocacy Group, the Black community, and all People of Color. We condemn the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others, as well as the historical and continued racial oppression faced by the Black community in the United States. We share in the grief and anger caused by the unjustified killings, we mourn their deaths, and we offer our most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victims.
As America celebrates its 244th anniversary as a nation, recent events remind us that there is considerable work to be done to eradicate systemic racism and ensure equality for all Black people and People of Color. Our society is bettered by diversity, and Black American lives should be celebrated. We pledge to promote diversity and inclusion within our organization and to continue the conversation of how we can effect meaningful change.
As coaches, players, and administrators of the beautiful game, we are in a fantastic position to enact change in our community. Moving forward, the Women’s Group will publish one coach’s story in each newsletter that will shine a light on racial inequality within the game. This commitment is done in recognition that each member of the Black diaspora has a unique perspective — no Black person speaks for all Black people. Although all have witnessed the latest instances of injustice, each has come away with their own unique understanding of what happened and what needs to happen next. Our goal is to gather stories that can empower and educate all coaches on the issues facing the Black community. Our topic coverage will not be exhaustive, but it will hopefully be a start. If you or anyone you know has a topic or resource that you feel would be beneficial to our community, please send them to Christina Sarokon at christinas1111@gmail.com.
We must take responsibility and we must be unrelenting in our actions to make change. The onus is on us, as allies and individuals, to confront the pervasive racism rooted within and beyond our own community. We are committed to fostering the dialogue, to listen, and to learn in order to ensure that we are creating a safe and inclusive environment for all Black lives.
We must do better. Black Lives Matter.
In Solidarity,
Haley Carter
Chair, Women Coaches Advocacy Group