~ From the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association ~
Atlanta, GA – As recommended by the WBCA Social Justice Task Force and adopted by the WBCA Board of Directors, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association released the following statement in support of civic engagement by coaches and student-athletes.
“The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association supports civic engagement of our coaches and student-athletes who choose to use their platform as leaders to advocate for social justice issues that are important to them. We stand with coaches and student-athletes who demonstrate their respective convictions through a lens of education and respect.”
The WBCA also unveiled today a new WBCA Social Justice video and a template for this video that programs can customize. The video can be used in-game, during broadcast breaks, live streams, and on other digital avenues. It is one of many resources available to coaches on the association’s Diversity & Inclusion page on its website.
“The WBCA is pleased to issue this statement of support for coaches and student-athletes who are seeking to raise public awareness of social justice issues and to provide this video that calls attention to their efforts,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle M. Donehew. “The WBCA Board of Directors is and remains committed to equipping member coaches as they have important conversations with their teams throughout the year.”
“The Social Justice Task Force and the WBCA are committed to the fight for social justice and change,” said Charmin Smith, Social Justice Task Force co-chair, University of California-Berkeley head coach, and WBCA Board of Directors and Diversity & Inclusion Committee member. “It is imperative that our coaches and student-athletes know that the association supports them 100 percent as many choose to engage in the effort to create a more inclusive and equitable environment within women’s basketball and college athletics as a whole.”
The WBCA and the task force are committed to the fight for social justice and the equality of black and brown coaches and student-athletes within the sport.
To stay up-to-date on programming, initiatives, resources and education from the WBCA Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the WBCA Social Justice Task Force, visit the WBCA Diversity & Inclusion page and follow the WBCA on social media (@WBCA1981).
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the Association.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
