As we close out Black History Month, we wanted to highlight the importance of black coaches in the communities they serve, as told by a few of those coaches based in our Northeast region. We asked four of our coaches:

Why does representation in coaching matter and how do you hope to inspire your students?

Here is what they said:

Coach Chandlor Lyles – Fenway High School – Boston, MA

Representation is important because it is a great way to connect to one another. For example, I am an assistant coach for a varsity women’s high school basketball team where my players are majority women of color. Having a head coach that is an African American male, and me being a woman of color helps me relate to the players in a way a male could never. I understand what is feels like to be a woman and a woman of color in this country. Therefore, I use that to my advantage to confide in and coach my players. I want to make sure they know they have a resource that comprehends what they are going through, feeling and someone to look up to.

I hope to lead by example when it comes to inspiring my students and players. I am an alumnus of the school and have made a great career for myself. My senior year of high school was the first year we won a city and state championship. As a result, I was recruited to play at the college level. In addition, I utilized my great academic skills to go to school for engineering and now work within that field. I am an entrepreneur and I run my own fashion wardrobe business. I always share this information to my students and players to let them know they are more than capable of succeeding and have all the necessary tools to be exceptional at whatever they do.

Coach Marvelous Abraham – Variety Boys & Girls Club – Queens, NY

Representation in coaching means the world. There is a different level of connection and there is an understanding that cannot be defined. Though we may have not walked in the same shoes, there are ways in which we still relate. In coaching, I plan to inspire kids to work hard and to be the architect of their own fortune. I want to inspire them; working hard isn’t easy, but it produces the best results. Lastly, I want to inspire them to be anyone they want to be. They each have a purpose and I want to help them reach that purpose to the fullest of their abilities.

JC Tabb – Kids In The Game – New York, NY

Seeing someone who looks like you, has natural hair like you, faces the same daily struggle as you, and who understands you on a personal level because of shared experiences is a gift and a blessing. That’s why representation matters. I have the unique privilege of working in a school with a large group of both African American and Jewish American children, and I have looked up to Jewish athletes throughout history as well as some African American ones who the kids may not be familiar with. Hopefully, my presence is showing them that they can do anything they put their minds to.

Brandon Pack – Variety Boys & Girls Club – Queens, NY

Representation in coaching is important because it promotes inclusivity throughout sports. This goes for race, gender, sexual orientation, and so on and so forth. Far too many people (youth especially) are discouraged from getting involved in certain sports because they don’t see people that represent who they are. That’s why I personally make it my mission to get everyone involved in a game. From the youth that a sport comes naturally to, to the one who struggle with it, to the one who is afraid to even try because they think it’s not “for them.” Sport is for everyone; it brings people together, so that’s what my inspiration is and what I hope to pass on to my youth.