It is impossible to avoid biases and assumptions. Your teams will almost certainly include a variety of athletes from different backgrounds and experiences. As a coach, assumptions about these athletes can be dangerous.
Here,TrueSport ExpertsKevin Chapman, PhD, clinical psychologist and the founder of The Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and President of Now What Facilitation Nadia Kyba MSW are explaining how you can start to acknowledge your current assumptions and create an equitable team environment.
1. ASSUMPTION – YOU DON’T HAVE BIALES, PERIOD.
No matter your circumstances, you are raised with certain biases. Kyba explains how a white doll is given to a young girl as a gift. This is because gender roles are being enforced and girls are being taught that whiteness is the default, and that being white is the norm. It is important to be honest about your biases. Spend some time journaling or thinking about your biases. Ask yourself which biases are influencing your decision-making.
2. ASSUMPTION: COACHES SHOULD “COLORBLIND”
It doesn’t matter if you are talking about race, religion, gender, or any other aspect of identity. You might have said, “We are all the same,” or “I don’t see color,” or “There’s no difference between X or Y groups.” There are differences and they should not be ignored. It’s offensive to suggest that a young Black female athlete experiences the same life as a White male athlete.
“It can be difficult for people to recognize differences. Chapman says that it is important not to adopt a colorblind coaching approach. “Sports are known for making us all feel the same. They are the great equalizer. Sports are where people can come together and let go of all else in order win. While this has many benefits, it is not the same for everyone. If I adopt a “colorblind” approach as a coach (meaning I don’t see color), that means that I discount an athlete’s personal experience as marginalized.
3. ASSUMPTION – BOYS TRAIN ONE TIME, GIRLS TRAIN THE OTHER
This is a challenging area. It is important to recognize the differences between genders. Gender identity is an integral part of every athlete’s daily life. It’s easy to fall for gender stereotypes once you get beyond that point. Chapman says that, for example, it is assumed that females can express certain emotions that males don’t. “This encourages emotional dysregulation as it forces young men down to suppress their feelings.”
On the other end of the spectrum, coaches, especially for young athletes, may assume that girls and boys are the same. Unfortunately, boys and girls are often socialized differently. You need to recognize that they’ve lived with certain stereotypes for many years.
4. ASSUMPTION: YOU CAN VISIT DIFFERENCES
Apart from obvious differences in gender and race, there are subtle differences that athletes may have that are equally important to be aware of. It is easy to assume that a young female athlete is a cisgender straight young woman. However, she could be transgender and still struggle to use public restrooms or share space with her teammates. An athlete who seems to be male could identify as female or vice versa. A Muslim athlete may need privacy and space to pray when away from competitions. He might not be any different from his Christian teammates. AndSome disabilitiesWhile cognitive and neuro disabilities are not always obvious, athletes may have special accessibility needs or require additional guidance.
5. ASSUMPTION: IF THERE ISN’T A PROBLEM, WE DON’T NEED TO TALK ABOUT GENDER/RACE/SEXUALITY/ETC.
As a coach, the worst thing is to assume everything. Asking everything is the best thing you can do. Chapman says that people tend to avoid discussing uncomfortable topics. “As a psychologist I often hear from coaches who felt uncomfortable bringing up topics such as race or sexuality, but found great benefits from having those conversations.” People from marginalized groups can smell you avoidance a mile away.
6. ASSUMPTION – ALL ATHETES CAN SPEAK TO YOU THE SAME WAY
It’s important to remember that even if you know an athlete’s race/religion/class/gender, you still don’t know their actual lived experience. “For example, an athlete from another race may be your friend.Who was abused as a child?Chapman states that if you shout at an athlete of your race or a member of your family, it can have a totally different effect than on any other athlete.”
7. ASSUMPTION: WORLDWIDE ISSUES ARE NOT COMING ONTO THE PLAYING FIELD
While your team may be encouraging acceptance and diversity, keep in mind that athletes can still be traumatized by global issues. Black athletes will be affected by the Black Lives Matter movement. COVID-19 has led to an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans. In many states, transgender youth are losing their rights. There is an increase in hate crimes against the Jewish Community. “Are you checking in on your athletes and making sure they’re OK?” asks Kyba. “Continually challenge yourself to think about the impact of world events on your team. I understand why people are concerned about bringing up issues like this. They fear saying something that might offend or trigger someone. You’re complicit in avoiding bringing up these issues.You are not encouraging your team or yourself to learn.”
8. ASSUMPTION: YOUR TEAM IS NOT COMPLAINED OF A DIVERSITY ISUE, SO YOU DON’T HAVE ONE
It’s similar to asking your unconscious biases questions, it’s important that you acknowledge that.A lack of complaints from athletesBeing part of a team does not mean you will have no problems. Kyba suggests, “Look at what systems are in place.” Are you considering the needs of your team members? When it comes to allocating resources, are you giving priority to the guys? What kind of faith-based holidays could impact your team? Are the uniforms comfortable for all genders/religions/cultures? Is the colonialist history of the team name? How are women and minorities represented on the team?Is there accessibility available for people with disabilitiesAre there safe restrooms that allow gender fluidity to be celebrated? When scheduling team commitments, have you considered financial privilege? Ask yourself these questions and be honest with yourself.
9. ASSUMPTION – ATHLETES WILL COME TO YOUR HOME WITH ISSUES
It is extremely difficult for athletes to do this.Report bullying or microaggressions. For some athletes, it can be difficult to ask for what their needs are. It’s important to make sure you have everything you need.Policy in place to make athletes feel at ease coming to youThese issues are not uncommon. Kyba states that an athlete may be in transition and not feel comfortable sharing a hotel bed during a competition weekend. You may have an athlete that needs to leave competitions or practice to go to a quiet place and needs help finding a space. Although you cannot predict the needs of every athlete you can make sure they know you are available to help them.
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Takeaway
It can be difficult to face your biases and assumptions about race, gender, religion, sexuality, ability, and other topics. It can be difficult to recognize your biases and assumptions so you can create a more equitable environment. While it may feel uncomfortable to admit to your biases and assumptions, it will make you more capable of serving all your players.
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