Bigotry and Racism in Soccer

There seems to be a constant stream of news items from the world of soccer concerning prejudices directed at players, coaches, referees and fans of the game.  I have seen players under my guidance discriminated against and unfortunately on one occasion had a player act discriminatory against a referee crew.  Sadly, we have not yet learned our lessons from slavery, the Nazi's or religious inquisitions. In good faith I cannot begin to list all the groups who are labeled and discriminated against.  It is a sad commentary on both our society and the global state of affairs. Unfortunately I am fairly confident each and every one of us has been a victim of bigotry and prejudice.

I am going to share two personal instances with you. One in a broad sense and the other quite intimate. With this being Holy week I find the timing to be appropriate.

Being of Native American heritage I can claim some expertise on what it is to be a target of prejudice. No group of people have been discriminated against like The People have been since the white man set foot in the Americas.  Not the African-American slaves, the Chinese and Irish who built the railroads ... no one. I myself have not had direct experience with this as I am not a full blooded Native American.  The sub group I would be in was often discriminated against by both the white man and Native Americans. 

On a much more personal level I experienced hatred and isolation on a scale I find embarrassing considering that we supposedly live in an enlightened and tolerant society.  Try being a Lutheran coaching at a Catholic High School.  The hate filled vitriol I was subjected to both in private and in public shames the supposedly Christian environment of a Catholic school setting.  I have never felt so alone, so isolated, so excluded as I did in the midst of the players, families and administration of that school.

Here's the truly strange aspect of my experience as a Lutheran coaching in a Catholic school - one of the primary reasons I accepted the position was because I had been contemplating converting to Catholicism.  I prayed on a regular basis for guidance in making a decision on this.  I asked God to provide me His answer and I believe He did.  Never once did anyone - player, assistant coach, administrator, parents, priest  - anyone speak with me about their beliefs.  I had to seek out and ask about rituals, traditions, creeds and prayers unfamiliar to me and the responses, when they did come, came excruciatingly slow if they came at all.  It was as if their minds were made up about me before they ever got to know me. Truth be told, with very few exceptions, no one there did ever get to know the real me.  I was labeled.  The label was negative. No one cared if it was accurate or not. 

The prejudice and hatred I endured at the hands of the Catholics I interacted with through my role as a soccer coach is God's answer to my prayers about possibly converting to Catholicism.  Now, in no way shape or form do I lump all Catholics in with those who treated me so hurtfully and disrespectfully.  I have many friends who are Catholic and I know them to be outstanding people - friends and neighbors, loved ones.  I believe, I have to believe, my experiences as a Lutheran coach at a Catholic high school were isolated incidents.

As a coach, I preach to our team members about being inclusive. Every member of our team is an equal. We cherish and value each members contributions to the team. No one individual more important than the next.  When we step on the pitch, race, creed, sexual preference, and all other exclusionary labels are left behind in favor of an inclusive label of player or team member. 

In recent days I read of a middle school basketball game that was stopped as team members went into the stands to confront a bully who was picking on a cheerleader with Downs Syndrome.  What heroes these young men are!  In another incident AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng recently left the field in protest after being the victim of what his club described as racist abuse. In a show of unity and support his teammates and officials followed Boateng off the pitch!   And I wondered where my hero was during my time as a Lutheran soccer coach at a Catholic high school?  Bigotry and prejudice will not be stopped until the bullies perpetrating it are stood up to.  And bigots can be found in every race, creed and label known to man.

You must make a stand against prejudice and bigotry. 

Until we each do our part the exclusiveness of bigotry and prejudice will remain.