The Locker Room

13Humility and Grace

All eyes were on Coach Washington in the packed  and silent locker room. He was proud of his friend for taking charge and being vulnerable. Coach Smitty's passionate and authentic plea was working. The energy had shifted and the team was listening.

Coach Washington wanted the ball first because he knew it was important for the players of color to hear from him immediately. Having been the minority in many rooms, he could empathize with their apprehension to participate in a group forum where everyone would get to speak freely on such a sensitive topic.

Holding the football up high, to show he had the floor, Coach Washington began.

“Thank you for your sincerity and your willingness to admit your mistake, Coach Smitty. That requires humility, a necessary ingredient if we are going to fix our broken locker room.

“Gentlemen, I will always shoot straight with you. Like you, I signed the contract that requires INTEGRITY OVER EVERYTHING. This conversation, in this locker room, is unlike any conversation I have ever been invited to engage in. As a Black man, I have never been asked by a white man, in a room full of people, to share my experiences regarding racism.”

His face was stern, but on the inside he was smiling. This was progress. Just like the Six Pillars stated: GROWTH FOLLOWS BELIEF. Coach Washington believed this was going to be a powerful conversation, where healing, forgiveness, and growth would take place. As a coach, he could not have asked for a ...