In honour of Black History Month, I thought it was a good time to assess the policies and initiatives present at Queen’s and nationwide that aim to promote inclusivity and diversity in sports.
Traditionally, a lack of representation, along with economic barriers, has kept Black children from participating in organized sports. Inclusivity and diversity, I believe, are products of accessibility can only be achieved by reducing the barriers surrounding sports in Canada.
Although professional leagues like the NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB make efforts to provide children with the resources needed participate in organized sports at a young age, semi- or non-professional organizations need to be making just as much, if not
more, of an effort to include marginalized identities.
Historically, Black athletes were systemically banned from hockey leagues in Canada, leading to the establishment of the Coloured Hockey League (CHL) in the Maritimes in 1895.
Although the CHL became home to over 400 Black athletes from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, the CHL faced immense backlash and fell victim to the same stereotypes that were born in the slave era, labelling players as violent and unskilled.
Because of these stereotypes, Black hockey players were essentially barred from participating in major leagues across North America.
Herb Carnegie, for example, is perhaps the best Black hockey player to have never played in the NHL. After overcoming significant obstacles in the 40s and 50s, Carnegie was lowballed by the New York Rangers, leading him to decline the offer. Foul play at an executive level was something many Black hockey players were subjected to, and being offered significantly less money than white players regardless of their skill wasn’t a rare occurance.
Willie O’Ree was the first Black hockey player to break through the colour barrier in 1958 when he signed a contract with the
Boston Bruins.
However, this was not met with immediate change. Only recently, the NHL designed the Black History Month mobile museum in 2019 to commemorate Black hockey players. As of 2019, less than five per cent of NHL players identified as Black, a testament to the socioeconomic obstacles that still limit the sport’s accessibility today.
In 2022, U SPORTS created the Athletes on Track
program, providing Black athletes and students with employment, internships, and mentorship opportunities.
Athletes on Track aims to improve the diversity and inclusion of Black athletes in Canadian U SPORTS by making managerial positions more accessible to them.
U SPORTS also partners with the BlackNorth Connect Program, an initiative designed to connect Black students with mentorships, bursaries, and scholarships.
At Queen’s, alumni like ex-rugby star Amelia Stapley, ArtSci ’23, have already begun driving much-needed change to make the university more diverse, inclusive and accessible.
Stapley did a lot of work during her tenure on Queens’ Athletics & Recreation’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Indigenization Task Force, where she campaigned for the establishment of a mentorship program here at Queen’s.
While these programs are a testament to Queen’s commitment to making a change in the lives of our student-athletes and creating a truly diverse and inclusive landscape here on campus, much more can must be done at a grassroots level.
Queen’s does a great job connecting with youth sports programs—many of our teams like Queen’s Women’s Basketball, host summer camps where children can learn from their Gaels idols.
It would be great to see them tailor a program for Black youth or other underprivileged demographics.
Representation, inclusivity, and accessibility can’t be built overnight, and it will take commitment and dedication to fostering the continued growth of and appreciation for Black identities in sport.
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