Why Coaches of Color Matter #substack #shorts

Name: Why Coaches of Color Matter #substack #shorts
Uploaded: 2026-08-13T18:04:08+00:00
Duration: 55 s
Channel: Matt Fitzgerald
Description: In this short monologue, the speaker, a person of color involved in outdoor sports, reflects on the systemic barriers that limit the presence of athletes…

13 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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In this short monologue, the speaker, a person of color involved in outdoor sports, reflects on the systemic barriers that limit the presence of athletes who look like them at the start line and in positions of influence. They express wonder at their own success and a sense of responsibility to ensure that others recognize outdoor sports as accessible to them. The speaker emphasizes that representation matters: athletes need coaches and mentors who share their racial and cultural background to feel connected and to learn. To address this gap, they advocate for programs such as the Coaches of Color Initiative, which aim to provide visible role models, mentorship, and pathways for underrepresented athletes, thereby expanding inclusion in the outdoors.

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We're out there. People who look like me, we're out there. But there are a lot of barriers that we have to overcome to get to a starting line or to get to a position where we have some clout or some power. You know, most of the start lines I've towed, there aren't a lot of people who look like me. And that, you know, always makes me wonder why and how did I get here? How did I get so lucky to be here? And how can I make sure other people get here too, to know so that they know that this sport is for them. These trails are for them. The outdoors are for them. And so, yeah, we need, we need programs like the Coaches of Color Initiative to provide that representation to athletes so that they can have people that they can connect with and learn from that look like them and have similar experiences and values.