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New spotlight on diversity in world of college coaching

Jeff Capel is the most successful African American coach in Division I basketball this year, leading the Oklahoma Sooners to 25 wins in their first 26 games and a No. 2 national ranking. (Icon Photo)

The history of a nation is a story of small steps and great leaps.

Every year, that can be seen in the celebration of Black History Month, as the nation takes a look at milestones achieved by African Americans and challenges still to be faced.

This month, sports fans are being reminded that in some fields many challenges remain in the journey to equal opportunity.

This reminder comes in the form of a new report on opportunities for coaches in college sports.

The 2008 Racial and Gender Report Card for College Sport is part of an ongoing study of race and gender opportunities in coaching by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida.

The report uses Division I college basketball to illustrate the gap between the percentage of African Americans playing on Division I teams and the percentage of African Americans who coach those teams.

In men’s basketball, according to the latest statistics, 60.4 percent of Division I athletes are African American, while just 22.9 percent of coaches are.

In women’s basketball, African Americans account for 47.4 percent of athletes but just 13.6 percent of coaches.

The report was based on statistics compiled from 2006 through 2008.

The report noted that the percentage “disparity” between African American players and coaches had prompted the Black Coaches & Administrators association to start a Women’s Basketball Hiring Report Card for major colleges.

The report also noted a decline in the percentage of African Americans coaching men’s basketball at top schools. But despite the decline, it stressed that “Division I men’s basketball continues to be the best representation of diversity at all levels and across all college sports.”

What about football?

The release of last week’s Racial and Gender Report Card renews a debate that has been going on for several years about coaching opportunities for African Americans and other minorities in major college sports.

According to the latest USA Today basketball polls, not a single Top 25 Division I women’s team is coached by an African American and just five of the Top 25 men’s teams are.

In college football, just seven of 120 major teams are now coached by African Americans. Most of them were hired to coach struggling teams.

Legal challenge?

The Black Coaches & Administrators association was formed 20 years ago in an attempt to persuade colleges and universities to hire more minority coaches.

After years of frustration, the BCA is now considering a court challenge over football.

BCA executive director Floyd Keith has opened a hotline for coaches to call and report information about potential discrimination against minority coaches.

The goal is to find a test case on which to challenge university sports hiring under the nation’s Civil Rights laws.

“We are looking very strongly at every case,” Keith told the Associated Press news service. “I think someone is going to get tired of listening to the excuses.”

Minorities play an increasingly important role in the success of college sports teams, especially in basketball and football. Yet the percentage of African Americans who coach college teams remains small. As a class, discuss what you think are the main reasons there is a lower percentage of African Americans coaching than playing. Is it important to have minorities coaching? Why or why not?

Through college sports, top athletes have been able to go on to professional careers, while others have been able to use the education they received to find success in other careers. Find a story in the newspaper about an African American who is success-ful in a career. Write a paragraph describing how college contributed to that person’s success.

College scholarships give athletes an opportunity to play at a high level, prepare for possible professional careers, and gain contacts and experience that could help them in careers outside sports. Scholarships also are important to students who have non-sports skills. With a partner, brainstorm ideas for scholarships in fields that you think would benefit your community. Write a short newspaper editorial explaining your ideas.

The “March Madness” of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments is just weeks away. Follow news about the top men’s and women’s teams in Division I for the next week or two. Then write a paragraph predicting which teams you think will be most successful in this year’s tournaments.