Via Fair Observer, commentary on soccer's problem with racism and why it persists in the most globally inclusive and culturally diverse sport the world has ever seen:
“Racism is Normal”
“This organization is an [...]
Courtesy of The Washington Post, commentary on the growth of high school girls' wrestling, a great example of how sport can change perspectives and often play a key role in breaking down racial, gender, socioeconomic and [...]
Via Global Sport Matters, an article on how college athletes are raising the alarm on mental health:
As college campuses across the United States rally around and reckon with athlete mental health, Gen Z college athletes are [...]
May
25,
2023
Courtesy of The Washington Post, a look at how college athletes mobilized after George Floyd but, three years later, those groups have evolved:
Taiya Shelby wanted to capitalize on the moment.
Shelby, a member of the [...]
May
25,
2023
Via CBR, a look at a progressive Peanuts' Charlie Brown comic from 1 October 1979 that focused on equality in sports:
In perhaps Schulz’s most direct confrontation of a political issue, he uses Peppermint Patty as an [...]
Via Andscape, an article on a longtime friend of Jim Brown's on the legacy of Brown's impact on civil rights - ‘He never thought the job was finished’:
On June 4, 1967, the Cleveland Summit, which is also referred to as [...]
ABOUT
MORE THAN A GAME
Refusing to “just shut up and play,” more and more athletes are stepping off the court, the field, the pitch, or the ice to leverage their voices and platforms to push for social change. This blog - More Than A Game - is a forum dedicated to the inspirational convergence of athletics, politics, leadership, and social change.
Muhammad Ali. Billie Jean King. John Carlos and Tommie Smith. Maya Moore. Colin Kaepernick. Megan Rapinoe and the United States National Women’s Soccer Team. Francois Pienaar. LeBron James. These are but a few of the accomplished athletes who have also demonstrated leadership in sports and social change, contributing to movements such as Black Lives Matter, the Civil Rights movement, anti-war protests, gender equality, LGBTQ rights and other critical issues.
But the role of athletes in leadership and social change is not limited to the pages of history books, nor is the connection between sports and social change only driven by individual athletes and teams. Inspirational organizations like Athlete Ally, Peace Players, Grassroots Soccer, and others are using sports as a way to pull people together behind a common cause, to bridge divides or to promote public health today.
Whether you are an athlete yourself or have never picked up a ball, More Than A Game will provide a forum to learn about brave athletes, teams, and sports-related organizations which exercised their leadership to foster a better understanding of social causes, advocacy, and changemaking for important causes throughout history.