Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 14, 1993 TAG: 9310140237
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DES MOINES, IOWA LENGTH: Medium
Frustrated by scholarship cuts and other matters affecting minorities, black coaches will try to make a point with their absence instead of their voice.
The Black Coaches Association will boycott a basketball coaches' issues forum starting Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C. More than 100 black coaches had been expected to attend.
They're staying away even though the gathering will address many of their concerns. Association director Rudy Washington said Wednesday he and his colleagues are tired of talking.
"That's all we've been doing is going to committees and forums," said Washington, the head coach at Drake. "Quite frankly, I've been in this system for 20 years and nothing has changed. Therefore, we have to go outside what has been traditional for us to try to get results."
The BCA, which has 3,000 members, agreed to the boycott at a meeting in Chicago two weeks ago. Washington said it's the first of several actions the association is planning to draw attention to its concerns over discriminatory practices that affect athletes and coaches.
Those actions could include boycotting games.
"I think everything is a possibility at this point," Washington said.
While declining to reveal specific plans, Washington said representatives of his association will meet with the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.
That group is expected to include John Thompson of Georgetown, George Raveling of Southern Cal and Nolan Richardson of Arkansas.
"They have the ability to create changes through government legislation if we can get them behind us," Washington said.
"We have a laundry list of people we're going to make appeals to and passionate pleas to. As a result of that, we will determine what direction we go. We're serious about what we're doing. We're in it for the long haul."
The BCA's concerns include the reduction in scholarship limits by the NCAA, the number of minorities in coaching and college faculties, and the absence of black executives in the NCAA or USA Basketball. Neither group has any, Washington said.
The scholarship limit, which went from 14 to 13 at Division I schools this year, hurts blacks more than others, Washington said.
"If we represent 60 to 70 percent of the basketball players and every school has one less scholarship, then that disproportionately affects us in terms of people unable to get a scholarship," he said.
"For a black person, a scholarship is a necessity, not a luxury. Therefore, it's of primary concern to us."
With black athletes being in the majority, Washington said schools need to hire more blacks in teaching and coaching positions.
by CNB