Coaching wellness, health, and success: Leveraging the potential of Black male coaches to promote positive outcomes for Black K-12 students

ABSTRACT

While there are low percentages of Black males as educators, psychologists, pediatricians, and psychiatrists, Black students are more likely to have a Black male athletic coach. Previous research on the role of Black male coaches has demonstrated that there are several positive outcomes (i.e., academics, social skills, and reducing misbehaviors to deter criminalization) when the racial identity of Black students is matched with a Black coach. Black male coaches are an understudied cultural asset to the Black community. Therefore, this article explores how Black male coaches can be used to accelerate the closure of the opportunity gap by promoting community wellness, health, and academic success for Black youth. The recommendations for policymakers, educators, and school mental health professionals were written in collaboration with a Black male teacher-coach who works in a predominately Black high school setting.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional resources

1. Stevenson, H. C. (Ed.). (2003). Playing with anger: Teaching coping skills to African American boys through athletics and culture. Greenwood Publishing Group.

This book provides activities, case studies, and interventions specifically for Black youth to learn how to cope with life stressors through sports, physical activities, and culture. Educators, coaches, and other children-serving professionals can read the theoretical support for these activities and employ this as an intervention for Black youth.

2. The Champions Network. https://docwayne.org/the-champions-network/

This is a training program for clinicians, coaches, educators, and other youth development professionals to provide “trauma-informed, sport-based, mental health support” for youth. Educators and coaches may be interested in receiving this type of training or consulting with professionals to integrate trauma-informed practices within physical activities in the various settings they interact with youth.

3. Trenton Youth Wrestling. http://mail.trentonyouthwrestling.org/

“The mission of Trenton Youth Wrestling is to instill in young men and women the ideals of Citizenship, Competitive Greatness, and Scholar Athleticism. The focus is on running wrestling and mentoring-based youth development programs for underprivileged student-athletes that alter the trajectory of their lives. This is a no-cost program for 3rd–8th graders. The program is supported by the Wrestlers in Business Network (Princeton Chapter) and The City of Trenton.”