Tackling the lack of recognition for Black coaches
NORTH TEXAS - This week, six North Texas High Schools earned the right to compete for a state football championship. But, the three who will take the field Saturday at AT&T Stadium will be on center stage, for more reasons than one.
It's a topic that the coaches are not afraid to tackle because it's an issue that's real and needs to be discussed—the lack of recognition for successful Black coaches. Duncanville head coach Reggie Samples, DeSoto head coach Claude Mathis and South Oak Cliff head coach Jason Todd say they deserve just as much recognition for wins as the talent they coach.
"I am beyond tired of it," Mathis said. "I've had enough of it."
Mathis, whos Eagles are undefeated, says he's tired of the misconception that often when African American coaches achieve the ultimate success it's attributed to the amazing talent they coach. But, what's overlooked is how amazingly well they coach the talent.
"Haters motivate. So come on with it!" Samples exclaimed. "I'm just happy, because at the end of the day, the facts are the facts."
Fact is... back in February of this year, our Keith Russell sat down with all three coaches after they each led their schools to the state football title on the same weekend.
During that interview, Todd explained the importance to have "coaches in our community. Coaches that look like me..."
But Todd did add, "we've closed the gap."
On that same day, all three men made a pact to keep on closing that gap on how Black coaches should been seen as just as dedicated to their craft and just as deserving of what they get....as their counterparts.
This week, Mathis said "I hope they get that stigma off of us, because it's not true. We work as hard as anyone else."
Here's the proof: All three coaches are back in the state title game Saturday at AT&T stadium. DeSoto is going for its second straight 6A Division II state title; Duncanville is going for its second straight 6A Division I state title; And South Oak Cliff is one win away from their third straight 5A state championship. This is something that has never been seen in the state of Texas... not from this perspective.
But Todd puts it in perspective: "Sometimes in life you see a lot of things you didn't expect to see. Who ever thought back in the day somebody would see an iPhone? Or the man go to the moon? Or a Black President? Anything is possible... as long as you put your mind to it."
Opening other minds is what these coaches will continue to do. With football as the vehicle and winning as the catalyst.
Mathis figures, "the only way I know how to put an end to it, is for us is to keep doing what we're doing."
Samples finishes by saying, "the main thing is don't look around, don't look up, don't look down. Look forward to what you can do with your efforts and your hard work."
All three coaches want it to be known that their greatest achievement is not winning games, but it's preparing young men to go to college to be successful and become positive contributors to society. That is how these coaches will always be judged because that is how they judge themselves.