On SwimSwam Podcast, we’re giving you an in-depth listen at all things swimming. Host Coleman Hodges welcomes guests and guest co-hosts alike to get perspective on our ever-changing swimming universe and break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.
We sat down with Reece Whitley to talk about his experience as a black man in the swimming community. Recently, Reece shared a personal story from his youth on “Uninterrupted”, a platform launched by LeBron James for athletes. This is one of many instances in which Reece has started sharing his experiences in an effort to educate the community as to what black athletes and people go through on a daily basis.
Reece also details his meeting phonecall with Tim Hinchey, the president of USA Swimming, and the open discussion they were able to have on the Black Lives Matter movement, and how USA Swimming can move forward with initiatives that get the numbers of black participants higher than it’s current 1.5%. Reece was one of several current and former national team members who aided in the 2nd draft of USA Swimming’s statement on the Black Lives Matter movement sparked by the murder of George Floyd.
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Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com
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A wonderful and articulate message by Reese. Regardless of race, each of us can benefit from his directions – we are all equal under the law, at least in theory. Do not be confused by the BLM organizations’ 5 directives, which overlap BUT DO NOT dovetail precisely with the profound message by Reese. With open-mindedness and love extended to all people, we can and should. achieve a society in which equals application of law is the norm. I loved your message and am a huge fan of your sensibilities.
Young African-American athletes mass participate in sports that maximize investment/return ratio (a.k.a. profit). Swimming is relatively expensive sport (at minimum, one needs a pool) that brings back close to nothing for a majority of its participants. Football and Basketball have bigger teams, require less time, effort, and commitment, for potentially MUCH bigger return.
Ponder this: EVERY NBA team has at least one star player that earned (or, will earn throughout the life of his contracts) more money than all American swimmers TOGETHER, in this century (including Phelps).
I pondered it and decided that your statement is false. You forgot about endorsements.
If you had led your comment with a description of the lack of access to some swimmers, I would agree. The fact that you focused instead on money to be made and effort required is shallow and actually quite offensive. Black children run track, play volleyball, baseball, tennis, wrestling and many other sports that do not lead to lucrative careers. Dealing with people who make weak assumptions such as this every day is an issue that many people are simply tired of fighting. Thank you to those who stand up to these assumptions and continue in spite of them.
In most of those sports, African American participation is similar to swimming, 1-2pct. All of those sports (sans track) have the same “problem” – how to attract people of color.
Cheap sports that require the ball only (or the ball and the hoop), but offer much better monetary perspective do not have the same problem.
And, to be clear, this is not only African American problem, or even American problem. European countries have a situation where the most athletic kids choose soccer and basketball as their sports of choice – for monetary promises.
Track cannot be folded in the same group, as track is usually picked later in life (as early as late middle school, or in… Read more »
I don’t think kids are sitting down with a spreadsheet at age 6 plotting out the profit margins of each sport. They do what they’re good at. And if you don’t have access to pools like many children of color (and like Judith Brown pointed out), then you never find out you’re good at swimming.
Ya know, it’s interesting – this actually came up with Ed Accura and Danielle Obe of the Black Swimmers Association on the podcast last week. While Danielle didn’t go so far as to say that black parents are plotting the sports where their kids can make millions, she did say that parents seeing a potential career path coming out of the sport was important.
That being said, she’s in the UK, where the college athletics system doesn’t sort of act as a gateway to ‘non sports’ careers as it does in the US, so take that perspective in context.
https://swimswam.com/swimswam-podcast-black-swimmers-association-on-ways-to-make-swimming-inclusive/
Access to pools is a big aspect. The Chicago Park District does a great job of giving access to pools to kids of all backgrounds at a very affordable price. As someone who has worked for the Park District as well as a Boys & Girls Club in the past, one thing I noticed was that parents were sometimes a deterrent. Sometimes I would ask parents about getting their kids in swim lessons and the parents would tell me that they were never taught to swim or they were taught to be afraid of the water. Often times they would pass that fear on to their kids or their fear would prevent them from getting their kids into swim lessons.
6 year olds do not choose organized sports. Their parents do it for them.
I have to admit that in my 50+ years I have never heard 6 year old saying “Let’s swim laps!” it is always “Let’s play ball!”
Thank you, Reece, for all you are doing to advocate for change. The Cal community has your back. Go Bears!
New haircut for Coleman, as well as a new microphone! Good interview!
I tried listening on Spotify but it’s not the same without that flow.
Great Courageous Guy & Swimmer !! Keep on the deep work Reece .
Thank you! Great interview. Keep the conversations going. Will be tough as in some venues silence will ensue, but people need to answer the tough questions, and move forward.
agreed….Thanks Daniel.
6 kids will never even get to swim lessons in Chicago . All shot dead this last week . Spread the word about one year old Sincere Gaston mowed down , a 3 year old , a 10 year old ( Hispanic) . Yeah move forward but with a National Guard . Words mean nothing.
Chicago is dangerous, sorry about your lost.
But car place
Thanks for sharing an amazing video. These are trying times and Reece is a great person.
Continues to be so well-spoken and mature beyond his years. Thanks for opening up and sharing your experiences, Reece!