National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches One-Year Anniversary
For Immediate Release
August 6, 2021
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Kevin Cooper
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National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches One-Year Anniversary
FULTON, MD – The National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches (NCMFC) proudly celebrates its one-year anniversary. Amidst last year’s national dialogue for racial equity, University of Maryland head football coach, Michael Locksley, questioned his own efforts to create change for people of color, women, and other minorities in coaching positions in the game of football. This reflection was the catalyst for launching the NCMFC on August 6, 2020.
In reflecting on the creation of the NCMFC, Coach Locksley said, “Despite the vast number of minority football players at all levels, minorities are disproportionately excluded from coaching opportunities in a multi-billion dollar industry—an industry that has a tremendous impact and influence on American society. I wanted to try to do my part to change that narrative.”
Now, a year later, the NCMFC, also called the Coalition by many, has nearly 800 members and a strategic corporate partnership with SAP. Locksley said, “Our mantra has been we want the best coaches selected for advancement regardless of race, gender, sexuality or any other classification. Far too often, however, minorities are excluded or excused from coaching opportunities despite having superior qualifications for reasons best characterized as specious. Coaches are no longer selected, they are elected.”
In today’s game, it is becoming rare for potential coaching vacancies to be filled through a rigorous weeks-long or months-long vetting process. Media messaging, public perception, and the “hype” or “aura” surrounding a coaching candidate dictates their potential for securing an interview. To counter this realization, the NCMFC’s mission is simple: it wants to prepare, promote and produce minority coaches for coaching positions at all levels of football.
In working towards its mission, among other things, the NCMFC has:
▪ Created unique training programs in which industry experts help train and educate our coaches in key subject areas that empowers them to advance their career (including soft and hard skills);
▪ Built an interactive online platform on which members may share valuable information relating to the profession;
▪ Hosted its 1st Annual Convention with the participation of football luminaries and recognized media personalities like Troy Vincent, Jemele Hill, Chris Mortensen, Jim Trotter, Pete Thamel, Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Rick Smith, Bill Polian, Mike Tomlin, Nick Saban, and many more;
▪ Launched a coaching academy to counteract the unfortunate and misleading narrative that there is a lack of qualified minority coaching candidates and to create mentoring and networking opportunities by placing influential athletic directors with minority football coaches;
▪ Created a newsletter distributed to more than 1,000 coaches, executives, and decision-makers in football twice a month;
▪ Entered into a partnership with SportSource Analytics to create a powerful tool that allows users to compare coaches’ statistical performances in a vacuum void of strong biases;
▪ Promoted qualified diverse coaching candidates to NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and National Football League (NFL) teams to provide assistance in filling coaching vacancies.
In reflecting on its first year, the NCMFC’s Founder said, “I am proud of how hard our Board and members worked this year, but frankly I am not surprised. While we have some accomplishments, we recognize the football industry has a long way to go. Our Coalition is committed to seeing equity and fairness find its rightful place in the game of football. We welcome all who feel the same way. Stay tuned, we are just getting started.”
About the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches
Despite the vast number of minority football players at all levels, minorities are excluded from or limited in leadership opportunities disproportionately. The reason for their exclusion is inextricably intertwined with societal roadblocks that underrepresented individuals frequently face. These roadblocks create an unfortunate imbalance where minorities do not enjoy meaningful participation in available opportunities to the same degree as their counterparts.
Launched in August 2020, The National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches (NCMFC) and its foundation are dedicated to preparing, promoting, and producing minority football coaches and administrators at all levels of football. Amid a global pandemic and a renewed focus on equity, there is now a significant movement in football led by some of the most prominent football coaches and executives through the NCMFC.
For more information about the NCMFC, please visit: https://ncmfc.com/
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