Charlotte Hornets recognize Club Sports for inclusivity
The East Carolina University Club Sports Program has been named the winner of the Charlotte Hornets’ 2021 For the Love of the Game award. The award honors LGBTQ or LGBTQ ally student-athletes, coaches and sports organizations that help create inclusive athletic environments.
“This award recognizes all the hard work the staff at ECU Campus Recreation & Wellness (CRW) and the Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center put into developing a standard operating procedure to ensure an inclusive and welcoming environment for all CRW participants,” said Dr. Greg Corack, associate director of leadership and programs. “We are so proud to be recognized by the Charlotte Hornets as a leader in recreation inclusivity for Pirate Nation and North Carolina.”
The standard operating procedure (SOP) was developed by the ECU Club Sports Program, led by Justin Waters, and the then-LGBT Center, led by Mark Rasdorf, beginning in 2015. The goal was to create an industry-leading gender identity SOP for club and intramural sports participation.
The SOP laid out inclusive language for 5,000-plus annual participants that included education and recommendations for Safe Zone Training for both students and coaches, as well as collaborative programming to provide information to colleagues and teams around the nation. It addressed the need for inclusive housing, transportation and uniforms, and the recognition of participant preferred pronouns. For the first time, ECU’s club and intramural sports programs allowed participants to play on teams that represented their gender identity, a new way of thinking that has more recently become the standard around the country.
“The moment that sticks out most to me about the practice that we put in place was when I see those students that can come out and be their true authentic selves,” Corack said. “There’s going to be those who feel a little apprehensive about coming out because of their identity.
“We want them to feel like, ‘Hey, I have a teammate, I have a friend and I now have a family that I can belong to here at ECU.’”
Waters said they realized that there would have to be an educational component to help people understand the importance of ensuring that all students could be comfortable participating in club and intramural sports.
“The word ‘inclusive,’ to me, is encompassing of everyone,” he said. “Around here, it’s ‘Y’all means all.’”
ECU’s Club Sports Program is designed to promote and develop the interests and skills of individuals in a variety of sports and recreational activities, emphasizing student leadership and the development of a sense of community. For more information contact clubsports@ecu.edu.