The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 22

February 16, 2021 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 9 Sports Recplex Regulations: The NSU Recplex takes COVID-19 protection seriously By: J. L. Glasthal Contributing Writer On the Bench: Anti-black discrimination in sports Discrimination against Black people is ever-constant and apparently even in the field of sports. This week, the Baller Alert website reported the story of Talyn Jefferson, a young Black student at Ottawa University, who’s story went viral on Twitter after she described her experience of being kicked off the school’s cheerleading team. Jefferson was removed from the team after refusing to remove her bonnet during practice, which she wore to keep her braids from hitting those around her. After she refused, she was yelled at by her coach and later removed from the team. Jefferson believes she was removed for discriminatory reasons partially because of some of the racial comments spewed during her coach’s rant. You may also recall a similar incident in 2019 reported by NBC involving a high school wrestler, Andrew Johnson, who was forced to cut his dreadlocks to be allowed to participate in his match, despite hair regulations never having been an issue before. If it wasn’t clear, these incidents are no mistake. You have to understand that this policing of Black people in the most arbitrary of ways isn’t a fluke, it’s about power. Racists thrive on exerting power over someone they perceive to be beneath them by making them bend to their will, and unfortunately, a coach-athlete scenario provides the perfect power imbalance for a situations like these to arise. It’s disgraceful that a person should have to disregard a piece of themself or deny an everyday aspect of their culture to avoid being excluded from a sport, but it’s not just about racist individuals, the structure and the culture around these institutions often allow racist and discriminatory policies and practices to go unchecked. Many athletic organizations will include coded language within their rules to intentionally target Black people and make it harder for them to participate because of their appearances. For example, cheer teams requiring members to show up on game day with ponytails don’t seem to be considering Black members with natural hair. Or when a coach casually includes that they want someone with the “right look” in their list of criteria, without quite specifying what that entails, simply stating that they “know it when they see it.” Some other instances, though perhaps unintentional, can still make Black athletes feel “othered” from their peers. Things like Black dancers being provided with “nude” colored tights and shoes that only cater to their white counterparts. Little things like this, though not malicious per say, exhibit a carelessness that sends a message to Black people that they haven’t been thought of, or worse, that those in charge have no interest in accommodating them. The point is, sports environments can be very hostile for Black people, and especially for Black youth who may not have someone to advocate for them. It’s not enough to simply think you’re not racist; especially because, as I hope is becoming increasingly obvious, intent does not erase impact. Non- black coaches and advisors need to do more to welcome and embrace Black athletes, starting by calling out discriminatory and micro-aggressive policies. This academic year has been tough amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, but NSU Sharks continue to face adversity head on. The NSU Recplex, which houses multiple rooms and facilities for sports as well as the Davie campus gym and pool, have set regulations in place that have been instrumental in providing a safe active space for students. They have even gone as far as closing the Recplex in the middle of the day to give it a deep clean. Recplex employee Sara Kastratovic provided The Current information regarding the new policies being implemented this year to keep everything clean and COVID-19 free. For starters, they have been actively focusing on proper mask wearing. “We always have to make sure that everyone is wearing their mask, and they’re also wearing it properly, like over their nose…” said Kastratovic. The Recplex assures proper mask wear, checks everyone’s temperature at the entrance and counts each person as they enter to follow their new COVID-19 protocols. The Recplex has also cut out a lot of their previous available activities and services to prevent any close contact or spread of germs. Activities like rock climbing or services like being able to rent out a bike have been stopped. “The showers are closed; the saunas are closed. We’re not renting as much equipment anymore,” said Kastratovic. The Recplex assures safety from germs with these policies. According to Kastratovic, employees are allowed to enforce their policies -- with reason -- when it comes to users of the Recplex breaking the rules. “We’re really strict, especially with the masks… There’s some people that don’t really like to obey the policies even though they are set by Broward County and not just us, but our bosses have let us know that we do have the right to kick somebody out if they’re not complying with our rules,” said Kastratovic. If someone is found disobeying the policies, they are given verbal reminders and even warnings if they are found breaking the rules multiple times. The basketball courts are a great example of the Recplex taking action to ensure their policies stand strong. “We used to have basketball last semester, and we said, ‘You can only shoot hoops, you can’t have a game,’ and people would play a game thinking that we wouldn’t notice. So, we shut it down because they wouldn’t follow the rules… We try to show them that there’s consequences if they are not following [the rules],” said Kastratovic. NSU is doing it’s very best to keep the campus safe for its students, faculty and others. The Recplex’s drive towards a safer work out and sports environment is no small feat. PHOTO PRINTED PERMISSION BY J.L. GLASTHAL Here you can see machines moved from the upper levels of the Recplex and socially distanced on the basketball court. By: Nyla Whyte Contributing Writer