Jon Addy. Racial Diversity within College Athletics Support Staff

Sports teams on American college campuses are a staple of the culture that is the University Experience. Most common students or fans obviously know who plays on these teams and who the star players are. But each of these sports programs also include a vast array of individuals who help that team succeed in everyday necessities, as well as strive to become the best in their league. While the most obvious of these would be coaches, there are also many others with a similar goal of success for their program. These might include nutritionists, administrators, operation managers, and media personnel. While the student athletes who compete in these sports include a very diverse set of individuals, usually the support staff does not reflect this. In this article I reference quotes and ideas from creative media staffers at Mississippi State University who are minority members. These individuals are paving a way for change, a change that is for the betterment of all of college athletics.  

Jaden Powell is the Assistant Director of Photography for Mississippi State Athletics. His job is to document all activities related to sports at Mississippi State as well as tell the story of student athletes on campus. Jaden joined the team in July of 2023, being the first African American on this team in more recent history, at least the last five years. Jaden believes it is so important for student athletes to be surrounded with individuals who look like them, because it allows them to be more comfortable, and know that they are understood and supported. He says that him being the only black individual at work is not new to him. “I’ve been in a lot of rooms that I’m the only black person in the room. So, I feel like I’ve been there so many times that I don’t think about it as much, but then when somebody does come in the room, I do feel a little bit more comfortable,” says Powell.

Powell’s statement that I believe to be the most important and powerful was that student athletes need to have people to look up to in athletics who look like themselves and have high ranking jobs in sports that are less than easy to attain. This gives student athletes a model and idea of the people they can become after their playing career is over. This is a perfect example of why it is important for universities to emphasize diversity in their staff on campus. Although it might not seem to have immediate impact, it will affect the lives of athletes for years to come.

According to NCAA Research, thirty-eight percent of student athletes are non-white. This is a large difference when it comes to the staffers who work with them every day. Support staff positions are held by minorities at a much lower rate than there are student athletes. Only nineteen percent of marketing roles and twelve percent of sports information roles are held by individuals who are not white. These percentages stay in similar ranges no matter what level of athletic staff, even up to the athletic directors at universities.  This shows how much more diverse student athletes are than the support staff who are there to aid in those students reaching their goals on and off the field.

Almost every category of support staff for NCAA programs is becoming more diverse year after year according to NCAA research. Student athletes are following the same trend as well, meaning statistically over the past 10 years the ratio has still not changed much.

While this is an issue in college athletics, Sophia Hernandez believes it will change for the better. Sophia Hernandez is the assistant director of Video at Mississippi State Athletics. She works directly with the women’s basketball team, creating videos for all their games and other needs. Sophia is bilingual, and her family is from Mexico. Hernandez says, “I believe that when you speak to someone in Spanish or their native language they feel more comfortable and you build that relationship easier. Speaking a second language is hard and if they barely know English, they close down or don't talk as much due to the fear of making mistakes. So when I talk to athletes in Spanish they feel more comfortable and it's easier for them to be their authentic self.”

Mississippi State’s media staff has become more inclusive in recent years. The Southeastern Conference is also implementing multiple different programs to encourage diversity at their universities, such as increased opportunities, orientation for coaches, and voter education programs. African American athletes need African American photographers who understand their culture and struggles. This same statement can be substituted with any support staff member in college athletics and remain true. Universities cannot properly represent their student athletes without staff members who can fully understand the encompassing details of being a minority.

Email me at jda477@msstate.edu with any questions