This article is the third in a series commemorating Black History Month. Next week: Successful African-American alumni.
When Ed Cooley was introduced last April as Fairfield’s 11th men’s basketball coach, he joined two exclusive fraternities.
Cooley became the first black head basketball coach – and just the third head coach in any sport – in Fairfield history, and one of 79 black head coaches in Division I men’s basketball.
“I think it is a credit to Fairfield. It’s a credit to them to believe in somebody who was a natural fit. People tend to do what they know, and the past is that there weren’t many minority coaches,” Cooley said. “People and schools coming out of their comfort zones are picking the best fit, not the best color.”
At Fairfield – as is the case with schools throughout the country – the number of black coaches remains low.
Cooley is the only black head coach in any sport at Fairfield, and the University has only five black assistant coaches spread across its 19 varsity teams.
But Doris believes the University’s hiring record compares well to that of other universities.
“I would hold our hiring record at a level at least the equal or higher than our peers,” Doris said. “I think diversity has improved in terms of the hiring of coaches and administrators, and that will continue to be the case.”
Cooley said he feels lucky to not have ever experienced racism when looking to move forward in the coaching business.
“I think we are very fortunate to be past that era, being 37 years old and being one of the younger coaches in the country, you feel like there are other pioneers who have gone through that,” he said.
Tim Fuller, one of two black assistants on Cooley’s staff, said he believes that the success of coaches like Cooley will help others get the opportunity to become head coaches.
“It begins with the Ed Cooleys of the world being successful and paving the way for those that come behind him,” Fuller said. “Everyone had their prototypical college basketball coach – the Bobby Knight, the Lute Olsen – but there is a new mold.”
There are more black coaches in men’s basketball than any other Division I sport, both in actual numbers and percentages. And the numbers for both men’s and women’s basketball compare favorably to the numbers for football.
Only six out of a possible 119 head coaches in Division I-A football are black. The numbers remain low for the two top assistant coaching positions – offensive and defensive coordinator – with only 31 African-American coordinators out of 242. In Division 1-A, 49 percent of the players are black.
They’ve Come a Long Way
In 1966 Texas Western became the first team to win a national championship in college basketball with an all black starting lineup. At that time, it was rare for black athletes to get the same opportunities as their white counterparts, both in terms of playing time and athletic scholarships.
Now though, black athletes are no longer held back from a chance at a scholarship because of race.
Sports in college are viewed as a good way for many black teenagers to get an opportunity to go to college.
Cooley, who played college basketball at Stonehill College in Massachusetts, may not have had the chance to go to college if not for a basketball scholarship. Cooley grew up in a poor neighborhood in Providence, R.I., and while he had the grades to get into college, his financial situation would not have allowed him to.
“If it wasn’t for a scholarship, I probably don’t go to college,” he said. “I think college sports definitely provide the less fortunate with a skill and . . . the opportunity to go to college. As an African- American coach, I’m very pleased that universities afford these scholarships.”
But, Cooley said, “the NCAA is also awarded millions of dollars when they sign these TV deals, and it is really a catch 22, because the schools that are on TV all the time are compensated for the money they spend on scholarships.”
Not Enough Black Faces in High Places
While African-Americans are now given equal opportunities to excel as players and have made inroads in coaching, the progress has been largely absent higher up on the athletic department chain of command.
Out of 334 Division I programs, only 14 have black athletic directors, one of whom is Craig Littlepage at the University of Virginia.
“‘I’m pleased to have the opportunity. There are dozens of extremely qualified minorities and women who can do the same job,” Littlepage said. “I am in the right place at the right time and have been able to ascend to a high position. I am proud to have the opportunity and excited about our department moving forward to a level of access that is admired by others.”
Littlepage said he believes that as he and other black athletic directors prove that they have the ability to run their athletic departments, more blacks will have the chance to get those jobs.
He said that the most important thing that must be accomplished in college sports is making sure that there are more minorities making key decisions that impact the entire athletic program.
“A lot of people focus on interviewing a certain number of minority candidates, but that is just a small part,” Littlepage said. “The ideal situation would be that diverse individuals are part of the search and selection process.”
“So You Want to be a Coach?”
Fairfield women’s basketball Head Coach Dianne Nolan said she thinks diversity in college sports is heading in the right direction.
“I think [the NCAA and colleges] are really putting effort into expanding positions for minority candidates,” she said.
Nolan is the treasurer of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, which provides opportunities for minority coaching candidates.
“The WBCA has a program called ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ which lets graduating seniors go to the Final Four in Atlanta, focusing on minorities, and giving them internships,” she said. “It’s really a concentrated effort.”
Tori Harrison, the head women’s basketball coach at Rider University and one of 33 back coaches of women’s basketball, said she was not sure how quickly things were improving.
“I don’t know if it’s improved,” she said. “But, it has gotten a little bit better.”
Harrison said she thinks it was hard for black coaching candidates to land jobs.
“Most are given bottom of the barrel jobs,” said Harrison. “Jobs that need to be improved, that had bad win-loss records. Not the high-profile jobs.”
Still a Ways to Go
Black coaches and players have increased in number over the years, but there is still a long way to go.
The opportunities are increasing, but are still hard to come for some.
“To have a perfect situation, there is always someone who feels slighted,” Cooley said. “You take advantage of opportunities when they are presented. “How you handle those either opens doors for others or shuts doors.”
For more of The Mirror’s Black History Month series, go to www.fairfieldmirror.com and click on “Black History Month.”
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