ALBION (WWJ) – Players on the Albion College men’s basketball team are calling for change.
Ten of the team’s 16 players sat out Saturday’s game against Trine University as a form of protest after head coach Jody May used a racial slur over Christmas break, according to multiple reports.
The incident happened during a practice on Dec. 28 when May allegedly kicked a Black player out of practice for using the N-word, according to a report from WOOD TV. When confronted by players about why he kicked the player out, May allegedly repeated the phrase the player said.
An anonymous player told WOOD TV the coach repeated it four times over the course of the practice.
Players say Saturday’s protest was not only over May’s actions, but the school’s inaction.
An unnamed player told WXYZ in Detroit the team wanted time and space away from May. They had planned to meet with May and an assistant dean on Sunday to discuss the incident and what to do moving forward. But the school president and other officials “repeatedly ignored our wishes and the ways that we wanted to go about this and pushed their own agendas onto us,” according to the player.
The player said Saturday was “an important day for the college,” with alumni returning for high school games coached by alumni ahead of the game against Trine. The player alleged the school “cares more about looking good on Saturday than they care about their athletes.”
Several players have told various outlets they do not believe May is racist, but he made a mistake.
WWJ has reached out to Albion College for comment on the story. We're still waiting for their reaction.
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