We Will Not Stand On The Sidelines

Athletes, Parents and Coaches,

First, I hope you and your families continue to be safe and healthy. I don’t think any of us could have anticipated what 2020 would bring when we began this year. It has forced us to come together to overcome unprecedented challenges and support each other during a pivotal time in our nation’s history.

All of us here at NCSA were devastated by the senseless murder of George Floyd. His death, and the deaths of so many others, shined a light on the systemic racism and inequality that plagues our country.

We owe it to our teammates, our customers and our communities to be very clear in condemning these recent acts of violence and police brutality. They represent a disregard for basic human rights that has no place in our society.

NCSA has zero tolerance for any form of racism, bigotry or hatred. Our organization stands for justice, equality and fair and respectful treatment of all people.

We stand with the black community including our black student-athletes, families, coaches and partners.

Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”

Our organization was founded upon the idea of building better lives through sport. Every day, our team works to help athletes identify opportunities to improve their lives, and we believe those opportunities should be available to all.

One of NCSA’s Core Values is to “Lead By Example” and now more than ever, we need to practice what we preach. We must not only demand change – we must be a part of it. We will not stand on the sidelines.

Since we were founded, NCSA has been committed to making college sports accessible to all student-athletes, helping thousands of deserving young athletes who may not otherwise have an opportunity to continue their education and play their sport in college.

NCSA has provided free recruiting support to over 30,000 qualified athletes and donated millions of dollars in services to deserving families through our All In Award and Seat At The Table programs.

While we already partner with and support various organizations that promote youth sports in underserved communities, we must do more. We pledge to leverage our various resources to bring more All in Awards and youth sports opportunities to these communities.

Within NCSA, we will be taking immediate steps to ensure more representation from our black teammates and do our part in helping demand systemic change. While diversity and inclusion have always been an important part of our culture, we are committed to making it a priority, setting goals, and holding ourselves accountable.

We will prioritize recruiting and hiring team members that represent our country’s diversity and will work to implement measures to specifically improve employee retention and success amongst our minority team members. Our team should reflect the community we serve.

To our athletes, families and coaches of color and the entire black community, we commit to listening, learning and renewing our effort to create an environment for support, discussion and change.

We support all of those who are working to achieve a racially-just society and encourage everyone to use their platforms and privilege to proactively work against inequity and injustice of any kind. We must continue to do better.

Lisa Strasman
President, NCSA