In Wake of Jacob Blake Shooting, BC Football Cancels Practice

Boston College canceled practice on Thursday in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting. Instead, the team met to discuss racial inequality in America.

The program released a statement following its decision:

“Boston College Football decided as a program not to practice today in response to the continuing racial injustices in our country. Instead of practicing, the team met together as student-athletes and coaches spoke about educating one another, maintaining dialogue to help bring our community together, and invoking change in our society.”

First-year head coach Jeff Hafley spoke to the media on Thursday morning to talk about the decision and his team’s subsequent conversations

“With the recent events that happened, we felt it was best as a staff, as a team, not to practice,” he said, per BC Athletics. “And I felt very strongly about that.”

Blake, a 29-year-old Black father was shot in the back by Rusten Sheskey, a white Kenosha Police Department officer, on Sunday, as reported by The New York Times. Responding to a domestic complaint, Sheskey and two other officers tried to arrest Blake. After they unsuccessfully Tased him, Sheskey fired off seven bullets into Blake’s back while Blake’s three sons were in the back seat of his car, leaving Blake partially paralyzed, according to the Times. The Times reports that Sheskey and the other two officers are now on administrative leave, and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Hafley told reporters that one of the coaches on BC’s staff sent him the video of the Blake shooting on Wednesday night. He understood just how upset his staff member was, so he talked it out with him. Hafley said that he knew players were hurting as well. He called the team’s Leadership Council together, at which point he suggested canceling practice in favor of a team-wide discussion about police brutality, racial inequality, and social activism.

The team met this morning, and Hafley opened up the floor for members of the program to speak: players, coaches, anyone who wanted to share their feelings. He said that it was an emotional scene. It preceded small group discussions, in which players and coaches continued their conversations in an even more tight-knit setting. All in all, Thursday’s meeting spanned longer than a normal practice, Hafley said.

“We have an exceptional team,” he said. “We have a great group of people. We have a group of people who are hurting. We have coaches who are hurting. We have another group of people who are trying to understand it and become educated. We have a group of people who might have stood up today and said, ‘I’m sorry I haven’t said anything. I don’t know what to say. And I do have empathy, and I do care, and I want to help.’

“I do believe we had some really great conversations today,” Hafley continued. “Things do need to change. There’s too much hate, and there needs to be more love. It’s sad. I’m very, very proud of our football team and our coaching staff today.”

Players took to social media on Thursday to voice their appreciation of the program and its dialogue, in addition to emphasizing the importance of standing in solidarity.

Throughout training camp, fifth-year graduate student linebacker Max Richardson has talked about how his leadership role has evolved this year. More than ever before, he’s making a point of leading by example and doing the right thing, both on and off the field.

“Although we’re in camp and our job is to wake up and play football, we need to be aware of what’s going on, and we need to know that there are things that are going on in this country that aren’t right,” Richardson said after Wednesday’s practice.

“It’s not political—it has nothing to do with the election,” he explained. “This is a difference between right and wrong. What happened to Jacob Blake was a tragedy, and I’m hoping that all 120 guys on our team have seen the video and are aware. That’s what we’re working for.”

Richardson said that, shortly after the video of the Blake shooting circulated, he texted with other members of BC football’s Leadership Council. Collectively, they brought up the news at team meals on Tuesday, prompting discussion.

“It’s about continuing the conversation,” Hafley said on Thursday. “It’s about educating other people and carrying on this conversation with other people. Guys talked about creating more forums and bringing other people in to continue the conversation.”

Hafley mentioned that the program has already helped fundraise, reached out to social justice organizations, and decided to work with an inner-city school in need.

Blake’s shooting is the latest police brutality incident to spark national outrage. On May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed after white Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for close to eight minutes. Two months prior, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot by three white Louisville Metro Police Department officers.

Protests over the Blake shooting have spread from the streets of Kenosha, Wis. to the sports world. The Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic, and the other two NBA postseason games scheduled for Wednesday night were postponed. WNBA, MLB, and MLS games were also boycotted, and professional tennis player Naomi Osaka opted not to play in the semifinals of the 2020 Western & Southern Open.

Hafley believes that diversity in sports can set an example for communities across the country.

“That’s what more of our world should be,” Hafley said. “Guys getting together, being able to get along, working together, crying together, laughing together, loving together. That’s what sports does."

As Thursday’s conversations progressed, the rookie head coach picked up on a common theme amid the players’ and coaches’ touching testimonies.

“The biggest thing that kept coming up was, ‘What can we all do to help?’ Hafley said.

“I think we helped today.”