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Cheryl Reeve Credit: Charles Hallman\/MSR<\/p>\nCheryl Reeve Credit: Charles Hallman\/MSR<\/p>\n
Near the end of the Nov. 24 \u201cFinding Forward\u201d event at St. Thomas, school President Rob Vischer asked Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve what women\u2019s sports issues deserved more attention. Her answer was simple: \u201cwomen coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ironically, if the 2026 WNBA regular season starts as scheduled, there will be zero Black female head coaches. Noelle Quinn, the only Black female coach, was fired by the Seattle Storm after five seasons. Now in her second year as a head coach in the upcoming Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, Quinn recently told reporters, \u201cIt\u2019s not by accident; I believe it\u2019s intentional. Representation is possible when leadership chooses to make it possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s obviously a big miss,\u201d Reeve told MSR after the event. \u201cIt\u2019s concerning. We\u2019re going to continue to bring that to light, not just women\u2019s coaches, but women of color, Black women. It\u2019s inexcusable not to have Black female head coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last season, the WNBA had only three Black coaches: Quinn, Chicago\u2019s Tyler Marsh, and Sydney Johnson in Washington. Next season, only Marsh and Johnson, both men, remain.<\/p>\n
The \u201cFinding Forward\u201d series aims to \u201chelp build trust, foster empathy, and move forward together.\u201d Reeve, a recent guest, discussed her role as a racial ally, among other topics.<\/p>\n
According to Utah State University\u2019s \u201cRacial Healing Handbook\u201d (2021), \u201cA racial ally is someone who actually supports others who are experiencing racial injustice\u2026If you are White, being a racial ally means that you use your White privilege to challenge everyday racism.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reeve recalled the summer of 2016, an inflection point around police shootings of Black people. She shared a personal experience: being pulled over by police and realizing, \u201cI\u2019m White, I can move.\u201d Coaching primarily women of color, she emphasized the importance of understanding the issues their families face daily.<\/p>\n
That summer, following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Reeve supported her players wearing warm-up T-shirts with Black Lives Matter before a home game. The shirts listed victims\u2019 names and featured a police shield to acknowledge Dallas officers ambushed at the same time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told my captains, \u2018I want us to use our voices for change. I don\u2019t know what it looks like,\u2019\u201d Reeve said. The players held a pregame press conference, with Reeve notifying the league, not seeking permission.<\/p>\n
The Lynx, one of Minnesota\u2019s most successful pro sports franchises, four championships in seven years, set a standard for racial justice advocacy locally and league-wide.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was incredibly proud of our franchise for standing behind us,\u201d Reeve said. \u201cWe\u2019ve tried to get involved in legislating locally\u2026to impact lives. I want our players to feel empowered. Did we make a difference in the community, in their lives, and across the country?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that when the unaffected, White people, other marginalized groups, recognize they can be affected, that\u2019s when change happens,\u201d Reeve concluded.<\/p>\n
Finally\u2026 The latest Seton Hall Sports Poll reports 58% of Americans support a potential WNBA players\u2019 strike. At press time, no new collective bargaining agreement had been reached, the 30-day extension expired Nov. 30, making a strike or owners\u2019 lockout possible.<\/p>\n
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