The NHL likes to claim “Hockey Is For Everyone”. This will be put to the test if Joel Ward of the San Jose Sharks decides to kneel during the Star Spangled Banner.
Recently, the NHL has partnered with several organizations to form “Hockey Is For Everyone”. It’s a great movement, as it’s helped to do a lot of awesome things in both the United States and Canada as far as youth hockey. Also, it encourages the acceptance of LGBTQ players and fans.
Let’s take a look at the mission statement for Hockey Is For Everyone. The bolded parts are my emphasis.
"We support any teammate, coach or fan who brings heart, energy, and passion to the rink. We believe all hockey programs – from professionals to youth organizations – should provide a safe, positive and inclusive environment for players and families regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation and socio-economic status."
This mission statement sounds great. But if players don’t get the safe, positive and inclusive environment, it means nothing.
Recently, the NFL has seen a number of its athletes kneel during the United States national anthem. They are doing so to protest racial inequality and police brutality. In a country where all people are allegedly supposed to be equal, African-Americans are not treated as equals in many facets of life. It’s worth noting America is a country that allows its citizens to peacefully protest, thanks to the freedom of expression, which is in the First Amendment. Canada gives its citizens similar protections.
Hockey Is For Everyone’s mission statement could be put to the test this season. There are very few black players in the NHL. Roughly, there are about 30. San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward, born in Barbados, is one of them. And despite being a Canadian, he’s used to facing racism and injustices.
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"“It’s just been part of life that you always have to deal with, so when people get into Kaepernick and some of these other guys, saying that they’re disrespecting the flag, it’s not about just that. It’s about creating awareness about what people, like myself, go through on a day-to-day basis, whether it’s going to the mall or whatever.”"
Ward is not a stranger to racism. Even in the NHL, he faced it after scoring a series-winning goal against the Boston Bruins. Ward hasn’t ruled out kneeling and has reached out to the Sharks for support. Credit his team for giving him it.
“That’s what makes our countries great,” said Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer, “is the freedom to be able to express yourself if you feel like you’ve been wronged or there’s an injustice.”
There’s no definitive guarantee that Ward will kneel. But considering the support he has gotten from the Sharks, it’s quite plausible he decides to do so. If Ward does, “Hockey Is For Everyone” will be put to the test. Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers might join him.
"“I definitely back Wardo. I know Wardo very well. What’s going on now is a shame. I definitely back his statements. It doesn’t mean I’m going to kneel, and it doesn’t mean I’m not going to kneel.”"
Do you have to agree with everything they are protesting? No. It’s understandable if you have an issue with how they are doing it. After all, protests aren’t designed to make anyone comfortable. The purpose of a protest is to create discussion and draw attention to a cause near and dear to someone’s heart. Kneeling during the anthem, as virtually every athlete who has done so has expressed, has never been about the flag or the anthem or the military.
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It’s up to the league, the players and the fans to make sure any player who chooses to kneel gets the environment he’s supposed to get. Because if that doesn’t happen, all of the work put into creating a positive environment for players and fans will be for naught.