On Monday, March 4, the Oberlin community came together in a demonstration of solidarity. Within the larger group, smaller communities of students congregated to offer support and to discuss the multitude of thoughts plaguing everyone. The Athletics department was no exception.

After meeting with Dean Estes on the morning of the fourth, Director of Athletics and Physical Education Natalie Winkelfoos phoned each spring sport coach to formally cancel practice and to ensure that they were aware of the events on campus.

“The intention was to act in unison with the College,” said Winkelfoos. “I wanted to make sure that our student athletes felt supported and had the opportunity to stand with their community and be a part of the afternoon of learning that was created in response to the incidents of bias.”

Winkelfoos encouraged all of the athletics staff and student athletes to attend the events on Monday. She also facilitated a discussion among her staff about the hate-based incidents of the previous weeks.

The following Tuesday, many coaches held team-wide conversations to discuss the events and to offer support for each other. Upon attending the convocation at Finney Chapel, Anna Baeth, head coach of the field hockey team, called a meeting to check up on her players and to gauge their reaction as a collective group.

The field hockey team, though small, is unusually racially diverse. “It is probably the most diverse team I have ever seen, and I’ve been a part of a lot of teams and coached at a lot of schools,” said Baeth. One of the team’s mantras, she said, is “unity through diversity.”

The team’s discussion was centered on that idea of diversity. “We discussed how we celebrate diversity amongst our team and how we can continue to encourage that on campus,” said Baeth.

Ray Appenheimer, head coach of track and field, also held a meeting with his team to create a space where people were free to discuss their thoughts and feelings.

“On Tuesday, three days after [the NCAC Indoor Track & Field Championships], we sat as a group, and I told the team that as much as I would love to talk about all the great things that happened at [the Championship], there are much more important things going on here,” said Appenheimer.

Appenheimer and his team discussed the kind of community that the track and field program is and wants to be, both as a team and as members of the larger Oberlin student body. “We don’t go out saying, ‘Let’s win conference, or let’s win nationals,’ ” said Appenheimer about his team. “No, we talk about being the best community we can be.”

Upon having team discussions, both the track and field team and the field hockey team, emblematic of the Athletics department as a whole, have taken steps towards becoming a more inclusive, welcoming and supportive community that celebrates and fosters diversity. “What the incidents of last week made us think about is that we need to be even better,” said Appenheimer. “We talked about the possibility of creating some sort of logo or design in solidarity with everything that’s happening here and putting it on our uniform,” said Baeth. “Oberlin’s such an inclusive place, it only makes sense that we would sell that on the field as much as we do off the field.”

Furthermore, the field hockey team discussed ensuring that they provide safe spaces for each other. “My office is always a safe space, the team locker room is always a safe space,” said Baeth. The team also reaffirmed their commitment to making sure that high school age recruits feel safe and comfortable when visiting Oberlin.

Appenheimer stressed that the track and field team will continue taking the time to discuss the matter and listen to one another. “People here have lots of opinions, but it’s listening and knowing how I can support my teammates, finding out what they value and how I can bring out the best in them that’s the most important,” he said.

Appenheimer has been impressed by the six senior captains of the team who have really taken the lead in creating a safe space for dialogue, including opening up their homes for team-wide discussions outside of practice.

“When we were talking about being a captain in the fall, we never envisioned any of this,” said Appenheimer. “But they’ve really risen to the occasion.”

The Athletics department as a whole has always had a commitment to creating a welcoming environment. In the past, the staff has participated in NCAA-affiliate-led diversity trainings and most recently participated in a trans ally workshop led by Lorena Espinoza Guerrero, the LGBTQ community coordinator at the Multicultural Resource Center.

In response to the recent events, the department will be working with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to determine the best plan of action to address the concerns brought to light by last week’s events. In the meantime, the department will continue its conviction of strengthening its commitment to community.