A Black Lacrosse Experience Through The Eyes Of Seven Pros | PT.1

A Black lacrosse experience through the eyes of seven pros. Nakeie Montgomery, Romar Dennis, Trevor Baptiste, Kyle Harrison, Jules Heningburg, Dominique Alexander and Isaiah Davis-Allen sit down to discuss their experience being black in lacrosse. Proud of these seven pros and honored that they allowed us to sit in on this conversation for Black History Month.
00:00 - 1:00 - Intro
01:00 - 09:36 - The Youth Lacrosse Experience and Navigating Racism At A Young Age
09:37 - 12:06 - Kyle Harrison Finding The Chip On His Shoulder
12:07 - 15:25 - The Why Behind Their Chip
15:26 - 22:02 - “Do we prepare the individual or do we prepare the environment?”
22:03 - 25:16 - Raising Mixed Children And Having Hard Conversations With Them
25:17 - 34:51 - Advice On Navigating Social Media And Racism
34:52 - 37:35 - Kyle Harrison’s Thoughts On The Changing Of The Guard
37:36 - 44:45 - “Would you do your ENTIRE lacrosse experience again?”
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[@mrholman17]

Big respect for these dudes as players and people.

[@JZMartinez]

My son's K2 season opener is in two weeks at Bridge Lacrosse. He was so excited when I told him that this morning. As a parent new to the sport, I welcome diversity in the sport. If it's to grow, Lacrosse needs more support to make it affordable and accessable to more families.

[@thomasfjordan4699]

I’m a senior and have been with bridge lacrosse for years your son will love the game

[@antonjensen8694]

As for affordable equipment, I'd start with the mid to lower end equipment to start but you do want protection in mind and the lower end is not always good in that area. Easier to spend less on the stick, and asking a coach for help with a pocket should be no issue(I help my team all the time but they're at the age they should learn to string pre-teen & up ) so I do agree though some items have been getting expensive. As we get older as lacrosse players we have equipment for years though, I am currently wearing kidney guards, arm guards that are both +7 years old, this year is my upgrade though for those as I feel I'm getting a little to beat up there. Good luck and have fun at the camp, some of my fave memories are from camps learning from the pros. Classy, silly and fun times.

[@joe.nail1]

Hearing KH talk about what it meant to him to be called the best *lacrosse player*…what an inspirational guy

[@fadercreek]

this needs to be on espn asap and they need to get in touch with harlem lacrosse

[@thomasmorrison8393]

“People walk this thing so my kids can RUN it” So dope X10 Thankyou guys for coming together and doing this. It means so much more to see all of you on 1 screen!

[@jaiwood1927]

This is the best video I've ever seen I loved it. I'm 56 years old I've played lacrosse since 9th grade. All through highschool and box in college. All of the negativity I've experienced was from people that looked like me. I didn't let it bother me. I am now a 12u coach and I am trying to get more black kids to love the sport like I do. I think where we lose them is the cost. They got me by telling me that Jim Brown played.

[@11thomasalex]

Love this! Thank you for producing this! Much respect to the players and the challenges they have to face.

[@patrickdubois7692]

Awesome forum. More please!!!

[@jasonhines1232]

Seven well spoken professional athletes having an important discussion and sharing their experiences. Listen to it. Process it. Challenge yourself to just listen and not have an opinion. This is how we get people together as one community. Listen. Think. Listen again. Respond with grace. These guys are great for lacrosse, and great for sport. They're even better as role models and coaches. This is what leadership looks like.

[@spideyff]

Have you ever heard or read about a white person being described as “well spoken”?

[@rottiedad5104]

@@spideyff never….

[@gblair7622]

​@@spideyffhe's a part of the problem and doesn't even realize it...smh

[@wilsonmoody880]

Great conversation! As a father to a lacrosse player, I will definitely watch this again with my son. This conversation hit on several points that my son talks to me about.

[@devonsherwood9238]

Loved the candid conversation from the panel. Appreciate the continued dialogue to improve the culture of the sport we love so it can be that inclusive playground we all want it to be. As a former black college player, it was a joy to see the guys share their stories and insight. Much love to my guys here!

[@dippah1]

Thanks so much for putting this together!

[@dippah1]

DeMatha 2000

[@middz5774]

love this! these guys are legends!!

[@makosports]

Phenomenal video and conversation

[@RealRocky44]

This is just wonderful. Thank you all for sharing! This was important?

[@tommy2900]

25:17 is an amazing segment.

[@jhdeans]

One of the best things in the sport I’ve seen in a while, watch all the way to the end, Kyle Harrison nails it. They all do. As a white lax player this made me realize another piece of privilege white players have: it’s easy for us to love the game. Our love for the game isn’t questioned. That’s real, and these men lay it out there. Black Lives Matter. Every. Day.

[@xds900]

I love this. Thank you.

[@DanielRene]

Thank you

[@khalilreddick4359]

Bruh this is major inspirational!

[@laxerzel]

everyone asking where myles jones is should listen to what those that are there are saying instead of wondering where your favorite black guy is

[@danielconner5416]

these are just a few time stamps for those who are discounting these guys' experiences saying they're privileged or their parents are loaded: - 1:43 Romar Dennis talks about both his parents being immigrants - 4:55 Nakaeie Montgomery talks about his single mom being the first in her family to buy a house - 6:03 Isaiah Davis-Allen talks about being called the n word at a young age - 7:09 Jules Heningburg talks about the difficult discussions about racism at an early age - 20:15 Jules Heningburg talks about growing up in his segregated community the purpose of this video is to raise awareness about the difficulties of being a person of color in a white system. these players are strong individuals, and i look up to each of them for what they've fought through and what they fight for. its our responsibility as a lacrosse community to understand what they faced and to help them change the game for the better.

[@huckfin1598]

So basically romar and nakaie were the only two in this group who didn’t grow up privileged

[@danielconner5416]

@@huckfin1598 you missed the point of the video and my comment

[@huckfin1598]

@@danielconner5416 I didn’t. Just bc I don’t agree doesn’t mean I don’t understand what you’re talking about

[@danielconner5416]

@@huckfin1598 what do you not agree with

[@gusheningburg6765]

@@huckfin1598 what privilege do you think Jules had? Aside from access to hard nosed athletes and intellectuals, specifically, define the privilege as u perceive it please I’m super curious

[@paulwaelder5201]

What a gift, to see individuals who take the “Medicine” the game was given to offer, and pass on!

[@cheesehead7278]

I love it! These guys are so honest..as a huge lacrosse fan i hope this gets more views

[@thomasvaddeniii]

Love this

[@Arw0809]

Phenomenal

[@thegamers2463]

People walked this thing so we can run 💯💯💯💯 I wanna cry damn

[@kainamikaze7750]

This is a good video well needed need more of this black love

[@nenesmith2881]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@constanceblaize-shorter6322]

That's it. Know your history in LaCross!!! "People walked this thing so that we could run."

[@khaldrago911]

Ummm… it’s spelled “lacrosse”.

[@Noname-ly2lp]

Love this man… definitely clipping Nakeie …. I wish there was a talk about locs and lacrosse helmets there really is no help for us that have our culture hairstyles and the industry isn’t helping it

[@huckfin1598]

85% of NFL is black but no one talks about the helmets there for black players. It’s probably they’re too busy worried about how it is designed to protect the brain and head 🙄 What a privileged vacuum of a world you have to be living in for that thought to come to mind

[@Noname-ly2lp]

@@huckfin1598 what are you even talking about my guy the helmets have evolved over time for a number of reasons … and if you are not going through the issue and don’t want to solve keep that energy to your self my guy or girl. My statement is a lack of variety also creates a lack of diversity

[@thomasmorrison8393]

Try Warrior helmet comes in multiple sizes

[@Noname-ly2lp]

@@thomasmorrison8393 tried them all even contacted them all they all sent me the same thing this is our biggest sz sorry. Which I can’t be mad at but just wondered if it was some consideration is all

[@rafaelsegura7862]

Get the Bratton Brothers

[@dippah1]

When I was 15 I joined the lax community. It changed my life!

[@anesheagreen9664]

As a mother to a Black son who happens to be the only POC in his LAX club, I really appreciate all of what these guys are doing while representing POCs in lacrosse!

[@constanceblaize-shorter6322]

I really enjoyed this thought-provoking, candid conversation that is taking place. My son just finished a camp for LaCross. He's in his first year of HS. We wanted him to do something non-traditional because he is very unique and fights against folks putting him in a box. He's a natural athlete like my husband and can play any sport. Very glad that he discovered LaCross! It actually found us! So God is good. Looking for more conversations from all of you.

[@kainamikaze7750]

Where’s Myles ?

[@lilmarine32]

Need more of this… not just for BHM. Imagine how big lacrosse can grow into if we change the old view of lax into what it is.. a great, physical, and mentally important team sport. Unfortunately there are not enough good lacrosse coaches today. They know lacrosse yes, but they dont teach it right and the values of mediocre lacrosse players hurts the sport. The elite players, the professionals, all know that it takes hard work and teamwork and high iq to win and have fun.

[@erickamilawashington4403]

It's weird how lax hasn't caught on more in minority community. It's a great game.

[@jordanbrown8141]

The start up cost is why.

[@huckfin1598]

Why don’t you ask that about tennis?

[@rottiedad5104]

Lack of exposure in minority communities and the cost of playing is prohibitive to many people.

[@huckfin1598]

@@rottiedad5104 so are you having this discussion for soccer, squash, tennis, rugby, volleyball and ping pong as well? Or just the cool sports and lacrosse is gaining popularity?

[@rottiedad5104]

@@huckfin1598 what is a cool sport? You cluelessness is showing. But to answer your question, Um yes. This discussion takes place for most sports. Most youth sports are cost prohibitive now. Especially soccer, basketball and baseball. These sports require very little equipment yet the costs to play are skyrocketing. In regards to lacrosse, everyone knows it’s expensive. It isn’t a secret. In terms of access, it’s not a sport that is played widely in the black community across this country, so exposure to it is minimal. It’s not on tv all the time so exposure is minimal. You don’t see endorsements from lax players, So again, it’s exposure is minimal. So to put it all together for you, it’s cost prohibitive, especially when kids can play football for a fraction of the cost and it’s not a widely known sport in the black community. Hence this panel….

[@AMovements1]

This is good; however, the same professionals that speak these things, hopefully invest in their own and not look pass them and give chances to their counterparts.

[@khaldrago911]

Lol, black guys from loaded families and PLL still using them as tokens

[@huckfin1598]

YUP!

[@VaporValkerie]

they are loaded now because of the work they put in. Having money doesn't mean ppl cant harass you for being black lol. Also remember (prolly yt kid) This is a native American sport not a yt one. ex. Obama is loaded, smarter than you and I combined and so is his wife. They graduated from harvard of all places. However, many ppl were racist against him because of his color. Ppl do pay attention just because they dont bring it up doesn't mean they dont notice ppl hating them

[@khaldrago911]

@@VaporValkerie bruh, I’m pretty familiar with lax and where it comes from - I had a former D1 star and pro be a private coach for me when I was a kid. It took me places, I got recruited, and did the whole D1 thing. I got my Ivy degree and dealt with black people there. They themselves would readily admit that they got in because of their skin color much more qualified applicants from their own high schools.

[@VaporValkerie]

@@khaldrago911 and what data is telling this? Your opinion that has explicit bias? Is there stats the school had that can verify this? I dont care about opinions I carea bout strong hard facts not what you assume or presume. Also its wild how everyone on the internet happens to be a doctor, millionaire, D1 ivy league athlete, friend of einstein, etc. Everyone is of the top percent apparently. Im def supposed to believe that? So what is a former D1 player doing complaining about a lacrosse video? Dont you have better things to do? A business to run, family to hang with? Or did you get into the school just because of athletics and didnt have anything besides that, nothing to show? Except for crying online about some black ppl making a vid. Congrats you dont know everyone and not every ones story is the same.

[@VaporValkerie]

ps. whether they got in on skin color or not is not the point. Did they graduate? Bet you dont know so dont try to lie. The point is. If they graduated, they were worthy of the school, or the chance. Period. Regardless of whose spot they may've taken.

[@user-hx7yi6wx5k]

Every one of these dudes grew up privileged lol

[@danielconner5416]

if you watched the first 10 minutes of the video, you'd know that's not true. Romar's parents are both immigrants, Nakeie's mom is a single mom and was the first in her family to buy a home, Jules grew up in a split community. these guys are raising awareness that this sport needs to be available to all people and accepting of all people and as players its our responsibility to do better. dont discount what these guys have been through

[@masonblackburn5884]

Ok. So what? Does that invalidate what they've struggled with?

[@huckfin1598]

@@masonblackburn5884 yes it does. Bc this is not a race problem, it’s a socio-economic problem. What if we replaced them with Lebron or MJs kids? Would you look at their “struggles differently” I bring them up bc they’ve grown up in the public eye so you can’t deny they were privileged

[@fadercreek]

@@danielconner5416 well said

[@rottiedad5104]

Growing up with means doesn’t mean that you don’t experience racism. Economics may not be the biggest issues, but u still have to deal with social issues of racism.

[@aerospace7097]

They all have loaded parents.

[@bleedingemo25]

Are you under the impression that money shields people from racism??

[@chriscomer9435]

No lax is rich sport

[@danielconner5416]

literally just had to watch the first 10 minutes of the video and you'd know they were not loaded. youre ignorant if you think these players didnt face racism and adversity in the sport of lacrosse

[@masonblackburn5884]

Ok. So what? Does that invalidate what they've struggled with?

[@logandenault4318]

Bruh the people saying they have silver spoons their mouths must not now of park and rec like how it works is they give you the equipment that has been donated to the park and rec board for the purpose of those kids who want to play sports but don't have the money to. I did that for the first 3 years because my parents couldn't afford it.