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Willingboro High School senior Tamia Welch talks about organizing a George Floyd march on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Cherry Hill Courier-Post

Moorestown's Ronald McCoy, top, controls Highland's Emidio Mariani during the 145 lb. bout of the South Jersey Group 4 semifinal wrestling match held at Highland High School on Wednesday, February 12, 2020. McCoy defeated Mariani, 12-2.(Photo: Chris LaChall/Courier-Post)

When practice finally starts, theres one thing that every coach can and probably will say, in every sport:

No opponent that you face is going to test you like this summer has.

That was true when time missed because of the coronavirus pandemic was the only concern a young athlete had. It became even more true on May 25, and in the time since, in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Athletes are reaching out to coaches and to each other for guidance, and taking a hard look in some cases, a first-hard look in the world beyond the arenas they compete in.

A lot have reached out, Pemberton football coach Kareem Johnson said. I reached out to them, first, actually, and it was tough, trying to control my emotions and my thoughts, and trying to tread lightly. I wanted to let them know its OK if theyre feeling a certain way. Its OK to have whatever questions they have. Its OK that theyre thinking about this and troubled by it.

Thats how dialogue starts.

The truth is, the coaches and players whove worked and played locally feel theyve been fortunate, to compete in an area where there is so much diversity and race is virtually a non-issue. The question that raises, though, is whether that environment has made them nave to the bigger picture.

I really think it did, said Max Smyth, a former Palmyra High School quarterback now playing at Monmouth University. At Palmyra, youd see little things; a kid would say something that was out of line and other kids would get on him right away. Everybody was so close. Now in college, everyone is older and theyre all individuals. You dont jump on people in person.

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They dont have that community bond to start with. You might see something later on social media, but its rare that anybody takes it on himself to confront it.

Maybe by that point, those people arent viewed as saveable.

It really does start in every household, Smyth said. Kids arent born racist. Thats taught.

Fear is taught too, either directly or as a conditioned response.

We got pulled over when I was little, on the way home from church, Moorestown wrestler Ronald McCoy said. I remember being told, stay still, dont make any noise, dont say anything. It was just strange to me at the time, but looking back, I understand how terrified she was.

The lesson he learned was that presentation is important. How you carry yourself, how you dress, how you speak its all going to be judged by someone in a position of power, with no notice given.

Be aware. Be very aware. Be conscious, Burlington City coach Ray Robinson said. If you give a situation an opportunity to go left, it can go left in a heartbeat. You have to present yourself in a non-threatening manner.

Its always in the back of your mind.

Its the same, in every black persons life, McCoy said. The way you carry yourself is always going to matter.

Smyth, who is white, is aware of that too, and its maddening to him.

Its crazy that when I talk to teammates on the phone, I have to remind them; be careful. Be safe, he said. It sucks. You shouldnt have to think about it.

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Burlington Township coach Tom Maderia has created a Google classroom for his players, and recently he sent them a YouTube link, to The Huddle; a video made by Bill Curry, an NFL veteran and former college football coach. The gist of it is very simple, and it jibes with what Maderia has always taught.

It doesnt matter what color you are, what religion you are, or what your sexual preference is; when you get in that huddle, youre a band of brothers, Maderia said. I sent that out to them.

We dont have that issue. Where they have an issue is once they leave the locker room. On the field, everything is based on ability. When they leave white, black, Puerto Rican, Mexican, whatever they all have to fit into society.

But the larger society views them as white, black, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and doesnt have that experience of brotherhood to draw on.

Everett Wormley, who played for Maderia at Burlington Township and now plays for Greg Schiano at Rutgers University, learned that first hand.

I got pulled over for a tail light and ended up getting my car searched, Wormley said. Growing up in this area, people knew who I was. I became a familiar face because of football, but I still have to face that issue. With some people, race is all they see.

Fortunately, Wormley wasnt nave to it.

My dad prepared me, he said. He told me about it growing up. In Burlington Township, we had a diverse community and up until I was a teenager, I didnt even see race. But I was blessed to have parents who were able to expose me to the truth of it. When I was 13- or 14-years old, we had conversations about it. Im glad I had elders to educate me.

Wormley spoke at a demonstration in Burlington Township last week and spoke to everyone about the need for action.

Its not enough to say youre not racist, Wormley said. You need to be anti-racist. I think all the others around us are starting to realize the every day problems that were exposed to.

It can be numbing. Wormley said when he saw news of Floyds death trending on social media, his first thought was another guy got killed, and he continued without watching the video.

But it turns out hes blessed again.

I went about my day until Coach Schiano called us, Wormley said. We had a team meeting to address the issue. The coach put out a statement that he wrote himself. A lot of coaches put statements out that looked like they were written by the PR department, but he wanted to put something out that was genuine.

The University produced a video that included several players, discussing their feelings about Floyds killing. Schianos face is the last in the video and he adds its time for us to come together and chop for change invoking the keep chopping that wood motto that the recently-rehired coach made famous in his first tenure at Rutgers.

I said I appreciate you coach, Wormley said. I already respected him as a coach, but now I give him my utmost respect.

Johnson would like to join him at the vanguard, in the time to come, and he hopes others will join; to assist with the healing and continue the dialogue.

Its on us, he said. 30, 40, 50-years old. We look at the older generation, and theyve done their fighting. They fought, they voted, they did their marches. Now we need to hold up our end and do what were supposed to do. Be active. Run for the school board. Be a counselor. Teach, if youre certified. Try to position yourself to help other societal injustice from happening.

Its on us now.

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George Floyd killing heavy on the minds of local coaches, athletes - Courier Post