Why I Won't Stick to Sports: Marcus McElroy
Speaking -- and listening -- is vital in the current climate
Marcus McElroy
Why I Won’t Stick to Sports is a first-person series written by Colorado State student-athletes. Nationally, athletes are told to “stick to sports”, but as members of the community, they have ideas, motivations and a passion for creating meaningful change in the world. Their talents and knowledge are not limited to fields of play. In their own words, this is why our student-athletes will not stick to sports.
Why will I be more than an athlete? Why will I be vocal, use my voice, and stand for what I believe?
To answer plain and simple: Because it’s my right to speak and share my thoughts and opinions on the injustices and wrongs that go on in the world. Many people just like to think that as an athlete, if the subject isn’t on my sport, then I have nothing more than that to talk about. In reality, like all the people in the world, I do more than carry a football.
I listen to the things that people say and try to understand the opinions and ideas of people, but it is hard for me to understand why we as a people are so divided. I look at the values that we as Americans say are so important -- the ability to have freedom of speech and the right to stand for what we believe in, as well as the ability to challenge the systems and ideas that we live under. I mean, that’s what our founding fathers did right? They fought and challenged a system that they viewed was wrong and oppressive, and for years I have grown up and watched the general struggle and fight that many Americans have just to live in peace.
I want to be able to have children and have them grow up and not have to worry about the troubles, pains and worries that I have had to deal with. I mean, many people will probably read this and say it all sounds so good coming from someone who is in a position that I am in and can sit there and say, ‘how do you feel like you are treated so wrong? You are an athlete and have a scholarship and get so much, so what is so wrong with that?’
The problem with this is that if I wasn’t an athlete or doing something that earns a title like this, I am just another Black man in this world that shows me every day that the simplest things that I want in life won’t be granted to me because of the color of my skin. Speaking on things like this doesn’t make any sense to me. Sometimes, because when I look at the way people argue on topics of inequality and treatment of other people, it’s justified in the most sickening way. I want to make sure that whenever my children come into this world, when they grow up, they are seen as humans before they are seen as anything else.
I want to make these things happen by, one, educating myself and the people around me to know the things that they do to make the world better. As well, I will be educating myself on the people that I am voting for and putting in office in hopes that those who are appointed are people who want to help not only me, but the people I care about and the places I care about. I want to work with younger generations and inform them that we as a country need to work to become united and truly share the ideals of freedom and justice for all.
People can always find the problems and find ways to poke holes in things, but it is hard to find solutions. And I want to find solutions.
Marcus McElroy is the Mountain West representative from the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, a mentor in the John Mosley Leadership program, has taken part in CSU’s Green and Global program and is a senior running back on the football team.