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Feb 26
When we reflect on movements in time that pushed for racial equality and justice, the story around Black women and the integral role they’ve played often goes untold. This past summer, with seasons pausing because of the pandemic and then again because of social unrest, we saw just how powerful the voice of an athlete can be. Specifically, we saw how powerful the WNBA has been. Kayla Grey with more.
Feb 26
Hockey Canada announced its Class of 2021 for the Order of Hockey in Canada with Angela James set to be honoured. A pioneer of the women's game, James joins Gino Reda to share what this honour means to her, her role models growing up and how her journey has impacted the path's of others.
Feb 25
Oliver Kylington, who was born in Sweden and whose mother is from Eritrea, a small country in northeast Africa, wore skates paying tribute to Willie O’Ree, the first Black player in league history, during Wednesday's game.
Feb 22
The Bruins' jersey retirement of Willie O'Ree's No. 22 has been pushed back a year until January 18th, 2022, 64 years to the day O'Ree broke the colour barrier in the NHL. James Duthie reflects on the impact O'Ree had on hockey and the legacy he will always carry.
Feb 19
Angela James was a hockey phenom from the rough neighborhood of Flemingdon Park in Toronto. She would lead Team Canada to four World Championships. Along the way, she battled through sexism and racism to become known as the “Wayne Gretzky of women’s hockey.' Toronto-based rapper and poet Keysha Freshh tells Angela’s story.
Feb 12
With the Daytona 500 coming up this weekend, in celebration of Black History Month, SportsCentre takes a closer look at Bubba Wallace's impact on the racing world and beyond.
Feb 14
Kayla Grey sits down for an interview with MLSE’s new Senior Vice-President of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Teri Dennis-Davies to discuss her role and the launch of MLSE Foundation’s ‘Change the Game” campaign to raise and commit to investing $30 million to create more equitable opportunities for youth.
Feb 17
A Canadian plant has produced skates honouring the NHL's first Black player as part of Black History Month. Bauer Hockey says the Bauer Innovation Centre in Blainville, Que., produced skates with a custom graphic celebrating the achievements and life of Willie O'Ree. Several NHL players are wearing the skates this week.
Feb 16
Michele Meyer-Shipp doesn't have to travel far to realize the challenge of growing the sport of baseball in the Black community. She just sits down at the dinner table. Meyer-Shipp, who is Major League Baseball's chief people and culture officer, has three sons who love sports.
Feb 11
Seven Negro Leagues have been recommended for major league status by a task force of the Society for American Baseball Research. The announcement Thursday followed Major League Baseball’s decision on Dec. 16 that it was reclassifying the Negro Leagues to majors. They had been excluded in 1969 when a special committee on baseball records identified six official major leagues dating to 1876.
Feb 3
With February being Black History Month, Toronto's Wayne Simmonds shared his thoughts on whether there has been any social change over the last year.
Feb 5
In honour of Black History Month, SportsCentre looks back on the career of Rueben Mayes, a player who some argue is the greatest Canadian to play in the Super Bowl era. His quiet demeanor and humble attitude off the football field is a far cry from the noise and excitement the Saskatchewan native created while on it.
Feb 7
Serena Williams is human. You have to say it off the top, because for so long we didn't believe it. In an era of increasing numbers of talented woman with all kinds of talents, Serena is the greatest athlete in tennis history. She hasn't won a major in four years. She's been to four Grand Slam finals, lost, gotten back up, and lost again. She's something different now, someone different, she's human. But the 39-year-old's endless desire to win has not changed. Matthew Scianitti has more on Serena's continued push for a 24th Grand Slam title.
Feb 4
Willie O'Ree changed hockey forever on Jan. 18, 1958. In the midst of America's tumultuous fight to end Jim Crow and the birth of the civil rights movement, Willie - the descendant of escaped slaves - became the first black player to skate in a National Hockey League game.
Jan 25
Colin Kaepernick was right all along, and he just took a knee. If freedom is apparently disgraced by taking a knee, a man's life can be erased by taking a knee. What's worth standing for? Everything and everyone says the athlete. They have purpose, so we'll watch. They have voice, so we will listen. They have influence, so now let's follow their lead. Kayla Grey has more in this essay.
Feb 2
Diversity matters to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first team to reach the Super Bowl with a trio of Black assistant coaches serving as co-ordinators.
Nov 2
Athlete activism in the political sphere has taken a central role in this U.S. election and as Shireen Ahmed writes, women are starting at centre court.
Jan 20
Sports are all about resilience in the face of adversity and pushing through difficulty, Shireen Ahmed writes, and fighting injustice is no different. But we cannot be misled to think that we can pull back and relax now that Trump is out of office.
