This story initially appeared on Behind the Whistle, the official blog of the IWLCA, and is being republished with permission from the organization. Sydney Watson is an All-American midfielder at the University of Connecticut.
Picture this. It is the year 2015, you are a sophomore in high school and you have a goal to play collegiate lacrosse. You come from an area that is not on the map for having Division I college worthy athletes, nor do you play on a club team that anyone knows. You attend camps here and there in hopes that a coach shows some interest in your playing skills, but you are not too sure you’ll have that opportunity.
That is what it was like for me in the early years of high school, coming from a small area in southern Maryland.
Fast forward to today, 2022. I am now entering my last semester as a collegiate athlete at the University of Connecticut, having opportunities to help my team reach new milestones, play for Team USA, and learning from mentors, coaches and teammates alike, along the way.
Now, rewind the entire story. Add in the fact that you are a Black woman trying to succeed in a white dominated sport. You live in a predominantly white community. You are sometimes the only Black player on your teams, and you rarely see anyone else Black on the field. Yet, despite all obstacles, you succeed.
The road I have traveled was far from easy. Beginning in high school, there were plenty remarks about my race, whether it was coming from other players, coaches or even parents in the stands. My mom, who is white, would hear them all around her because they didn’t realize I was her daughter, which is why my mom now decides to always sit far away from other parents or fans. I would constantly hear people say, “She’s only fast because she’s Black,” or “Great, the Black girl … she’s too aggressive,” or “She is such a dirty player!”
One of the comments that hurt me the most was from an assistant coach from my rival high school. I had known this woman since I was in elementary school. Her daughter and I played on the same team as kids. I truly believe she cared for me and respected my game. Well, I was wrong. During the match, she screamed at me, “You are nothing but a dirty player! You don’t know how to play soccer.” Then she yelled to the ref, “That Black girl is terrible, do something about her!” I was angry. I was sad. And I was hurt.
There were always times when you would hear the racial comments, the occasional word that should never be spoken directed at someone. These situations didn’t occur in just lacrosse, but they occurred on and off so many other athletic fields as well. Back then, for me, these were the moments where I would stay silent. I would attempt to let my play prove everyone wrong and hopefully make them eat their own words and comments. I never shared what they said to me, I would just keep it to myself and remember it; carry it with me and use it as fuel as I kept chasing my goals.