As a head coach of a Power 5 program, Tom Allen understands he is judged on wins and losses, but there is much more to it.
He feels a has a personal responsibility that extends beyond his role on the sideline and where the Hoosiers wind up in terms of the win and loss column. That responsibility includes pushing his players to make a difference off the field, by voting and being involved in the community. As a result, the entire football team is registered to vote in the upcoming November election.
“I commend Coach Brandon Shelby and Mike Hart for working together and taking ownership of that," Allen told the media Monday, Oct. 5. "My whole objective is I want our guys to execute their right and privilege to vote in our democracy. We never tell them who to vote for and we challenge them to be able to study, know the issues and vote for the person who represents what they want. It’s very important, and we’ve taken it to heart here. It’s a very important thing. We have been very aggressive with that, and I am encouraged how they responded."
Indiana University is also doing its part, as athletics will not be in action on Nov. 3. In a prior release, athletic director Scott Dolson said the measure is part of the school’s efforts to support students and make sure their voices are heard.
“There is no more important civic responsibility than participating in the electoral process, and this will aid not only our students’ opportunity to vote, but our staff as well,” Dolson said.
The message to vote from Allen comes after a complicated seven months that have featured social unrest and a global pandemic. Through it all, several Indiana football players got involved, including wide receiver Whop Philyor, who had been vocal following the death of George Floyd and urged other college coaches to join Allen in the movement.
“It was very important to me that I was getting out there, letting my voice be heard. I am happy that the staff is behind me because it’s not doing anything but educating people. If they see Coach Allen doing it, they are like, maybe it’s the right thing to do,' Philyor told the media earlier this summer. "Some people do not think it is the right thing to do, being for Black Lives Matter. Not everybody thinks that Black Lives Matter. To see Coach Allen doing it, I am not going to lie, it really made me happy. It made me love him even more."
Allen sees the interactions as an opportunity for growth and promoting empathy.
“Empathy is a key word during this time with the pandemic and all the social injustice and racial challenges during this time,” Allen added. “People who have had personal families members who have gotten sick, or close friends who have passed away from this virus, they have a whole different attitude. People who haven’t been impacted much they may feel like it’s not that big of a deal. It is a big deal, I lost a close friend through all this. It’s real and it’s serious and we take it serious. I think we bring those experiences with us, even racially.
“I sat there and talked with our players, some of them 1-on-1, all different ways we’ve done it. I don’t know what it feels like to be a black male raised in this country, but at the same time I can have empathy for them. If I truly care about them, and I’m trying to learn from them, tell me about your life, what was it like and we’ve had those conversations and it’s been really good. It’s like anything else, it doesn’t make it any easier, but it makes you realize you’re in an environment that makes it safe to speak the truth, speak from the heart and we are going to care about you and love you and do everything we can to make sure you feel like you have a supportive environment.”
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