Coach Kelly discusses how they've addressed race relations

 

As Notre Dame's football players return to campus, the COVID-19 pandemic isn't the only challenge they're facing. Head Coach Brian Kelly discussed the team and how the team is addressing race relations.

Even before players began returning to campus, Coach Kelly, his assistant coaches and players have been vocal on social media and even in person at protests around the country.

Coach Kelly recently held a team meeting to allow his players the chance to share their experiences and concerns.

"It needed to be addressed. The first thing is our players needed to be heard. There was anger. There was confusion. They needed to talk and we were able to allow our players to also have a platform, through using our social media platform to be heard. But that's only the start of the story. Being heard and having a vocal part of it is one thing, but we've got to be actionable. We started a unity council within our program that will be represented by our players that will start within our program to address any racial inequities that we have. We'll then look towards campus as to where we can be a change mover," Coach Kelly said.

Coach Kelly says the university is providing mental health services to student athletes to not only help deal with the emotional toll of racial injustice, but also the effects of the COVID-19 quarantine.