SAN FRANCISCO – In the latest edition of Dons From Distance, USF's Director of Creative Video Katie Morgan sat down with second year men's soccer head coach Leonard Griffin, who shared his experiences as an African American man in today's climate.
 
The segment begins with Morgan introducing Griffin, who became just the sixth head coach in USF soccer history in April of 2019.  At that time there were 528 Division I men's and women's head coaches – 26 were black. Griffin, an All-American at UCLA and native of Southern California, discusses how soccer has grown into a "pay to play" sport, and explains how being an African American head coach is important in bringing equality to the sport he loves.
 
The segment goes on to discuss the impact of the death of George Floyd and how it has crystallized his emphasis on building a culture that is both open and communicative. His efforts extend throughout the roster to include the coaching staff, which has allowed the Dons' program to have difficult conversations.
 
Morgan goes on to ask Griffin about the difficult realities of raising black children in today's climate. To see the full video, click here.
 
You can see this and all the past Dons From Distance on the USF Athletics YouTube page or by clicking here.
 
Also, be sure to follow the Dons on social media at @DonsAthletics on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.