USI Athletic coaches, staff discuss Black History Month and what it means to be a leader

The month of February has been recognized as Black History Month since 1976 when President Gerald Ford extended the original week-long celebration of Black history to the entire month of February, “to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history,” said Ford. This month carries many meanings for the Black community; from honoring those who have come before to recognizing the strides made while continuing to move forward.

USI’s campus is fortunate to include students and employees who showcase a diverse background of knowledge, cultural experience and talent. USI Today sat down with four coaches and staff members of USI Athletics to ask them about their work with USI students as well as what Black History Month means to them.

Ashley Johnson '20, Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach

Ashley Johnson has come full circle at USI—a 2020 graduate, she spent her college career from 2015-2020 as a point guard for the Screaming Eagles. She finished her playing time with several rankings and capped her career with Academic All-GLVC honors and first-team All-GLVC honors.

Once she earned her master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology from Loughborough University in London, England, she returned to USI, now an Assistant Coach for the Women’s Basketball program.

“It’s just all come full circle for me,” says Johnson of her work as an assistant coach. “To come back in this different position, being on the sidelines, allows me a chance to give someone else the opportunity I had. I’m just looking to give that opportunity to someone else who may be lost or just transitioning into a different part of their life.”

When it comes to Black History Month, Johnson says for her, it is a time to celebrate Black people individually as well as a group. “It’s a time to celebrate just everything that we’ve accomplished and how far we’ve come from our past,” she adds. “It’s a month where we can see where we’ve come from even though we didn’t have all the opportunities that everyone else was given.”

Though her time with USI in a coaching position has just started, she hopes student-athletes learn about more than just basketball from her—that if they keep going, push through adversity and don’t give up on themselves, they can achieve their goals.

Randa Gatling '99, Women’s Basketball Associate Head Coach

It’s hard not to think of Randa Gatling when you think of USI Women’s Basketball. She has a long, successful career at USI, starting in 1999 as a dominant player on the squad and has been a coach for the team for the past 24 seasons.

For Gatling, being a representative of not just USI, but a Black woman in an athletic leadership position means a lot to her. “It’s one of the things that I grew up with in my family. We were raised to serve, and not only in our community, but in general. I think in our culture and in our Black culture, it’s one of those things where if one person succeeds, we all succeed,” she says. “It’s a cultural process. Because of the struggle leading up to the present day, it means a lot to be in a position of leadership, not just in athletics but in serving the community and being a positive role model.”  

And being in a position that enables her to work with students not just as a coach but as a mentor, as someone building a relationship with a student, gives her joy. The relationship with her student-athletes, being a small part of their lives as they grow and learn, is important to Gatling.

“Some people are late bloomers, and they don’t really know what life’s about or what they want. They don’t know who they are yet,” she adds. “So, watching as these students find themselves, find their identity and helping them do that and being a part of that? It’s special. The wins and losses on the court are just the icing on the cake.”

Knowing that student-athletes are in a transitional period of their lives during college, Gatling hopes she can not only provide them with instruction useful for basketball but for the rest of their lives. She strives to be not just a positive representation of a coach and leader, but a positive representation of a Black woman who is a leader—someone who is an advocate and partner.

“What I want to do is always move in my space as somebody who is open, who is empathetic, who is not judgmental, who is not closed-minded,” she says. “I tell our student-athletes all the time, let’s learn about each other; let’s not be scared to ask questions—why I did my hair straight or what I used to do to my hair, or what was my journey like as a Black woman, did I experience racism, when? I want to have an open-door policy for all things.”

Gatling adds she is open to all the uncomfortable conversations that some people do not want to have. She looks at these opportunities as a way for student-athletes to learn from each other, to not fear asking questions and embrace each other’s differences. “That’s what I really hope I portray as a Black woman with our team and in our athletic culture. And I hope I’m even that in our department as well, for my co-workers,” she says.

Education is also a part of what Gatling thinks of when it comes to Black History Month, a time that is also about the celebration of the Black culture and a time of honoring those who have come before. “It’s an opportunity to showcase the struggle so that it is not repeated,” she explains. “When I think about Black History Month, I think it’s life or death for us to increase awareness and create an open opportunity to talk about things that need to be addressed. And it’s our responsibility to represent our culture in a way where people understand it.”

Stan Gouard '99, Men’s Basketball Head Coach

Like Gatling and Johnson, Stan Gouard has made an impact at USI not just as a player, but as a coach. As the 10th Head Coach in USI Men’s Basketball history, he also is the first Black man to hold the position, which is something that means the world to him.

“There’s not too many of us in a leadership position in athletics. There’s a lot of assistant coaches but not many head coaches or administrators,” says Gouard. “It makes me proud to see how far we have come over the years as coaches. There’s still a lot of work to do, but we’re taking strides in the right direction.”

It’s also a position that he does not take lightly. When it comes to student-athletes, it’s not just about what happens on the court, but helping the players grow outside of basketball as well. “Everybody talks about wins and losses, but for me to see the growth of these young men who come in … I always say it’s boys to men. We’re helping these guys mature and helping them attain their goals. It means a whole lot to me,” he explains. “I love winning basketball games, but we win even more when these guys come in here and obtain that USI degree and go out and conquer the world. I enjoy that about as much as winning.”

A part of that is showing his student-athletes that life is “bigger than basketball.” They talk about how a bad game shouldn’t dictate how a day goes; about not quitting when things become difficult; believing in yourself and those around you to make it through tough times and working hard to do your best. “I always try to reference the good, the bad and the ugly in real life. For a young man, if he had a family, what are you going to do when the going gets tough and things don’t go your way? You going to quit or are you going to keep fighting for what you believe in and for your family?” says Gouard. “I give them personal testimonies about myself; I struggled in some areas of my life, but I didn’t throw the towel in. I kept fighting and look at where it took me.”   

This example drives home what Gouard hopes his student-athletes take away from him—the relationships you create and the attitude you have are far more important than wins and losses. “I think for me, the students see me as a family man, as a father, a leader, a Christian and when I walk in that gym I want those guys to see me and want to be like me and even better than me,” he says. “I look at my coaches when I played here, and they are the reason I got into coaching because of how they treated me and how they lived their everyday lives.”

“I’m a very observant person of other people, and the day I stepped foot on this campus, I did that. I observed and learned, and it helped me with my growth. I think I can do the same thing for each young man in my program,” Gouard adds. “They watch me interact with my family, my daughter, how I treat others. I think it’s important; it’s not for show. I make sure they see how I interact with my life and treat them with the utmost respect.”

Honoring those pioneers who led by example also reflects in Gouard’s thoughts on what Black History Month means to him. Retelling the stories of those who came before shows how far things have come for those in the Black community, but it also helps remind us how we should all come together as one, he says. “I think we’ve done that—come together as one—and that means a lot to me and my family because had that not happened, who knows what the world would be like right now,” he adds. “Black History Month shows a true and diverse representation of what the world looks like today.”

 “And I’m honored to be a leader, in terms of where I am, and I think it’s my job to build off what those who come before us, and the leaders right now are sharing. It’s my job to piggyback off that and make sure everybody is treated with dignity and respect, despite your race, the color of your skin, your gender or your religious beliefs,” Gouard continues. “I think we all are one, and I think that’s the message Dr. Martin Luther King was preaching when he gave the speech about us being united, becoming one person. That speech means a lot to me, and I always love to listen to it, whether it’s the month of February or just driving in my car. It speaks volumes.”

Dameion Doss, Student Athlete Development and Retention Coordinator

It’s not just about the game—and no one understands that more than Dameion Doss. In his position at USI, he strives to help student-athletes not only focus on their work on the court but also grow in the classroom and in the community. As a Black man, he understands the importance of being a part of a diverse environment—not just in athletics, but across campus.

“It’s important for student-athletes and all students to see people who look like them, to see people they may have something in common with,” he says. “I think being in my role—working at USI and in higher education—it’s important for marginalized groups, specifically Black males and females, to have that representation.”

And interaction with students is a key part of Doss’s role at USI, which he loves. “I like being able to help students develop, to see where they are and where they could be and where they’re going. We all are teaching them about life; when you’re a student-athlete and you only focus on perfecting your craft, you’re not learning important things about life,” he says. “For me, being a former student-athlete myself, I like the idea of working with these students and seeing their success because there’s ups and downs for them in their seasons and in academics. I enjoy working with them and seeing that light go off when they understand or achieve success.”

The connections are important, Doss adds, as it helps students feel comfortable asking for help, whether that be from him or others on campus. And for those students from marginalized groups, it can mean a lot to have a connection with someone who may relate to their situation or background. “That’s why organizations on campus like the Multicultural Center are so important. A lot of minority players, they may be so geared on going to practice, going to class that they are not active in other social settings,” he adds. “I encourage them to get connected, get to know the campus, the programs here and find those people who can connect with them.”

“I hope in my position I can show students, especially those students of color, that if they know who they are, know their worth and know what they want, they can succeed,” Doss adds. “And don’t be afraid of hard work because nothing in life comes easy. And understand that there are going to be times you feel like you did not get something because you are Black; but the key is not to focus on the negativity. I’m always quick to say to them that there is another direction—you can be successful in a different way. If you know who you are, what your worth is and what you want to be, you can find your successes.”

For Doss, Black History Month is about opportunity— an opportunity to learn, not just for Black people but for the world. It’s about Black history and a time to educate about things that pertain to Black people, he says. “I had some people tell me about notable individuals who they knew represented Black history, and they mentioned Martin Luther King Jr., and others who are well known. But I wouldn’t expect a lot of people to know anything about activist Lloyd Gaines. Or Garrett Morgan, who invented the three-way traffic signal. Or Louis Latimer, who built upon Edison’s light bulb filament to make it last longer. For me, Black History Month is a time to learn about people who you don’t know about,” adds Doss. “It’s a time for people of all races around the world to learn about Black culture, to educate ourselves more and talk about what is happening. Our history is important; it’s important to talk to each other and our kids about what they are learning, what they know. About the trials and tribulations Black people have gone through and still go through today.”