Providence's Ed Cooley a 'beacon of hope' for aspiring Black coaches originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Ed Cooley is used to overcoming long odds.
One of nine children raised by a mother on welfare in a low-income Providence neighborhood, Cooley was taken in by his neighbors, Gloria and Eddie Searight, before age 10.
Just over a decade later, he was captaining Stonehill's basketball team after twice winning Rhode Island Player of the Year honors at Providence's Central High School.
Fast forward to February 2022, where Cooley has the Friars ranked No. 11 in the country -- their highest ranking since 2015-16 -- amid a 20-2 start.
"Honestly, it’s crazy when you think about it," Cooley told NBC Sports Boston recently while reflecting on his life's journey. "Having been born and raised here -- it’s a story that could be written for days."
U.S. & World
But as Providence racks up the wins, Cooley wants to amplify a more important story: that of a Black head coach having sustained success at a major Division I program.
Celebrating Black History: Willie O'Ree's impact on NHL will last for generations
Entering the 2021-22 season, 31 percent of the 358 head coaches in Division I men's college basketball were Black, according to The Undefeated's Jesse Washington. Only nine have been in head coach roles for more than five years -- one of which is Cooley, who began his head coaching career at Fairfield in 2006.
If Cooley's 15 years as a Division I head coach make him a role model for current and aspiring Black coaches across all sports, he's embracing the title.
"I want to be an inspiration and a beacon of hope for young men and women who have come from a very challenging upbringing," Cooley says. "We as a family want you to dream big, and don’t think you’re 'less than' because you haven’t had some of the basic necessities, or because you’re viewed differently or spoken to differently."
Cooley is grateful to both Fairfield and Providence for taking a chance on him as the first Black head coach in both programs' histories. He's also playing his part to groom the next generation of Black coaches: Former Providence star LeDontae Henton is a special assistant on Cooley's Friars staff and is "well on his way to being a great, great coach in this business," says Cooley.
But make no mistake: Cooley is far from satisfied with minority representation in the coaching ranks.
"Here we are in 2022 continuing to talk about opportunities for minority coaches in college and professional sports," Cooley says. "It’s sad, yet it’s still something that we need to speak about.
"When you look at football, I don’t know how many African-American or minority coaches there are in the league. (Editor's Note: As of Wednesday, there are two Black head coaches among the NFL's 32 teams.) I think the league is well over 50 percent represented by people of color. It’s tough to watch, and I’m a big football fan.
"At the same time, there are many quality candidates out there who just need the opportunity to do it, and hopefully that continues to change as we bring about these conversations."
Rodney Harrison calls out NFL in passionate take on Flores lawsuit
Cooley is a prime example of what can happen when the right candidate gets the right opportunity. Not only has he helped thrust the Friars into the national spotlight, he's also helped change the culture at Providence by emphasizing more than just on-court success.
"The most important thing is to educate our men to get them to be college graduates, to get them to be community leaders and to get them to be successful when the ball dies," Cooley says. "Because it’s not all about basketball.
"We’re judged on wins and losses, yet I can judge myself when I look in the mirror and say, ‘Did I do the best thing for those young men who I’ve coached throughout my career?' And that goes back to the administration having the courage to be different, having the courage to change."
So, what needs to happen for more administrations -- and professional sports teams -- to hire more minority candidates in leadership positions?
"It’s a whole cultural shift, I believe," Cooley says. "I think it’s all about the educational component and getting down to meet the people. I don’t want people to look at me and see Ed the Black coach. I need you to see me as Ed the person first, and my job happens to be a college basketball coach.
"I’m looking at having an open, honest discussion about dreams and possibilities, and I think that’s the message you have to have with owners of professional teams and administrators in colleges and high schools.
"Have a conversation about possibilities where you dare to be different but dare to give people a chance to be great."
Providence gave Cooley the chance to be great in 2011. More than a decade later, he's still proving them right.
