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Eric Williams
NFC West Writer
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — On Saturday, Earnel Durden accomplished another in a long line of firsts during his storied football career.
Durden was the first African-American student-athlete at Oregon State University and later the first Black assistant coach at UCLA and for the Los Angeles Rams. He served as an NFL assistant from 1971-76 with the Rams, Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers.
And over the weekend, Durden, who turns 87 on Friday, sat front and center as the namesake of the Rams’ inaugural Earnel Durden Black Coaches symposium. It’s an event created to spark conversations important to the betterment of Black high school coaches in the Los Angeles area.
“When I was a young Black coach growing up, I looked around and I didn’t see anyone like me,” Durden said. “I’m just so happy to see these young guys excelling in coaching, especially young Black coaches. They thought it was worthwhile to come here and learn, and I thought that was just beautiful.”
The event is the brainchild of Johnathan Franklin, director of community affairs and engagement for the Rams, as a way for the organization to impact the L.A. community during Black History Month.
“The way that we were able to kind of break down that tough-man wall and just talk as brothers, that’s what I really loved the most,” said Ghalee Wadood, Rams associate manager of high school football, who served as one of the panelists for the event.
Discussion topics included how coaches can manage their health and the mental stress in their daily lives, along with how to better mentor players, helping them understand their value and how to create relationships with college coaches so players can reach the next level.
“It’s really leveraging your own story,” said UCLA cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator Kodi Whitfield, who followed in the footsteps of his father, former NFL offensive lineman Bob Whitfield, and played football at…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/rams-honor-earnel-durdens-legacy-with-black-coaches-symposium
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Publish date : 2024-02-26 19:27:55
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