Soccer Player Rachel Hill Shares Why She Stood during the National Anthem as Teammates Knelt
Chicago Red Stars forward Rachel Hill recently released a statement explaining why she chose to stand during the national anthem on opening day of the Challenge Cup for the National Women’s Soccer League despite her teammates taking a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
According to ESPN, in a Twitter post on Tuesday, Hill asserted that while she stood during the National Anthem out of respect for her military family, she “wholeheartedly” supports the Black Lives Matter movement.
“When I stood for the national anthem before the Chicago Red Stars’ most recent game, this was a decision that did not come easily or without profound thought,” Hill shared, noting that she sought out advice on what to do from family, friends and teammates.
“I chose to stand because of what the flag inherently means to my military family members and me. But I 100% support my peers.” She asserted.
Hill added that she tried to show solidarity with her Black teammates and the Black community as a whole by placing her hand on Defender Casey Short’s shoulder and bowing her head.
“I struggled, but felt that these actions show my truth, and in the end, I wanted to remain true to myself,” Hill wrote.
Hill went on to note that she spoke with several of her Black teammates, including Short and Sarah Gorden before and after the game, noting that she will “continue to learn and grow.”
“As a white athlete, it is way past due for me to be diligently anti-racist,” she asserted.
She then cited Galatians 5:14, writing, “I do the best I can each day to show love and respect towards every human being. Through my faith, I’ve been taught that love always works, and the command I follow is to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“I pray for the recognition of the dignity and worth of all people. In this moment the black community needs us. I am ready to help with meaningful action that leads to everlasting change,” she concluded.
Unity. pic.twitter.com/URvSvc2YVa
— Rachel Hill (@r_hill3) July 1, 2020
Just hours before Hill released her statement, Short shared a joint statement with teammate Julie Ertz on Twitter noting that she had “unapologetically authentic” conversations with Hill regarding her decision to stand and that she is hopeful that these types of conversations will lead to meaningful change.
“I, Casey, can only speak for myself, but the conversations I have had with players, specifically Rachel, have been unapologetically authentic. I have to ask where my hope lies. It lies in my faith and those types of conversations that have been long overdue. The types of conversations that are raw and uncomfortable, that can lead to real impactful change.”
Our narrative ♥️ pic.twitter.com/VRJOpITuW9
— Casey Short (@CaseyShort3) June 30, 2020
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Alex Goodlett/Stringer
Kayla Koslosky has been the Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com since 2018. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket newspaper. She has written on her blog since 2012 and has also contributed to IBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com.
