Coker's Olliver Speaks Up on Diversity and Inclusion

HARTSVILLE, S.C. - With the 2020 season cancelled, Coker University head men's lacrosse coach Dave Olliver has used his time to speak out about sport and diversity. Olliver has served on several national committees regarding diversity inclusion, representing both Coker University and the South Atlantic Conference.

"As the leader of this program I have been moved to do a better job educating these young men to be better teammates and leaders in their own communities," said Olliver.

Olliver served on the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA)/Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association's NCAA Inclusion and Diversity committee as the minority representative for the sport of men's lacrosse. The committee works to establish programs to increase inclusion for both minority coaches and student-athletes. The committee also works to educate colleagues on what diversity and inclusion mean to those who are minorities within their sport.

Olliver was also a member of the NCAA Coaches of Diversity Sub-Committee, which is made up of minority coaches within NCAA men's lacrosse. This group discusses issues that minority student-athletes face within men's lacrosse and works to help to bring solutions to these issues.

Olliver has also served as the South Atlantic Conference representative for the NCAA Coaches Connection. Olliver serves alongside men's lacrosse coaches from every conference and also representation from the NCAA to discuss specific issues within the sport of men's lacrosse.

 According to Olliver, "We will continue to do more as a program to improve our culture and set our young men up for successful lives full of love. I will always be an advocate of the locker room setting and just maybe the world may be better place if everyone played sports. It is a unique environment that helps the growth of any person. As the world moves it is great to be present on social media and express solidarity and support of those who may not look like you or think like you; but being involved on these committees was my way of doing more and trying to make an impact at least in my sport and within my peers. Kobe has an amazing quote that I try to live by "the most important thing in life, is how your career moves and touches those around you, and how it carries forward to the next generation; that's what makes true greatness." 

In addition, Olliver represents Coker on the SAC COVID-19 Task Force and also serves on Coker's Return-To-Play Task Force.