Someone once said that a picture is worth a thousand words.
The one that Manistee Middle School football coach Joe Hendges snapped this week is probably worth even more, however.
Two football jerseys. A sea of flowers. A George Floyd mural.
It is the photograph that has Muskegon Heights and Manistee talking.
“I thought it was a very touching statement he made,” Manistee varsity coach Troy Bytwork said.
Hendges is determined to not only use the George Floyd tragedy as a learning opportunity for his players and community, but he wants it to serve as a springboard for positive change in his own community and others.
He enlisted the help of a rival to launch that change.
Hendges contacted Muskegon Heights varsity coach Van Parker and set up a time to visit. They came up with a plan for Hendges to take a Muskegon Heights jersey and a Manistee jersey, drive to Minneapolis and place the jerseys in a memorial that has been set up in the neighborhood where Floyd was killed.
“When I laid those two jerseys down next to each other in front of the George Floyd mural, it was very emotional,” Hendges said. “It was a moment that I will never forget. In large part I felt an overwhelming sense of hope that our kids from both schools will see that and recognize that we are all living in a moment of opportunity, understanding and potentially relationship building.
“If that comes from this tragedy, we will be, in my estimation, honoring George Floyd’s legacy, hopefully forever. It’s long past time to build unity and solidarity in his name. That’s all we are trying to do between our two schools.”
This fall will be Parker’s third season of coaching the Tigers. Parker, who graduated from Muskegon Heights and played football for the Tigers, said he was overwhelmed by Hendges’ gesture.
“It shows us coming together,” Parker said. “Manistee, being predominately white, and Muskegon Heights, being predominately African American, shows we are trying to be the start of a change that brings people together from different walks of life.”
Hendges returned home from his trip to Minneapolis at 1 a.m. Thursday. Not only did he have a chance to visit the memorial, but he visited with Floyd’s neighbors.
“Talking to Coach Parker, we felt like there was an opportunity to build upon this movement across this country,” Hendges said. “We want to take what happened to George Floyd and try to use it as an opportunity for education, solidarity and understanding instead of dividing people. The jerseys I’m hoping are representative of that.
“The folks in George Floyd’s neighborhood where he lost his life, that’s the message they want to get out now. This has to be, in order to honor his legacy, a time of healing and education and moving forward as a people. We are trying to do what they are asking us to do. I can only say that after having been there and having spoken to them.”
Muskegon Heights and Manistee are members of the Lakes-8 Conference, and they have squared off on the gridiron each season since 2012. The two schools will renew their rivalry on Sept. 18.
But Parker said he is looking forward to hosting Manistee this summer.
“Once restrictions are lifted, we want to get together as soon as we can. Maybe we can have a nice cookout,” Parker said. “Obviously, we are still going to have a game. We are still going to battle on the field every season. But we are going to try to become more of a brotherhood and show people that we are all the same. We are all human.
“I believe it is something we can grow and expand upon. It could be the start of some good change.”
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