On Tuesday afternoon, a group of varsity soccer players from opposing schools took the pitch for warmups, outfitted in the same colors, choosing for a moment to share a message of unity and inclusion, rather than the harsh divide often created by high school athletics.
The boys from East High School and Cottonwood High School dawned Navy shirts with the words “One Kind, Humankind” in bright, bold, white letters, proudly sprawled across their chests. Their backs echoed a clearer message -- “Eliminate Hate.”
Several months ago East High Head Coach Rudy Schenk approached Real Salt Lake Community about partnering in a player-driven initiative to create warm up tops to spread a message of unification and kindness.