Amid recent protests around the sports world, WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton canceled Thursday’s practice.

“We had a team meeting this afternoon regarding the current events in our country,” Helton said in a press release. “We had very constructive conversation among our players and coaches.”

Earlier in the week Jacob Blake, a young, Black man from Kenosha, Wisconsin was fatally shot seven times in the back by local police. 

Wednesday, protests around sports began when the Milwaukee Bucks did not leave the locker room for game five of the first round of the NBA playoffs. Following this display, the opposing Orlando Magic left the court and the game was officially boycotted.

The rest of the NBA’s games and select MLB games were boycotted as well Wednesday as a display of justice for Jacob Blake, Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement.

On Thursday, the boycotts continued.

“I made the decision to call off tonight’s practice so our current focus could remain on these issues,” Helton said. “We will plan to get back on the field tomorrow and continue having these important conversations as a team going forward.”

The NBA again postponed all Thursday games and the MLB has postponed several games as well.

Black athletes across sports are demanding change, and with actions like this taken by Coach Helton it is certainly a positive for the Black Lives Matter movement.

WKU Football awaits the start of its 2020 season as they kick things off against the University of Louisville at Cardinal Stadium on September 12.

Football beat reporter Casey Warner can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @thecaseywarner.