WOODFORD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The community has rallied around the coach of the Woodford County High School girls basketball team after a racial slur was found on his car on Friday.
On Wednesday, Journey Church in Versailles hosted a dinner for the team to offer them support and to encourage people to attend the team's game on Saturday.
"I wanted to make sure that he knew this community is behind him 100 percent," said Bug Brown, with the Fellowship for Christian Athletes.
On Friday, Coach Erik Daniels said he noticed something written on his car as he was leaving a game. It turned out to be a racial slur scribbled into the condensation on his window, he said.
"I'm an even-leveled guy," Daniel said. "Nothing really bothers me too much but when it effects my children it kind of gets under my skin, and so we're just trying to be as positive as possible right now and just trying to get through this tough time."
The school district investigated the incident and determined that a student had written the slur and appropriate action was taken, according to Woodford County Superintendent Scott Hawkins.
Brown said she'd like the opportunity to speak to that student.
"We have no ill wills toward the person that did this," she said. "We're praying that they grow from this and their family grows from this."
Unfortunately this isn't the first time Daniels has faced discrimination, he said, but he hopes it's something is children won't have to deal with as much as he has.
"I'm hoping it gets better," he said. "Now i have to answer questions from my children because they're asking me questions now."
The basketball team will play Woodford County High School on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
