MHS athletes tackle hair challenges in sports 

Sololiya Ebba | The Chronicle

In February, America celebrates Black History Month, honoring the achievements and contributions of African Americans. From the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to the National Football League (NFL), Black athletes have played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of sports. 

Black history is embedded in sports history. During the era of segregation, African Americans created their own sports institutions, playing basketball and baseball among themselves. In 1947, Jackie Robinson shattered the color barrier in sports, becoming the first Black Major League baseball player. These athletes paved the way for the unity displayed throughout sports today, allowing African Americans across the nation to play the games that they love. Beyond their athleticism, Black athletes, especially women, have faced unique challenges related to their hair.

In performance sports, like cheerleading and dance, athletes are forced to conform to team hairstyle requirements that do not accommodate their natural hair, leading to relentless straightening, tight styling and brutal heat exposure. The Mason High School (MHS) Color Guard is nationally recognized for its talent, as the guard members, along with their marching band counterparts, have performed at the Rose Bowl parade in 2016 and 2024, and are 12-time Bands of America (BOA) Grand Nationals Finalists. To maintain cohesiveness while performing, the costume, hair and makeup must be the same for each performer. As one of the few Black girls on the team, MHS senior Julena Waldon has a unique experience with her hair in comparison to her teammates.

“If I have my natural hair, I usually have to straighten it before every football game,” Waldon said. “But when we do a show, I get a hairstyle based on the show, or what [my coach] wants. If she wants us to all have a bun, then I’ll get braids that kind of go up so I can put it up in a bun.”

Waldon’s natural hair is thick and tightly coiled, which makes constant styling quickly lead to breakage. Additionally, Waldon said maintaining health for her hair type is a time-consuming hindrance. It requires constant detangling, an abundance of hair care products and protective styles, like braids. After performing in Color Guard and Winter Guard for a total of six years, Waldon has experienced a noticeable amount of heat damage from the constant straightening and styling. 

“My hair is definitely less healthy [than it used to be],” Waldon said. “But [my hair] will never stop me from doing the things that I love to do.”

When it comes to many performance sports, a certain “look” is expected. Especially on the MHS Cheer team, visual cohesion applies to more than just the routine. From matching bows and uniforms to identical hairstyles, the emphasis on cohesiveness is meant to create an appealing visual effect. MHS freshman Chloe Miller has been cheering for seven years, and as she wraps up the basketball cheer season, she reflects on the challenges she has faced in managing her hair throughout her journey. 

“I don’t think [my teammates and coaches] understand the impact of straightening my hair so often,” Miller said. “I can count on one hand the few times I’ve been asked about [my hair]. They’ll say, ‘Oh, how long did it take you?’ or ‘Oh, your hair looks really good’. I think they just see my hair straight all the time, so they don’t really question it.”

Not all hair damage comes from straightening and styling in the world of performance sports. In standard swimming pools, high levels of chlorine are maintained in order to fight off bacteria in the water and keep the space clean. However, for Black swimmers, especially girls, this means extra precautions and care for their hair. Chlorine exposure, especially high levels of it, is extremely damaging to the density and texture of Black hair, even causing discoloration at times. MHS senior Mariam Ndiaye has been in and out of pools since she was seven years old, as she plays water polo and competitively swims for MHS. Ndiaye said she uses protective hairstyles, such as braids, throughout the season. While this is a convenient and healthy choice for her and her hair, Ndiaye faces struggles in the water.

“When I have long braids, my hair can’t fit in a normal cap,” Ndiaye said. “One of my friends gave me a long hair cap, which has helped, but it still falls off. I guess I could get [my braids] shorter, but I feel like it’s a part of Black culture to have long braids, so I don’t want my doing a sport to affect that.”

Ndiaye is committed to play water polo at the Division I level at the University of Michigan beginning in the fall, so her hair care challenges will continue in the future. However, swimming and water polo have been a huge part of Ndiaye’s life, and her hair has never stopped her from excelling. To ensure the health of her hair and keep up with her practice schedule, she pays special attention to the days that she washes her hair.

“Sometimes [managing my hair] is easier when it’s natural,” Ndiaye said. “But I have to make sure to rinse it every day because the chlorine can be very damaging, and I can only condition my hair on the weekends because if I condition my hair during the week [the moisture] will make my cap fall off in practice.”

The shared experiences of Black female athletes in the athletic world pay tribute to self-identity and expression, which are celebrated throughout Black History Month. Despite the obstacles, these girls continue to excel in their sports, refusing to let hair expectations define their ability or limit their success.

“If I could give advice to a Black girl who struggles with her hair while playing sports, I would say to not let the sport you do affect your hair and your culture,” Ndiaye said. “If you want to have a certain hairstyle, have it. Don’t let it affect you, because your hair is a part of who you are. You might have to make some accommodations, but it’s worth it.”