Coach allegedly denies player spot on team due to a loss.

Asher Akridge, a Black baseball player, recently recorded a conversation he had with Greg Guilliams, the manager of Valdosta State University's baseball team. In the conversation, which has since been posted on TikTok, Akridge asked the coach why he wasn't on the team. The response? His hair was too long.

A source on the team confirmed to WALB News 10 that Akridge and Guilliams were the voices in the audio. After Akridge asked why other players could wear their hair long, Guilliams stated they were speaking about the player specifically. To further illustrate his point, Akridge posted a photo of a white player with long hair in a uniform. The caption under the video read, “Valdosta State University 2023 or 1945.”

In the audio, Guilliams said, “If you had complied with what I said, you’d have got your hair cut and I wouldn’t have had to keep telling you about it.” He further explained that he should have done things differently from the beginning and he accepted part of the blame for giving Akridge the wrong impression. Akridge then pointed out that there were “discrepancies” in the coach’s policy.

Guilliams then said, “We are not talking about other guys, I told you before on the phone, we are not going down that route, why would I go down this route again? I don’t care what anybody else says, this is between you and me. I’m the head coach. It doesn’t matter what any other player says. So, again, why would I want you back on the team when we are right back having the same conversation again? Conversation over, wild boars could not allow me to put you back on this baseball team. There is no way, it ain’t gonna happen. This conversation is over. I said it on the phone.”

The audio has since gone viral and many are calling it out as an example of racial discrimination. In response, Valdosta State has released a statement saying they are investigating the incident and progressing through the required due process procedures.

It is clear that hair discrimination is still an issue today, especially in the workplace. This incident and many others like it have highlighted this issue and emphasized the importance of having conversations about the implications of hair discrimination.

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