The athletes most vulnerable within sport do not need to be taught how to tolerate more. They need environments that expose them to less harm — and care that understands who they are and what they're up against.

Nathan Saliba came on as Koné's replacement. He scored within minutes. He didn't celebrate. He ran to the bench, picked up the empty number 8 jersey, and held it up. Rituals like this let a team grieve without stopping. Holding up that jersey wasn't only about honouring Koné. It was, in a way, permission — for everyone on that pitch — to keep playing.

Original photo: Fran Santiago/Getty Images via CBC Sports/RCI.

When Athletics and Recreation departments bundle high-performance sport credentials alongside student-athlete experience competencies into one role, they are not just describing a complex job. They are, often unintentionally, building a hierarchy into the posting before a single application has been received. This piece explores what that means — for hiring committees, for diverse candidates, and for the student-athletes they are ultimately hired to serve.