Atheist group demands coach Deion Sanders stop pre-game prayers with football team

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Monday, October 28, 2024

Head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes soccer staff, Tremendous Bowl winner and NFL Corridor of Famer Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, is coming beneath fireplace from an atheist group for holding staff prayers and different non secular actions.

“It’s come to our consideration that Coach Sanders has continued to entangle the college’s soccer program with faith and interact in non secular workouts with college students and workers,” the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Faith Basis wrote in a current letter to college executives pointing to a post-game prayer with the Colorado Buffaloes staff following their win over Baylor College final month.

Previous to the supply of a prayer by Pastor E. Dewey Smith of Home of Hope Church in Atlanta, Georgia, Sanders is recorded declaring to the staff: “In case you don’t consider within the Lord, you higher consider in Him now.”

Smith then delivered the prayer thanking God for the victory.

“God, we thanks tonight for victory, thanks that you simply stored us comparatively secure. Thanks that despite our imperfections you continue to blessed us, Lord. And thanks for being with us to the tip. Lord, some individuals name it Hail Mary, some individuals name it karma, some individuals name it luck, however in my religion custom we name it Jesus,” Smith mentioned.  

POWERFUL: Colorado HC @DeionSanders leads the staff in prayers postgame

“In case you don’t consider within the Lord, you higher consider in Him now”- Prime

“Lord, some individuals name it Hail Mary, karma, luck, however in my religion custom, we name it Jesus,”- @edeweysmithpic.twitter.com/mukc9gHJNF

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 22, 2024

Samantha F. Lawrence, a workers legal professional for FFRF, mentioned within the group’s letter that Smith seemed to be serving because the staff’s chaplain regardless of assurances from the college in January 2023 that Sanders had been suggested about, and appeared receptive to “the boundaries during which gamers and coaches could and will not have interaction in non secular expression.”

“Coach Sanders’ staff is stuffed with younger and impressionable scholar athletes who wouldn’t threat giving up their scholarship, giving up enjoying time, or shedding a very good suggestion from the coach by talking out or voluntarily opting out of his unconstitutional non secular actions — even when they strongly disagree along with his beliefs,” Lawrence argued.

“Coaches exert nice affect and energy over scholar athletes and people athletes will observe the lead of their coach. Utilizing a training place to advertise Christianity quantities to unconstitutional non secular coercion,” the letter additional claimed. “The College of Colorado should once more take motion to guard its scholar athletes’ First Modification rights.” 

“Coach Sanders wants to grasp that he was employed to educate soccer, to not pressure scholar athletes to have interaction in his most popular non secular practices. He should stop infusing the soccer program with Christianity. We request notification in writing of the actions the college is taking to make sure that Coach Sanders will stop proselytizing scholar athletes for good.”

The College of Colorado didn’t instantly reply Monday when requested for remark in regards to the FFRF’s demand letter.

The FFRF has requested that the college present all soccer program, college or athletic division information associated to Pastor E. Dewey Smith’s involvement with the soccer staff, together with journey plans, itineraries, and monetary information, together with funds and reimbursements, made to him.

Additionally requested are information of all college and associated insurance policies and information offered to Coach Sanders concerning “making non secular remarks, holding or main prayers, selling faith, or in any other case entangling the Soccer Program with faith whereas appearing in his capability as Head Coach.”