Men's Basketball Coming Together to Cast Their Votes

Sophomore guard Jay Heath voted for the first time in the 2020 Election

Men's Basketball Coming Together to Cast Their Votes

October 27, 2020 | Men's Basketball

MBB is one of 25 Boston College teams to have 100 percent voter registration ahead of Election Day next week

By: Mike Laprey - Athletic Communications

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- It is roughly five miles from Jay Heath's home in northeast Washington, D.C. to The People's House on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The sophomore guard, whose high school in the District was named for the 28th President - Woodrow Wilson - has been surrounded by the pageantry and challenges of living in the Nation's Capital his entire life. This year, alongside many of his teammates, he gets his first chance to vote for President.

"I am making sure I do vote and have my voice heard," Heath said. "Looking back, as part of the Black community and what we had to go through just to get a chance to vote, I know this is a blessing. This is a part of history for me and I am thankful and grateful.'

The makeup of the 2020-21 Boston College men's basketball team lends toward a long list of first-time voters, especially in a presidential cycle. But in true 2020 fashion, the majority of eligible voters will be casting their decisions remotely. Even the Langford brothers - Makai Ashton-Langford and DeMarr Langford Jr. - are less than an hour from their hometown of Worcester, but dropped their ballots in the mail.

Two Eagles' newcomers - grad transfers Frederick Scott and Rich Kelly - are voting veterans. Scott and Kelly are voting in their second presidential election.

"Voting is an important responsibility," Kelly said. "There have been some great signs on campus, talking about how in 2016, the least-represented demographic in voting for President was our age bracket. So whether you are red or blue, it doesn't matter. You just need to vote."

Boston College's men's basketball team is one of 25 programs at the Heights with 100 percent registration among eligible voters on its roster.

Over the last seven months, from the abrupt end to the 2020 spring semester and quarantine at home, through the summer, and subsequent return to campus, sophomores Andrew Kenny and CJ Felder began to pay close attention to the backgrounds of the candidates - both nationally and locally.

"It's something I followed closely during the quarantine time at home," said Kenny. "And Coach Christian and the staff has made sure to keep us all up to speed on the resources we need to vote."

"I have made sure to research and know the history and the background of the two candidates for President," Felder explained. A native of Sumter, S.C., he is still working to obtain his mail-in ballot. "It has been a process. I need to get another form to my mom back at home and hopefully that will be it."

Steffon Mitchell made this ballot-casting debut this fall. The Shakopee, Minn. native - a suburb of Minneapolis - said he had been motivated to vote. The murder of George Floyd on May 25 made it even more crucial.

"Everything that happened in Minneapolis made me want to vote even more," Mitchell explained. "We're one of those swing states everyone talks about, I want to be on the right side of it."

Throughout the spring and summer, the Eagles have maintained their tight-knit mentality, despite the forced distance. Through team Zoom calls with head coach Jim Christian, the topics quickly strayed from simply basketball.

"Like so many other teams and programs, Zoom kept us in touch while we were all away from each other all those months," Christian said. "And with everything going on, we couldn't just have those calls with program housekeeping - we needed to talk about what was going on in our world, in our states, and in our cities."

"One thing we could all agree upon and one thing we could all work together on was voting. It is something they will all have for the rest of their lives and I think through the process of registering to vote - we have so many players who are voting for their first time - and the research and work they've done on their own, it is a tremendous life lesson. That is what this is all about - building off the foundations of what their families are teaching them and helping to develop as young men," Christian added.

The Eagles' political climate is a unique one. Heath, Wynston Tabbs, and Sam Holtze were quick to note that players are keeping their vote tallies private. Except one topic, which was the talk of the locker room. "We all talked about the debates," said Holtze.

Kelly sees these times as an opportunity to learn and to grow closer to his new teammates.

"These are volatile times. Politics and political views are private things, but I'm always open to hear other perspectives."

Jay Heath agrees with his new backcourt mate.

"With everything that has gone on in the past, and to live and learn and vote in these times, it is something I am going to tell my kids about."