“It was never an issue in our family or with my kids and their friends. “We very rarely ever discussed race, if ever,” she said. His mother, Amy, echoed that sentiment, explaining how she raised her children. When I’m out there playing, I’m just another human.” “I grew up in more of a white community,” Seth Jones said. He did, however, interact with black players on the Dallas Mavericks, such as former guards Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, whom his father coached. Most of his friends were white, Canadian or European from his hockey world. He grew up in predominantly white, affluent suburbs in Denver and Dallas. Seth Jones is proud of his African-American heritage, but he didn’t grow up in a black environment. 3) of the Columbus Blue Jackets controls the puck during the game against the New York Rangers on Jan. “It’s probably not something that they want nor do I want, singling five guys out and trying to make us different than anyone else.” “We don’t single each other out because we are part of the community,” Seth Jones said. But the small fraternity of black NHL players don’t deem it necessary to call extra attention to themselves. The future of black players in the NHL seems to be getting brighter. His younger brother, Caleb, was one of a record three blacks to play on a USA Hockey junior team that won the IHF World Junior Championship last week. Today, Seth Jones is one of a mere 18 black players on 30 NHL teams. Willie O’Ree broke the NHL’s color barrier in 1958. When you see that, you get pretty excited.” A black kid cheering for hockey or cheering for me is pretty rare. I am for whatever I can do to grow the game in all aspects. “They have my jersey or my T-shirt jersey on. “There have been a few African-American kids who have come up to me and said, ‘You’re my favorite player,’ ” Seth Jones, 22, told The Undefeated. But every now and then, the Columbus Blue Jackets star defenseman is reminded about his race and his position as a role model. That is how he was raised by his African-American father, former NBA player Ronald Jerome “Popeye” Jones, and his white mother, Amy Jones. NHL All-Star Seth Jones was taught to be colorblind, with one exception: chasing a black puck on white ice.
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