The Black Coaches Classic grew out of a concern for the underrepresentation of Black leaders in coaching and in the administrative ranks of scholastic and collegiate athletics. Bob Hohler wrote in the Boston Globe on August 22, 2020 that, "The lack of Black leaders in New England college sports is what institutional and systemic racism looks like". 

​

Transformative representation looks like creating opportunities for student engagement, coaches recognition and community enrichment. The first Black Coaches Classic event was held at the University of Massachusetts at Boston on January 26, 2020. The location highlights education as the central theme for programming. High school teams representing communities throughout New England have participated in the event since it’s inception and spectators reflecting all demographics and communities have been in attendance to cheer them on.