When we are first introduced to Coach, Arnold presents him as a powerful authority figure. As soon as Coach steps onto the court, “forty kids IMMEDIATELY stop bouncing and shooting and talking. [They] were silent, SNAP, just like that.”  However, Arnold immediately contradicts his own initial description of Coach as a dominant, strong man by pointing out Coach’s hairless legs, short stature, and skinny build – all physical characteristics that do not fit the description of a stereotypical male.As the story continues, we see Coach assuring all the boys trying out for basketball that they are talented, even if they get cut. Coach tells Arnold that it’s okay to cry and that it’s okay to get nervous before a game. He also stays the night with Arnold in the hospital, talking presumably about personal and emotional topics. The traits Coach demonstrates in these situations – support, acceptance, sympathy, nurturing, emotionality – also contradict the idea of stereotypical masculinity because men are thought of being as tough, powerful, dominant, or aggressive.

I’m interested to know if other people noticed this trend or something similar in the characterization of Coach. I think it’s pretty clear that basketball and the basketball team played a big role in Arnold’s transition to Reardan, but did Coach have a particularly influential role in Arnold’s transition as well? Does Coach’s personality/characterization contribute anything to Arnold’s understanding of white people?