BYU-I Sports

Our team at byuisports.com is profoundly grieved by the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated yesterday at Utah Valley University. He was a beloved husband, father, and son of God.

Our team includes men and women across the political spectrum, many of us active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some of us inactive members, and some that played sports at Ricks College but never joined the church. Some of us even had the unique opportunity to meet Charlie Kirk at campus events over the year. Today we recognize this is not just a political loss, but a profound wound to the heart of public discourse. On a day like 9/11, which already reminds us of external threats to our country, this attack reminds us of an internal decay: violence against the very voices who engage in civil argument and debate.

Charlie Kirk was a fierce defender of women’s sports. He was a champion of the idea that female athletic categories must remain distinct. He held that biology, fairness, and the protection of women’s spaces are not optional talking points, but core principles. He used his platform to challenge policies he saw as undermining fairness in competition.

In remembering Charlie, we honor his convictions even when they were controversial. We believe that defending women’s sports, ensuring equal opportunity, competitive equity, and safe, fair environments for female athletes, is a value that transcends partisanship. Our silence on this issue has always seemed complicit; now, his absence compels us to speak more clearly.

September 11, 2001, remains a defining moment in American history. The terrorist attacks were intended to break the spirit of a nation, yet in the days that followed, Americans turned to community, faith, and symbols of unity. Sports became one of those unifying forces. Stadiums fell silent for a time, but when games resumed, they provided a stage for collective healing. Images of firefighters and first responders honored before kickoff, athletes carrying the American flag, and fans singing the national anthem with tears in their eyes reminded us that the country could stand together.

Moments like the first pitch thrown by President George W. Bush at Yankee Stadium or NFL players holding the flag across the field were more than ceremonies. They were signals to the world that America would not collapse under the weight of tragedy. Sports gave people an outlet to grieve, to cheer, and to believe again in resilience.

As we observe 9/11 this week, and now mourn the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we are again reminded that unity is fragile but necessary. Sports can and should continue to be a place where Americans of all backgrounds gather in common cause, refusing to let violence define our future.

We call for justice. We call for civility. We call for a recommitment, by all sides, to protecting not only our right to speak and dissent, but our right to do so without fear of violence. And we uphold Charlie Kirk’s belief in defending women’s sports, because fairness in sport is fairness in society.