A solstice is upon the NCAA and its member institutions. Just before opening the July 7 issue of The NCAA News and reading President Myles Brand's editorial, I happened to flip the television channel to a movie, "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?" right at the time that Sidney Portier's character says to his father: "You see the world as a colored man. I see the world simply as a man."

The challenge that lies before the NCAA is how to increase the numbers of minorities and women in the coaching and athletics administration ranks. The story line slightly changes but the ending is usually the same; the end result moreover is a climate of security for those responsible in the hiring process.

As noble as the "16 funded programs to develop candidates among ethnic minorities and women for positions in intercollegiate athletics" is, the underlying mentality remains: the good ol' boys network and security with the status quo.

Until the culture is changed, the status quo remains. Too often it is easy to put "the content of one's character above the color of one's skin." Yet, we minorities and women are reminded daily that "talking the talk and walking the walk" are still two very different agendas.

Seminars, diversity training and the like all serve those who are open-minded to the ideals, or at least they play the role for the benefit of positive public relations.

However, the short of the issue is quite simply improving the hiring and professional- development practices across the color and gender spectrum.

Patience may be a priority, but the sand in the hour glass runs quickly. Kudos, though, that the problem is recognized and steps are being taken to better address the issue nationally. It will be a matter of time when the coaching and administrative ranks reach an acceptable percentage proportionate to the numbers of available positions and possibly the numbers of minority and female student-athletes.

For a brief moment, I was one of the positive statistics: a Division I head soccer coach at the University of Missouri, Kansas City (1990-92). At that time, I was the youngest Division I head coach and the only American-born African-American male head coach in college soccer.

Our athletic trainer at the time told me upon learning that I would be resigning to pursue a master's degree and possibly a law degree: "Once you leave the family, it's hard to get back in." Never were truer words spoken. And, as the organization is well aware, it's a challenge just getting into the NCAA family.

Today, I serve as the executive director for the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association. There are only 45 such positions. I also am a Grade 3 United States Soccer Federation professional referee. Of 230 national referees, I am the only American-born African American at this level.

Both achievements have nothing to do with my being black. These achievements are based on my ability to meet the standards, and the content of my character. That I am black -- not many people notice outright, nor does it really matter. But it is an issue and a fact. And a positive fact.

The moral of the story is the change in climate, culture and mind-set. We can schedule all the seminars. We can fund countless programs. We can discuss and plan and implement until infinity.

But as President Brand explains, the decision-makers -- the presidents and athletics directors -- make the final decisions. And until that glass ceiling is broken, this conversation will only slightly improve as shown in the graph (percentage of black administrators at NCAA institutions) on page 2 of the July 7 NCAA News. And no amount of happy, happy, joy, joy revivals will change that fact.

Kelly R. Ross is the executive director of the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association.