Compete November 2015

FACE S OF SPOR T S I SSU E

SPORTS. DIVERSITY.

JOSH ZIMMERMAN ASHLAND JOHNSON BRITTANY HELD DOUG SANBORN ANTHONY PEPE RICK WELTS ANNA AAGENES STEPHEN ALEXANDER STEPHANIE LAFFIN TOPH PETERSON BRIAN HELANDER SHANE WINDMEYER NOVEMBER 2015 • VOL. 9 NO. 11 $3.95 • COMPETENETWORK.COM

FACE S OF SPOR T S I SSU E

KEVIN MAJOROS HUDSON TAYLOR RA DREYFUS ESERA TUAOLO SCOTT NORTON CONNIE WARDMAN WADE DAVIS JEFF KAGAN LAUREN NEIDIGH SUE WIEGER CHUCK BROWNING STEPHANIE LAFFIN NOVEMBER 2015 • VOL. 9 NO. 11 $3.95 • COMPETENETWORK.COM

Photo by Robert Mercer of Ripped Genes, LLC

PUBLISHERS Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com Patrick Gamble • patrick@competenetwork.com COMPETE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com CompeteNetwork.com Editor Ty Nolan • ty@competenetwork.com Style Editor Alfonzo Chavez • alfonzo@competenetwork.com Art Director Jay Gelnett • jay@competenetwork.com Graphic Design Assistant Matt Boyd • mattb@competenetwork.com Contributors Harry Andrew, Ian Colgate, Jay D’Angelo, Joseph Gaxiola, Jeff Hocker, Jon Johanson, Jeff Kagan, Miriam Latto, Charles Naurath, Dr. Rob Elliott Owens and Brian Patrick Photo Editor Jacquelyn Phillips • jacquelyn@competenetwork.com Photographers Thomas Fleisher, Leland Gebhardt Sales & Partnerships KC Jones • kc@competenetwork.com Jonathan Bierner • jonathan@competenetwork.com Administration Camille Fitzgerald • camille@competenetwork.com Copyright © 2015 MEDIA OUT LOUD, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Corporate Office 4703 South Lakeshore Drive, Suite 3 Tempe, Arizona 85282 • 480-222-4223 Compete is a trademark of Media Out Loud, LLC MISSION STATEMENT Compete unites the world through sports.

COMPETENETWORK.COM FACEBOOK.COM/COMPETEMAG @COMPETESPORTS

COMPETE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2015 Volume 9, Issue 11

FACES OF SPORTS 14 JOSH ZIMMERMAN 18 ASHLAND JOHNSON 20 BRITTANY HELD 22 DOUG SANBORN 24 ANTHONY PEPE 26 RICK WELTS 28 ANNA AAGENES 30 STEPHEN ALEXANDER 32 STEPHANIE LAFFIN 34 TOPH PETERSON 36 BRIAN HELANDER 38 SHANE WINDMEYER KICK–OFF

10 LEFT FIELD

Speed Read, Grandstanding, Thumbs UP/DOWN

OVERTIME 42 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 44 EVENTS 46 CONTRIBUTORS

COMPETE ONLINE

Check out more Compete stories online at: competenetwork.com

COVER ATHLETE Josh Zimmerman, Team DC Model COVER PHOTO Robert Mercer of Ripped Genes, LLC rippedgenes.net

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 5

FROM THE SKYBOX

BY ERIC CARLYLE, CO-FOUNDER

Welcome to the Compete Family

I

@CompeteEric

know I say each issue of Compete is my favorite. Well, here I go again. This issue of Compete is my favorite. As I have said before, we came up with the name “Compete” after Billie Jean King told me that her “biggest competitor is myself.”

That was a big lesson for me—one that immediately inspired the name of this publication.

Each and every person profiled on our “Faces of Sports” is a shining example of what it means to compete with yourself and to achieve more. I truly believe that everyone who participates in sports is a winner—and while that may seem like a cliché to some, I honestly believe it.

Inside this issue you will find shining examples of sports’ finest athletes, proponents and fans. These people continue to make a significant contribution to sports. Our cover model, Josh Zimmerman is a great example. Josh, who came to us as Team DC’s Model Search winner, is a walleyball athlete. Yes, there I said it.

Walleyball.

Other individuals profiled include Athlete Ally’s Ashland Johnson and sports media personality Brittany Held. Two women who exemplify what it means to make a difference in sports and hence, the world.

I could go on and on about each profiled individual but that would only be half the story. The writers selected to bring these “faces” to you are also amazing people. Jeff Kagan, who interviewed Stephen Alexander, was Compete’s 2008 Athlete of the Year (our very first), and professional bowler Scott Norton profiled his fellow PBA Champion, Anthony Pepe. Let’s not forget about Stephanie Laffin. She is not only profiled as one of our faces, she also wrote a fantastic piece on Campus Pride’s Shane Windmeyer.

Each and every person involved in this issue is a true champion—a champion for sports diversity and equality. We welcome you all to the Compete family!

Sport On,

Eric Carlyle Chief Executive Officer eric@competenetwork.com

6

| COMPETE | November 2015

FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

You Can Be A “Face of Sports”

T

his is a special issue for me. I have the privilege of meeting and talking with many incredible people involved in the @CompeteConnie sports diversity movement on a regular basis—people whose important efforts often go unsung.

This issue provides us an opportunity to showcase a number of significant people you may not know. And each one is interviewed by someone who knows or has worked with them and can add that personal element to their story. They represent sports diversity at its best. I’m thrilled we are able to introduce you to them!

These “Faces of Sports,” both the interviewees and the interviewers, represent a variety of the folks already involved—men and women representing diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and life experiences. These people also represent diverse facets of the sports diversity movement.

Some of these leaders are active players while some aren’t; some athletes are professional while some are recreational; some work on a local level while some work at the national and international levels; some work on policy issues; some are in the public eye, often in front of the camera while others work behind the scenes on tournament logistics, fund raising, volunteering and community outreach efforts. And each one is doing important, much needed work.

To paraphrase the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” it takes a family to bring about equality and inclusion in sports. It takes the variety of experiences, viewpoints and skills of all concerned to help change hearts and minds. While we must all agree on the outcome of opening the doors to all who want to participate, it’s not a “one size fits all” approach that will carry the day.

As you can see in these individual stories, we all have different gifts that will reach the hearts and minds of different segments of the population, segments that have different types of prejudices and different levels of awareness. The most important thing I hope you will take away from this issue? If you’re not already involved, it’s the awareness that you, too, can be a face of sports and make an impact within your own sphere of influence—you can be part of the movement.

So I echo Eric’s Compete welcome—We Are Family!

(Someone cue the Pointer Sisters, please.)

Keep Smiling,

Connie Wardman, Editor-in-Chief connie@competenetwork.com

8

| COMPETE | November 2015

KICKOFF

LEFT FIELD

SPEED READ NY GIANTS SHOW SUPPORT FOR LGBT SPORTS COMMUNITY Congratulations to the New York Giants for releasing a video for You Can Play Project (YCP) to help end LGBT bias in sports. They are the first NFL team to do so. And congratulations to the You Can Play Project for their continued work for LGBT equality and inclusion in sports. Here is the YCP announcement: With an assist from Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson, the New York Giants have voiced their support for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) athletes, coaches and fans through the team’s support of the You Can Play Project. The Giants debuted the team’s You Can Play video Oct. 25, prior to taking on the Dallas Cowboys.

Carson, who spent his entire career with the Giants, is joined in the You Can Play video by cornerback Prince Amakumara, kicker Josh Brown, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, wide receiver Victor Cruz, offensive lineman Weston Richburg and running back Shane Vereen. The video showcases Carson and the current Giants speaking about opportunity for all athletes to be “judged only by their talent, character and work ethic.”

“You Can Play is proud to receive the Giants’ tremendous show of support,” said Wade Davis, You Can Play’s executive director and a former NFL player. “The entire Giants organization has committed to inclusion for all, including LGBT athletes and fans. The vocal support of alumni like Harry Carson, the Giants’ front office staff, and current players sends a giant message to all sports fans, especially young fans, everywhere. We are thrilled that the Giants are leading the charge in the NFL for LGBT inclusion.”

In addition to the video, You Can Play announced that the Giants will host a special You Can Play tailgate and game day event on Dec. when the Carolina Panthers visit New York. You Can Play has presented several times to Giants players, coaches and management on LGBT inclusion and creating a safe and inclusive locker room environment. The Giants Foundation also has provided a grant to support You Can Play’s work in fighting homophobia.

You can view the video at: https://youtu.be/NredhVTpH7w

JIMMY BUTLER NEVER LOOKS BACK … LITERALLY! Jimmy Butler has an engaging smile, and he’s now got a lot to smile about. Ready to start his fifth season with the Chicago Bulls as a guard-forward, he signed a $95 million, five-year

10

| COMPETE | November 2015

contract in July. But if you ride in his car, you just may notice something’s missing – a rear view mirror. It didn’t get broken or drop off, and he can certainly afford to by a new one. The reason it’s gone? Butler removed it – intentionally! It’s one of the ways he shows his conviction to never look back.

Life hasn’t always been kind to him. A missing father and a mother who kicked him out of the house at age 13 because, to quote her, “I don’t like the look of you. You gotta go,” led to him living with various friends’ families. Once he got to the Leslie household, however, he found his home. In spite of the fact that they already had seven children, they welcomed him as part of their family. But don’t feel sorry for Butler; he wouldn’t want you to.

Butler’s rise to being picked in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft (30th pick overall) wasn’t meteoric—from high school to Tyler Junior College to Marquette University, he just kept getting better year after year because of his hard work.

About his personal journey, he says “It’s taught me that anything is possible. My whole life, people have doubted me. My mom did. People told me in high school I’m too short and not fast enough to play basketball. They didn’t know my story.

Because if they did, they’d know that anything is possible.

Who would’ve thought that a small-town kid would become a halfway decent player in college and now has a chance to be drafted in the NBA? That’s my chip. That’s what motivates me.

I know I can overcome anything if I just take everything one day [at a] time.”

So in addition to not looking back in his car, according to Chicago Magazine’s Bryan Smith, “Butler’s less-than-idyllic upbringing may explain the roots of one ritual that has become a rule with him and his roomies: When you go to the grocery store, you pay the bill of the person behind you in line. ‘I don’t care how many groceries they have. It could be a 99-cent ice-cream cone or a $2,000 grocery bill,’ says Butler.

‘We have been so blessed. It’s fun.’”

Although Butler says he doesn’t want his past to define him, the fact is that it does define him, but only in the most positive way. He’s let his experiences motivate him to do better, to be better. And his friendship with actor Mark Wahlberg has helped him bring a serious amount of self-discipline to his game and his life. Part of Butler’s success is that he isn’t one to hold grudges; he still speaks to his mother and father, saying that they love each other and nothing’s going to change that.

He simply refuses to get stuck in his past experiences because he says he won’t get any better that way. With his positive attitude and work ethic (and the fact that he can afford a car with a backup camera), Jimmy Butler seems poised for a successful long-term NBA career and whatever lies beyond.

COMPETE READER SURVEY GRANDSTANDING

Favorite Ball?

LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE KICKOFF (October 2015) I really enjoyed the interview with NGFFL commissioner Jared Garduno. Too often leaders in gay sports organizations are overlooked and it is nice to see Compete validate Garduno’s hard work. As an avid football [fan], I have to say “touchdown!”

Ken Karsh Olympia, WA NO, IT’S MY OATMEAL (September 2015) Who would have thought you’d have a straight guy on the cover of Compete? Interesting (and hot!) cover photo and great read about myoatmeal.com. I already ordered mine and hope the cover model delivers it personally.

Other 9% Bowling 9%

Football 31%

Basketball 22% Baseball 29%

Kirk Salazar Los Angeles TALK TO US! Submissions to Compete should include the writer’s name, address and contact phone number and should be sent by email to letters@competenetwork.com. Letters may be edited by Compete and become the property of Media Out Loud, LLC.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 11

SPORTS KICKOFF

QUIZ

A. The Minneapolis Lakers, now the Los Angeles Lakers, won the BAA Championship in 1949 and then won the NBA Championship in 1950 to become the first team to win a second NBA Championship as well as the first team to win back-to-back championships. The BAA (Basketball Association of America) was the original name of the NBA when it was founded in 1947. The name was changed to the National Basketball Association in 1950. Source: www.sports-trivia-nut.com

?

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

GUS KENWORTHY, Top Freeskier, Olympic Silver Medal Winner and Face of the X Games … for finally feeling worthy to come out to the world as gay (and for his not-to-be forgotten rescue of five stray dogs from Sochi).

DAN CAMPBELL, New Head Coach of

the Miami Dolphins

… for vowing the team will be more aggressive and “walk that line” of dirty play. Not long after, Dolphin DE Olivier Vernon was accused of a dirty hit on Titans QB Marcus Mariota, leaving him with a sprained MCL in his left knee.

GREGG POPOVICH,

San Antonio Spurs Coach … for being tapped to succeed Mike Krzyewski as head coach of USA Basketball after the 2016 Olympics. Holding the post through 2020, his duties will include training camps and, pending U.S. qualification, the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA … for telling the World Cup-winning U.S. women’s soccer team during their recent visit to the White House that they’ve shown the world that “Playing like a girl means you’re a badass.”

Pictured above, Henry Beam, Beam Law, PLC

12

| COMPETE | November 2015

What was the first NBA team to win a second NBA Championship?

FACES OF SPORTS

Athlete | [noun] | {ath-leet} 1. a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise or game requiring physical skill.

FACES

OF SPORTS Who Is Josh Zimmerman?

An Athlete After All

By Kevin Majoros

Photos by Robert Mercer of Ripped Genes, LLC FOR MANY PEOPLE IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY, fitting into the definition of an athlete is not something they would have considered for themselves. Fear of being bullied along with the perception that being gay and being an athlete were incompatible led many members of the LGBT community to choose not to compete.

Fortunately, that perception is fading away, especially for adults as LGBT sports leagues, tournaments and events are now commonplace in the United States. The LGBT sports diversity movement is in full swing and safe spaces to enjoy athletics are now being offered in a multitude of sports. The newly emerging LGBT athletes are enjoying their own sports renaissance. Yet in an interesting twist, they often don’t realize that what they are accomplishing defines them as an athlete.

When asked about his sporty side, Josh Zimmerman stated, “I don’t really have one.” His story indicates otherwise. Growing up in Orange Park, Florida, Zimmerman was focused on being a student though he did discover tennis in high school. After finishing his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Florida, he moved

to D.C. in 2005 where he works as a patent examiner with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Six years ago Zimmerman became involved with CrossFit and found that he was more interested in the Olympic weightlifting aspect of it. With CrossFit gaining popularity and more people interested in learning the snatch and clean and jerk, Zimmerman completed the certification needed to become a Level 2 USA Olympic weightlifting coach and competed in a local meet.

“My body is built for the sport,” says Zimmerman. “I just took it and ran with it.”

During that same period he was competing annually in the DC Dragon Boat Festival in paddleboat racing on the Potomac River. He was part of an LGBT community organization called AQUA that climbed to the top of the podium, winning the open division one year.

Just this past winter Zimmerman, who was substituting in a loosely-formed group of LGBT athletes playing walleyball (similar to volleyball but played on a four-walled

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 15

court), was approached by Team DC executive director Brent Minor who asked him to participate in the annual Team DC Fashion Show and Model Search.

Team DC is the information clearinghouse for roughly 35 LGBT sports teams and clubs in the DC metropolitan area. The fashion show and model search is an annual fundraiser for the Team DC College Scholarship Fund that awards money to openly gay local student-athletes.

Since the creation of the scholarship fund in 2008, Team DC has awarded LGBT student-athletes with 30 scholarships totaling nearly $40,000. This month at the Team DC Champions Awards, nine more student-athletes will be awarded a scholarship, marking the largest number of recipients in a single year.

Zimmerman was a big part of the fundraising this year as he was named top model by the panel of judges at the

16

| COMPETE | November 2015

fashion show and model search. Zimmerman wasn’t sure what to expect when he hit the stage that night. “I had never done anything like that before,” he says. “Some of the outfits were more revealing than I was expecting, but I had a good time.”

The show featured 14 models who showcased the latest fashions from FM Leather Designs, TrickBox, Ex Nihilo, Body Aware, Fireboy, UnderBriefs, Mensuas, Skiviez, Bite the Fruit, Universal Gear and Tattee Boy. Following the judging portion of the show, the donated clothing was auctioned off the bodies of the models.

These days Zimmerman can be found on the tennis courts twice a week hitting with members of the Capital Tennis Association and in the weight room at the gym.

“I guess I do have a sporty side,” he concedes. “As an adult, I have come to appreciate sports more than I did in the past.”

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 17

FACES OF SPORTS

ASHLAND JOHNSON, ESQ.

By Hudson Taylor

Ashland Johnson, Esq.: LGBT Policy Expert Ashland Johnson: (laughing) OK, let’s just jump right into it. I’m so used to answering this question [Washington] DC-style; that’s to say ‘I’m a social justice advocate with a passion for promoting LGBT equality.’ I’m also a woman of color from the South, proud lesbian, former athlete, and current sports enthusiast.

Photo courtesy of Ashland Johnson

You’re not just a former athlete. Like me, you are a former Division I athlete.

Sports have actually been a pretty big part of your life both in the past and today.

Can you talk a little bit more about that?

WHEN MY COLLEAGUE ASHLAND JOHNSON WAS selected to be featured in Compete Magazine’s Faces of Sports issue, I was excited but not surprised. I met Ashland at Nike’s first LGBT Sports Summit in 2012 and was immediately impressed by her passion and commitment for LGBT rights and LGBT policy experience. I now have had the honor to work with Ashland in the sports advocacy world for three years—first as a coalition partner and currently within the same organization—Athlete Ally. So when Compete Magazine asked me to interview her, I jumped at the opportunity.

Hudson Taylor: Ashland, thanks for taking the time to sit down with me today for this interview. So “Who is Ashland Johnson?”

18

| COMPETE | November 2015

Yes, I played Division I basketball for Furman University. But that was a lifetime ago! Sports have always been a passion in my life ever since I can remember. I’ve always played a sport; that’s how we bonded as a family, and sports is just such a big part of Southern culture. I played a lot of sports—soccer, tennis, softball—but basketball was my sport. I played basketball from the age of six up until an injury sidelined me in college. I’m still very much into sports, especially basketball, but now more as a fan.

Many of us dream of going pro after college. Was that also one of your goals?

I was always passionate about basketball. For me, though, it was always about a college scholarship, especially after I got injured. But I always wanted to do something different professionally. I actually thought it would be something in the arts. But then I got the activist bug and chose a different career path.

How did you catch the “activist bug?”

I got a rude awakening when I lived and worked in Georgia facing anti-gay employment discrimination. I was fired simply because I was gay—I couldn’t believe it was legal but it was! The incident sparked my passion for civil rights activism and it’s why I went to law school—to be a part of the movement to promote and protect LGBT rights.

You’ve worked with a number of national LGBT rights organizations—Lambda Legal, the LGBT Task Force, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)—doing everything from employment policy to reproductive rights. Why sports inclusion policy at this phase of your career?

The ultimate goal of my LGBT advocacy work is full equality for LGBT people, especially in the South. This requires changes not only in laws and policy but also in hearts and minds. Currently in LGBT rights I see sports and athletic communities at the forefront of changing hearts and minds, particularly in regions like the South where athletics are so culturally ingrained. So I see sports and the athletic community as a powerful combined force in the cultural shift that still needs to be done to affect proLGBT policy change across the country.

You recently moved from the NCLR to work with us at Athlete Ally. Tell me about the advocacy work you’re doing in your new role?

As Athlete Ally’s director of policy and campaigns, I work with sports leagues, athletes and others in athletic communities to protect and promote LGBT equality across the country. What’s unique about my role at Athlete Ally, and why I love the work I do is that as a policy lawyer I get to use my background as an LGBT athlete to promote LGBT equality both inside and outside of sports.

Within sports, I work with sports leagues, teams and conferences to ensure that they have the most up-to-date LGBT-inclusive policies for players and fans. Outside of sports, I work to leverage the combined voices of the sports community to promote positive LGBT laws and policies on the state and federal levels. So whether that’s advising a league on how to be more inclusive of transgender athletes or plugging in an athletic community to a local LGBT issue, it is amazing and fulfilling work.

Basically you’re combining several of your passions to broaden a relatively new method to promote social justice. So what does this work look like in practice?

One example of what this looks like in practice is the Final Four Fairness campaign I worked on for Athlete Ally.

Indiana passed a horrible religious discrimination law just weeks before the Final Four that would have allowed Indiana businesses to turn people away simply because of who they loved. I was thrilled to lead our work on the “Final Four Fairness” campaign, educating and activating professional and collegiate athletic communities about fundamental anti-LGBT bias in a damaging piece of statewide legislation.

The Final Four Fairness campaign was a major turning point for our work in the legislative policy field. And I believe the situation in Indiana had a major impact on one of your target states—Georgia?

Yes, all of the uproar in Indiana helped turn the tide of the religious freedom law in Georgia. I’m proud the sports community played such a large role in that.

What are some of your long term goals in this field?

A major goal of mine is to change the way the LGBT movement and the sports community view and utilize athlete activism. This concept isn’t new; sports have been part of many social justice movements. But today we are seeing a stigma around athletes who speak out on issues important to them. It’s seen as a “distraction.” And LGBT issues are at times not seen as social justice issues but rather as “political” issues. Through my work in sports inclusion, I’d like to redefine the space in this way.

Where do you see sports inclusion headed, and what does it mean to you?

There has never been a better time for LGBT people to be a part of sports, and for allies to support LGBT equality.

High profile athletic support for efforts like marriage equality are just the tip of the iceberg. Together, fans, athletes, coaches and administrators can exercise their leadership to champion LGBT equality in a wide range of issues, such as workplace fairness, family protection and equal access to public accommodations.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 19

FACES OF SPORTS

BRITTANY HELD

By Ra Dreyfus

Photo by Ra Dreyfus

Storyteller Brittany Held: Inspiring Women in Sports

WHEN YOU SEE BRITTANY HELD SHE LOOKS LIKE a basic girl from Los Angeles. Blonde hair, green eyes, about 5-foot-5 in height, with a smile to make most celebrities jealous. What you can’t see are the 150,000 miles she’s traveled for soccer. What you don’t know is she spent over 120,000 minutes training, and probably gave up 681 slices of delicious cheese pizza because she took her sport so seriously. Brittany Held is more than a pretty face; she is an athlete and humanitarian with a message for young girls and women in sports.

Brittany had the opportunity to score game-winning goals while seeing the world. Soccer taught her so many

20

| COMPETE | November 2015

things. It taught her what hard work and hustle will get you. It taught her if you fall seven times, you get up eight.

It taught her to be a role model. In Brittany’s mind soccer was forever; she planned to reign with the best and she was good enough to get there. But after two knee surgeries, she decided to hang up the cleats. Her newfound calling? She was going to tell stories and inspire women all over the world in a different way.

I recently sat down with Brittany and talked about her new career path, landing a job at FOX Sports West right out of college and how she sees the future for women in sports.

Ra Dreyfus: Two months after graduating from Oregon State University, you landed a job with FOX Sports West in Los Angeles. Do you consider yourself lucky?

Brittany Held: That’s funny you say that. I don’t really believe in luck per se; I have this saying that originated with golfer Gary Player, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” I believe in that. I am very grateful, though, to have been chosen to join the FSWest team right out of school. My boss believed in my ability and saw my potential.

Do you feel like being an athlete has helped you communicate with athletes as a reporter?

Absolutely, 100 percent. But there are also times where my athlete mentality takes over and doesn’t want to ask certain questions because I know what’s on the other side in their response. So in part, it challenges me to ask better questions and be more creative.

What is it about telling athletes’ stories that intrigued you?

My journey as an athlete was far from perfect but I would love to see one that is. There’s something beautiful in the struggle. And that is what drives me now. Every story is different and deserves a platform to be heard. My journey as an athlete has placed me in the perfect position to tell those stories.

What motivates you?

For awhile I had a hard time swallowing the fact that I had not fulfilled my vision of becoming a professional soccer player. I felt like I had failed myself. Then I found myself again in the same place I had started – sports. I think motivation and passion go hand-in-hand. What you are passionate about should motivate you to be your best.

I love what I do. I want to learn from the best and be great.

If you have confidence in knowing you are right where you are supposed to be, eventually, everything falls into place.

What’s the best advice you were ever given?

That’s a good, tough question. I would say, “Enjoy the ride.” It’s simple, but it really reminds you to take it all in.

Sometimes I get so caught up in making it to the top, I for-

get to breathe and give myself a tiny bit of credit for the things that I have already accomplished. It’s in the journey, not so much the final destination.

As a reporter, what’s your mindset every time you do an interview or ask a question?

It varies depending on the situation and the athlete.

But overall my goal as a reporter is to be the medium between the fans and the athlete. When I finish an interview or ask a question, I want the viewer to come away feeling knowledgeable, feeling like they learned something new.

At this point in your career, what goals have you already accomplished?

I think I set a very high bar for myself and the pursuit to the top is never ending. I try to stay grateful and humble in each one of my endeavors. Each interview I remind myself how wonderful it is to be doing something that I, under no circumstance consider a job. I feel like I have the world left to conquer, yet at the same time I look back in the year since graduating college and I’ve been privileged enough to sit in rooms with some of the greats, including Kobe Bryant, Albert Pujols and Steven Gerrard.

Where do you see women in sports in let’s say, 10–20 years?

There have been some great strides made over the years in closing the gap between men and women in sports. Sara Thomas became the NFL’s first female official. There’s Becky Hammon who became the NBA’s first female full-time assistant and this summer became the first female summer league head coach in the history of the NBA. Cari Champion has her own podcast while Katie Nolan has her own show. I mean, it’s happening! I just hope as time moves forward the gap keeps getting smaller and smaller until there isn’t one. It’s a challenge but we’re facing it head on.

What does sports diversity mean to you?

It’s about everyone. This world is a melting pot. No two people are one and the same. Sports have always been the glue that unites all. Whether you speak the same language, come from the same city or even root for the same team, sports has the ability to bring all kinds together.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 21

FACES OF SPORTS

DOUG SANBORN

By Esera Tuaolo

Doug Sanborn: Community Partner Photo courtesy of Doug Sanborn

DOUG SANBORN AND I ARE LONG-TIME FRIENDS.

22

We both live in the Midwest area and often run into each other at various LGBT events. He spends so much time flying from one event to another across the U.S. representing MillerCoors, it’s no wonder he often posts thanks on Facebook to his various flight crews. So I’m happy I can introduce you to him.

Esera Tuaolo: When I ask you who Doug Sanborn is, what would you tell me?

Doug Sanborn: I’d say a guy who is lucky to work for a company that is dedicated to quality products and supporting the communities where we live, work and sell beer.

Many know you from various local, national and international LGBT sports tournaments but most don’t know much about your own sports background. What sports, if any, have you played?

I was an athletic trainer in college and I have played softball in the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance league, better known as NAGAAA, for many years.

What is your official role at MillerCoors? How do you interact with such a wide variety of teams, leagues and LGBT foundations?

I am the community affairs manager for LGBT nationally, and Chicago across all aspects. I work directly with many leagues and national partnerships, linking the local sales and marketing teams with the sports partnership opportunities.

How did you become involved in the LGBT sports diversity movement? Was it through work or as a NAGAAA member?

It was really through working in community relations for MillerCoors. Over the past 14 years with the company I’ve held positions in field sales, management and corporate relations. With my sports background, it became apparent that we could help make a difference in aligning with LGBT sports teams and leagues.

So part of my responsibility in community relations is to align our strategies to those external partnerships. And I’m happy to say that MillerCoors has received a perfect score for 11 years in a row on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.

Part of your work is serving on non-profit boards, like the Matthew Shepard Foundation (MSF). Please share what that means to you on a personal level.

| COMPETE | November 2015

I am so very proud to be on the Matthew Shepard Foundation board of directors. It was a very humbling moment when Judy Shepard asked me to be part of the great work the MSF is able to achieve. Truly, one of the happiest moments for me is to help make a difference.

Most people in the LGBT sports community know you as the “beer” guy but I know there’s so much more to you and what you do than that. What are some of your career highlights, things you’re most proud of?

As I just mentioned, working with the Matthew Shepard Foundation and counting Judy, Dennis and Logan as friends. The ability to work with many great organizations that are working so hard to make the world more equal for all, and trying to erase hate in any form.

It’s also having organizations move from calling us sponsors, to understanding through coaching that we are a partner in the work that they do, too. A program that I am very happy about was one I started here in Chicago called Great Cents. It aligns local nonprofits with on-premise accounts to achieve a donation for the nonprofit organization.

Also, I am very proud of the holiday meals program that we started here in Chicago with the Center on Halsted. I think that one more if I may, is that we are the first national company to work with Trans Tech as a partner; Angelica Ross and Trans Tech are just amazing!

What are some of your future goals?

I would like to continue the great work for equality that I have started here because of the commitment of MillerCoors. I think it is crucial that more and more companies understand the need for equality and how diversity and inclusion plays a critical role in not just corporate growth but also in human growth.

Since you see such a wide variety of sports across the U.S., how has diversity and inclusion for gay athletes changed over the last 4-5 years?

Wow, there are so many that have shown the courage (truly, the real heroes) to fight the fight for equality. Because of what they have been working toward for so long without being highlighted for their work, it has allowed some more high-profile people, professional players, to identify themselves as being gay, finally being able to share their whole truth.

I think that one of the best quotes I heard on a national sports talk show is “won’t it be great when no one covers the ‘coming out’ of an athlete—then we will be stepping in the right direction.”

I think that all the unsung heroes who have paved the way for the LGBT conversation to be had now in the open and not just behind closed doors deserve a lot of credit.

FACES OF SPORTS

ANTHONY PEPE

By Scott Norton

Photo courtesy of Anthony Pepe

Anthony Pepe: Second Out Professional Bowler

24

SPORTS CAN BE A LONELY PLACE IF YOU ARE A GAY MAN. Locker rooms become uncomfortable places where you have to watch your every move and look, while simultaneously ignoring the many off-color remarks of your fellow competitors. It can be difficult going from place to place, never sure how the local population will react to your presence for nothing more than simply being yourself.

The same is true for the bowling world, perhaps more so. We travel to many small towns and rural areas as part of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) tour where being an LGBT individual is not only not accepted but potentially dangerous. It was a lonely world because it was one that I had to traverse alone, with no one to identify with or to share the difficulties faced on a nearly daily basis of being out in sports.

It came as a great relief when on a seemingly not-sospecial April day, I was suddenly no longer alone as an out professional bowler. It was amazing to realize that there was now someone I could not only share experiences with but also could potentially help and mentor. I could pay it forward as thanks to those who were there to help and mentor me through my coming out. I was recently able to sit and chat with Anthony about that day, his experiences since and his vision of sports diversity moving forward.

Scott Norton: What draws you to sports?

Anthony Pepe: A big part of what drives me to sports is the competition. I’ve always enjoyed the feeling of being nervous in pressure situations because it tests your wits and allows you to truly focus and commit to shot-making.

It sets up a unique frame of mind that is unique to sports competitions.

How are you able to stay focused in those pressure moments?

I have a pre-shot routine that helps prevent my mind from wandering, helping me stay in the moment.

What is your experience as a professional bowler?

It’s not exactly a nine-to-five job.

| COMPETE | November 2015

My routine consists of going to my local bowling center four days a week, two hours each day and working on versatility. On the PBA they have many different ways they can distribute oil onto the lane and it is essential to be able to attack all kinds. That is why I practice on different oil patterns, work on varying my speed, release and accuracy.

What do you do outside of bowling to maintain the balance between work and play?

Outside of the bowling center I enjoy going to the gym everyday to keep up on my physical fitness. Since many local tournaments happen on weekends, I tend to lift heavier weights earlier in the week so that I’m not sore when it comes time to compete. I am all about always living a healthy lifestyle and staying fit.

What accomplishments are you proud of?

A goal I have accomplished is telling the world I’m gay; something I never thought I’d be able to do because of all of the judgmental people in the world. Coming out lifted a weight off of my shoulders because I am NOW able to be me and express who I am as a human being. That is priceless.

What goals do you have yet to accomplish?

When you win a title on the PBA tour your biggest goal is to win another. I don’t want to be a “one-hit wonder” and never make a telecast again because I have put too much time and HEART into the sport I love the most.

Patience is a virtue. And I know as long as I keep believing in my own reflection and have an optimistic mindset, good fortune will come.

What about diversity in sports as a whole? Where do you see sports diversity heading?

For many years the window of opportunity for people of color in professional sports seemed only narrowly open.

As the last few racial and gender report cards have shown, the window has opened much more in the past few years.

It is my hope that we can seize on that momentum and get to a place where coming out isn’t a headline but instead is a place where all athletes are judged by their performance and not their personal life.

What does sports diversity mean to you?

Since my coming out in April, I’ve understood that there are quite a few gay athletes in a variety of sports.

Reading their heartfelt stories is so meaningful to me and to anyone else who is struggling with being gay. Coming out is incredibly difficult, but it certainly eases your everyday life. The fact that I can be my authentic self AND compete in the sport I love makes me feel like one of the luckiest people in the world.

FACES OF SPORTS

RICK WELTS

By Connie Wardman

Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors

Rick Welts: Being True to Himself

26

IN A BUSINESS WHERE PLAYERS ARE routinely over six feet tall and beyond, Rick Welts (who calls himself “vertically challenged”) has certainly had no problem successfully rising within the National Basketball Association (NBA) executive ranks.

Why? Well, are you a basketball lover? Are you a fan of the NBA All-Star Weekend with its Slam Dunk contest and a game for the retired Legends of the NBRPA, the association of retired players? How about the WNBA? If so, you have Rick Welts to thank for much of the marketing genius behind these and other moves the NBA has made to rise from a once poorly-run business to today’s powerhouse.

Now the president and chief operating officer (COO) of the Oakland, California-based Golden State Warriors, the 2015 NBA Championship winners, Welts long and storied journey in professional basketball began in 1969 as a 16-year-old ball boy with his hometown team, the Seattle SuperSonics. And since then his career has been defined by sports. It’s hard to find a position in which Welts hasn’t served on the way up the management ladder, always moving the organization’s visibility and profits forward with his marketing and management savvy.

You might think that Welts’ life has been picture-perfect but that’s only his business career, nothing about his personal life. He certainly had a personal life but it was a shadow life that few knew about. There was a reason for that—Welts is gay.

For LGBT community members, coming out is an important rite of passage, finally allowing you to be honest about who you are. But that honesty also leaves you vulnerable to attack from others, carrying with it heavy physical, mental and emotional penalties in an attempt to escape the pain. Yet not being honest about it is its own particular prison of silence, requiring you to live a lie, to be eternally uncomfortable in your own skin so that others can continue being comfortable in theirs.

This has been particularly true in professional sports where the pervasive exaggerated macho attitude has, until Jason Collins’ announcement in 2013 continued to keep professional athletes and sports executives closeted until after they retire. But that

| COMPETE | November 2015

changed on May 15, 2011 when Welts became the first highestranking and perhaps best-known executive in U.S. men’s professional team sports to come out publically while still president and COO of the Phoenix Suns.

This wasn’t an easy decision to make, according to Welts, because for the first time he was required to be public about his heretofore hidden personal life. And when public perception, to say nothing of a lack of job protection legislation in 28 states in the U.S. means that you can still be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, a public announcement that you’re gay can turn your life upside down. Yet in his 50s, Welts began to think about his life and the sacrifices the silence had demanded of him, wondering if its resulting isolation had cost him too much.

When Welts made the decision to come out publically, he announced he was resigning from his position with the Suns to move to northern California to live with his new partner. When asked about the reactions from his announcement, Welts shared that he didn’t receive any negative feedback from it although he received thousands of emails and letters. Calling it a remarkable experience, he said that the results were way beyond his expectations, leaving him feeling incredibly humbled.

Welts’ willingness to be true to himself has helped move equality in professional sports forward in a way not seen before.

If not for Welts’ courage to be true to himself and go public while in a high-level executive position in one of the big four male U.S. team sports, it’s doubtful that the impenetrable wall of homophobia in professional sports could be breached in such a significant way.

Welts’ media image has continued to be very positive, focused on his remarkable marketing ability to shape and mold the Warriors franchise rather than on his being gay. But it’s obvious that his 2011 announcement laid the groundwork for Jason Collins’ 2013 announcement. It provided a foundation that finally enabled Collins to also be true to himself. And in a nice follow up, Jason’s twin, Jarron Collins is now an assistant coach with the Warriors.

Welts made a courageous decision to come out while working in one of our most homophobic businesses, to stand up for his right to be a complete human being. And his desire that his story be used to help others come out, to offer them courage and support has, according to his many emails and now the historic public announcement of Jason Collins, accomplished that. Hopefully, there will soon be a day when stories like Rick Welts’ and Jason Collins’ will no longer be shocking or even necessary because the mentions of homophobia in the sports world will come only from old sports trivia questions.

Great HIV care is just a part of what you’ll find at D.A.P.

Photo by Gregg Felsen

Our passion is Your Wellness We offer a newly remodeled HIV-specialty and primary

Desert AIDS Project accepts IEHP,

care clinic, dental clinic, sexual health services at

Desert Oasis HMOs and PPOs, various

The Dock, cancer screenings and treatment through

Covered California plans, Medicare,

our Annette Bloch Cancer Care Center, a full range of

and private pay insurance plans. If

mental health and addiction recovery services, and so

you have another PPO or HMO, please

much more – creating a “medical home” for our patients.

check with your plan administrator.

And it all happens under one roof! That’s what makes

To schedule an appointment,

D.A.P. a national model for holistic-care-done-right.

call 760.323.2118

D.A.P. has been designated as a Top 20 HIV/AIDS Charity for two consecutive years and received Four Star Status for four consecutive years from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator – a distinction achieved by only 7% of all nonprofits they rank.

desertAIDSproject.org

FACES OF SPORTS

ANNA AAGENES

By Wade Davis

Photo by Sarah Rabot

Anna Aagenes: Gentle Warrior for Justice

WHEN IT COMES TO LGBT SPORTS INCLUSION, a name you should know is Anna Aagenes. Behind the bright smiles and underneath the blond, red or brown hair beats the heart of a gentle warrior for justice. Self-identified as bisexual, Anna’s journey to self-love and acceptance has been filled with moments of great self-discovery, powerful mentorship and a passion for truth.

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Anna’s childhood was filled with many triumphs athletically and academically, yet all the while she suffered silently with depression. Starting in elementary school, Anna battled on and off with depression, always facing it alone. Not fully understanding her condition or feeling safe enough to talk to others about what she was going through, in typical Anna fashion she educated herself on what depression is, learning how to deal with it by putting herself through her own version of self-help therapy.

While studying mental health, Anna learned that many people dealing with depression still maintained high-functioning lives. What she found especially frightening was that many choose to suffer in silence because of the stigma and shame around being labeled as having a mental health issue.

Today Anna talks openly about her past battles with depression to shed light on an issue that so many people, especially athletes, don’t want to discuss for fear of being

28

| COMPETE | November 2015

perceived as weak. Weakness is not something that Anna runs from anymore. She actually embraces and challenges whether words like “weakness” or “queer” are words that anyone should run from at all. A Division I NCAA track and field athlete while a student at Pennsylvania University, the only running Anna does now is on the track or treadmill.

As she began to understand her own sexuality, even attending her prom with another girl, many labeled her as a lesbian. Yet that label didn’t feel right to her. And when she dated men, many started to wonder if she was just confused about her sexuality. But Anna remained steadfast and resisted all labels until she was ready to identify herself as a bisexual woman. A label that she names and proclaims loudly in order to add visibility for a marginalized group under the LGBT umbrella that no one really talks about.

“I used to pray that I could just be a lesbian,” Anna explained, “because the label of being bisexual or not labeling yourself at all, was just not an option.” Now Anna stands firmly in her own truth as a bisexual woman. She loves her identity and understands that when people ask questions about her sexual orientation, everyone, including Anna, grows from the interaction.

When talking about her current and future goals, one must first look at Anna’s past to understand where she is going and where her passions lay. In January of 2008 Anna, along with six other former and current LGBT athletes, started the organization GO! Athletes, a support network for past and current LGBTQ collegiate and high school athletes.

Now, as the current vice president of operations for the You Can Play Project, an organization dedicated to ending LGBT bias in sports, Anna is looking to further interrogate the issue of gender in sports, including examining the intersection of gender, economic inequality, race and sexual orientation. As she channels the writer, Ta-Nehisi Coates, she explains, “I want to talk about race with people who ‘think’ they are white and discuss racial injustices with those who haven’t experienced it to help them see how we are all connected and how categories still allow us to not see each other as one.”

Anna Aagenes is not stopping at ending LGBT bias in sports, she is looking toward equality on a myriad of issues.

And one can only imagine how the world will look once she’s done painting it all with love.

FACES OF SPORTS

STEPHEN ALEXANDER

By Jeff Kagan

Photo courtesy of Stephen Alexander

Transgender Athlete Stephen Alexander

30

I FIRST MET STEPHEN ALEXANDER in the fall of 2005 when he joined the New York City Gay Hockey Association. I was then and continue to be the director of the organization which provides an environment free of harassment and discrimination for members and friends of the LGBT community to play ice hockey and fulfill their athletic aspirations.

When we first met, what stood out most to me about Stephen was his positive attitude and his sense of humor. Always smiling, he could jump right into a conversation with anyone. For the record, Stephen is transgender and identifies as straight/queer, meaning his gender identity is male and his sexual orientation is towards women. I was recently asked by Compete Magazine to interview Stephen on the subject of “Who is Stephen Alexander?”

Jeff Kagan: Stephen, thanks for speaking with me to discuss a subject that I’m sure is very dear to your heart: Who is Stephen Alexander?

Stephen Alexander: (laughs) Oh God, I struggle with this. I’m a mix of identities struggling, thriving and navigating through this world. I’m a friend, son, brother, coach, teammate, ally, special educator, entrepreneur, activist and philosopher. I’m most happy in my life just being the uncle to two amazing kids.

Since this interview is for a sports-themed magazine, let’s talk about sports.

OK. I love all sports. I gravitate toward anything with a team dynamic where a ball or puck is used and people have to work together—soccer, basketball, softball, tennis, volleyball, etc. I like to see how well I work with others and how well others work with me.

For many athletes, sports are about more than just the game. Do you feel that it gives you something other than a workout?

Sports provided me with the opportunity to find focus on a process I loved. I loved being competitive. I loved the camaraderie of teammates. There were times when I was alone but I knew some people were depending on me and I didn’t want to let them down. We were connected and sports has helped me to understand that.

Why is it important for you to go public about your gender identity?

Being visible helps to further the discussion about our struggles and then opens a channel for us to act, improving the quality of life for all of us. I hope to one day hear of a young trans athlete/coach participating on championship teams at professional levels within the NFL, MLB, MLS and NHL.

| COMPETE | November 2015

When did you first realize who you were attracted to?

And who you were on the inside?

I’m straight/queer. I’m attracted to women who identify as pansexual, bisexual or who are attracted to “ftms” (referring to transgender people who are “female-to-male”). I knew I was attracted to the feminine when I was a teenager. I’ve known I was a boy since I was aware of myself, probably around four years old.

Did your parents expose you to gender-conforming activities?

They signed me up for sports with girls, gave me Cabbage Patch dolls which I hated (laughs)! Dressed me in dresses for formal/family functions which I also hated. Early on in school, when kids lined up to go to the bathroom, I was forced into the girl’s bathroom when I knew I didn’t want to be a girl.

When did you come to the realization that you are transgender?

In college at a Catholic institution. I was taking an abnormal psychology class. While flipping through the textbook I came across a photo of a transwoman labeled “Gender Identity Disorder.” I read through the description and said to myself, “This sounds like what I have. Great, I have a disorder...” So I struggled again with the question, “What is wrong with me?”

But now my questioning has transformed to how beautiful I and others are now and can become even more beautiful in the future.

What was the coming out process like for you? How did family and friends react?

Not great; it was a long process. Some of my family thought I was a lesbian. Some were OK, some were supportive. No one really celebrated. I hope society at some point learns to celebrate the process.

What is your hope for the trans community in the future?

I hope that one day we live in a world where trans folks don’t feel they have to leave their families and friends to become who they are. There are too many stories about people being abandoned. My story at this moment in time is unique.

While I did not stay home to transition into my place as Stephen, I was able to return home and be a part of the community I grew up in.

As you are becoming more and more visible to the public, what are your thoughts on transgender celebrities and their contribution to society?

I find them to be empowering. I also understand they will have critics. We are here to create dialogue. Being visible is the first step to having more conversations. I appreciate those who have come out, are coming out and will continue to come out.

These stories help us to celebrate and make the lives of transgender people real. With our stories we can continue to address the many societal struggles and be active in solving them.

FACES OF SPORTS

STEPHANIE LAFFIN

By Lauren Neidigh

Photo by Alex Huebsch

Stephanie Laffin: Making the World Better

YOU KNOW HOW SOMETIMES YOU MEET SOMEONE, and you just know you’re going to get along? I was getting on the bus at my first Nike LGBT Sports Summit when I knew that Stephanie Laffin was one of those people. The first thing I noticed was that she had a ton of energy. She was really excited to be there and to meet the people she would be working with. But I also saw that she was kind, caring and invested in what we were there to do at the summit. I really am glad that I got to know more about her and all that she does to make the world a better place.

Steph first got involved with the movement when she was living in New York and her boss lost his partner to AIDS. The Broadway community that she was involved in has an organization called Broadway Care that works to support AIDS research. After working with Broadway Care, she moved to Los Angeles and started to think more about what she wanted to do and how she wanted to get involved as an advocate.

While in L.A., her friends Dan Savage and Terry Miller started the It Gets Better project. Steph served on the board of It Gets Better from 2010 until the spring of 2015 and was part of a group responsible for keeping the project in motion. She worked to inspire others to help create change that would change the lives of LGBT youth.

Steph’s activism doesn’t end there. She’s also been a volunteer with Campus Pride, attending Camp Pride in the summers. There, she works with LGBTQ-identified college students from around the country, discussing social justice issues with some of the up and coming LGBTQ leaders. Steph believes that the next generation should be heard because what they do next will be important. “It’s not about me. I have to think, if I’m gonna’ be a leader in

32

| COMPETE | November 2015

this space, how am I paying it forward,” she told me. That’s one of the best things about her. She thinks about others first. She wants to know how she can help them succeed now and in the future.

Talking with Steph the other day, we spoke about her goals for the LGBT movement. She wants to make sure that LGBT youth are heard and that we serve them, and she wants to create opportunities for them to see the difference that they’ve made. She wants to see more active resources in which LGBT youth can see the results happening. One of the examples she gave me was the Campus Pride Sports Index. She thinks Campus Pride has done an amazing job with the resource, as it helps LGBT student-athletes find colleges that are LGBT-friendly.

Steph also wants to increase inclusion for trans athletes. She sees that there are rules and systemic road blocks that need to change. “Being your authentic and whole self makes you a more effective athlete,” she said.

She wants for us to be better for our trans and gender-nonconforming community members, committing more to creating safe spaces for them.

To Steph, inclusion in sports means creating a community. Through some of the experiences she’s had, she’s seen people build networks that will last a lifetime. That allows us to build each other up and find help whenever it’s needed. You find friends that you can count on and utilize.

She’s a big fan of one of Nike’s core values: “If you have a body, you are an athlete.” Believing in that saying, she also believes that no one should have their identity as an athlete taken away or go unrecognized because of their sexuality, gender identity or gender expression. She thinks about her younger cousins who are all involved in sports.

She wants to see a world where they are able to play, no matter how they identify.

We’ve made progress for LGBT athletes in sports but there are still many challenges to face. People like Stephanie Laffin are here to help this next generation prepare for those challenges. She recognizes that there are so many things beyond marriage equality that we need to face.

As athletes, we make many sacrifices. There are time commitments, trips away from family and risk of injury among other things. Wouldn’t it be better if, in the sacrifices athletes make to reach their goals, they felt they could truly be their authentic selves? I think you should be able to cut your hair the way you want, wear what you want and do whatever you want to do.

Health Insurance Pays Your Hospital Bills...

Who PaYs You? We offer plans that pay cash benefits directly to you to help fill financial gaps when you are sick or injured.

Call me at 520-440-5802 for your free Quote Today!

HealthMarkets Insurance Agency Life | Health | Medicare | Long-Term Care

Amy Powell

Licensed Insurance Agent www.HealthMarkets.com/APowell

520-440-5802

APowell@HealthMarkets.com HealthMarkets Insurance Agency is the d/b/a, or assumed name, of Insphere Insurance Solutions, Inc. which is licensed as an insurance agency in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Not all agents are licensed to sell all products. Service and product availability varies by state.

HMIA000127

FACES OF SPORTS

TOPH PETERSON

By Sue Wieger, LPGA, M.Ed

Photo courtesy of Toph Peterson

Toph Peterson: Driving for the PGA Tour

TOPH PETERSON LOVES GOLF AND FEELS THAT it brings many different people together, that it’s a great game for everyone to enjoy. He now has two golf-related businesses that he believes will help promote and grow the game. But he didn’t grow up playing golf.

Growing up in Logan, Utah, Christopher Peterson’s father started calling him Toph and the nickname stuck.

Toph played baseball and basketball most of his young life; golf wasn’t even on his radar until he was 14. He did have a fun golf experience as a young child—his Uncle Dave would let him ride in the golf cart and Toph liked to jump off and swing at golf balls quickly, like Happy Gilmore. His Uncle Dave always believed Toph was the golf prodigy of the family, always claiming that he would be the professional in the family.

At first Toph thought the game was supposed to be played quickly. When it was later explained to him it wasn’t a fast-hitting game, he decided to stick with baseball and basketball. But that same year his two best friends asked him to play golf over the summer and he decided to join them.

His athletic ability in golf showed up very quickly— he played pretty well at first. And once he started to keep

34

| COMPETE | November 2015

score, his competitive drive kicked in after shooting over 100 for 18 holes. He fell in love with the game and never looked back. Wanting to make his high school’s freshman golf team, he asked his father to join the country club so he could concentrate on his golf. Despite his enthusiasm, he didn’t make the high school team that year.

Disappointed but determined, he decided to make the team the following year and his drive and commitment earned him a place on the sophomore team. It also helped make him team captain in his junior and senior years.

To this day Toph loves basketball and baseball, but golf became his passion and he went on to Utah State to play collegiate golf.

After graduating, Toph moved to Arizona to pursue his dream of professional golf. But as resources started to run out, he decided to put his entrepreneurial skills to work and begin two golf startup companies. As his startup businesses took off, he hadn’t much time to play golf. A year ago his buddies told him should consider trying out for The Golf Channel’s “Big Break” reality show.

Although initially hesitant, he decided to give it a shot since he felt his game wasn’t up to par. The tryouts were in Phoenix and he decided to try out as one of their golfer contestants. During the tryout he only hit six shots and had a 15-minute interview. But he impressed the Big Break recruiters enough to receive a call to be on the show the next week, and eventually he wound up being one of the exclusive participants at the Big Break event played in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

While Toph didn’t win the Big Break, he’s classified the show as a great experience and a lot of fun. After that experience he changed his goals to gain entry into the Web.com Tour and the PGA tour. He knows the road might be hard but he’s determined to take his game to the next level.

Feeling the world is starting to change its combined mindset to one of equality, Toph considers himself an LGBT ally. He feels golf is a game that everyone should be able to play and enjoy. Sports diversity, he believes, is headed into the right direction and the gay community is getting help with exposure through mainstream sports such as the NFL and the NBA. “We are all unique and we should be able to play the games we love, no matter who we love.”

Have fun and go compete is Toph’s philosophy.

FACES OF SPORTS

BRIAN HELANDER

By Chuck Browning

Photo courtesy of IGRA

Rodeo Cowboy Brian Helander I FIRST MET BRIAN HELANDER AT THE GYM where I was a trainer. He approached me, asking if I would calculate his body fat measurements. When he took his shirt off, I almost fell over. A flight nurse by profession, he was in his early 30s at the time. He was in excellent physical shape and what we referred to as a gym rat. Our paths crossed occasionally but in 1995 he and I independently decided to compete in the International Gay Rodeo Association’s (IGRA) rodeos.

Chuck Browning: Brian, thanks for speaking with me to discuss a subject that I’m sure is very dear to your heart: “Who is rodeo cowboy Brian Helander?”

Brian Helander: Well, that question makes me laugh a bit because I frequently ask myself that same thing. I am someone who has been fortunate enough to have found my way to IGRA at an early age and have been encouraged to grow into the sport by everyone in the association.

I started with one event and now compete in eight events.

I’ve used new and old skills to become something I always wanted to be—a reasonably good horseman and a competitive rodeo cowboy. Learning how to rope and ride as an adult, I learned to use my innate skills to do well in some events and then learned completely new skills to compete in other events. Skills like sprinting and good body mechanics help me a lot in rodeo.

Most athletes have an inspiring role model. Did you have one growing up?

Well, most of my inspiring role models were hockey players, so it does not translate well. But I did have some early IGRA cowboy and cowgirl role models that influenced me in so many ways.

We hear about the “cowboy way.” Can you tell us what that term means to you?

For me, the cowboy way is about trying and not giving up. It’s about elevating your skills so you’re winning events by doing your best with the circumstances you face on any particular day in the arena. The cowboy and cowgirl way is also about helping others to do their best.

What draws you to rodeo? What do you get out of it?

I think it’s about staying in shape, learning new skills, sharing knowledge with others. Personally, I get a great sense of accomplishment because it is not all about win-

36

| COMPETE | November 2015

ning, it’s about TRYING. Yes, winning events is great and I certainly have had my share of wins. But rodeo is a precision sport and from my experience, precision comes from trying, failing, changing, improving, learning and trying again. And collectively, I think we all get a great sense of camaraderie in the sport of rodeo.

When and why did you get involved as a rodeo competitor?

I was never a very athletic young man. But when I watched a rodeo in the 1994-95 timeframe, I thought it was intriguing and symbolic of a new life in Arizona. I wanted to learn to ride a horse but started rodeo in the non-horse events and slowly learned to ride. Now I am a good rider although not the same caliber as so many of the riders that I admire in the IGRA. Someone helped me and I want to help others that want to learn to ride.

Has your participation in IGRA rodeos been only as a competitor?

No, I did a stint in several leadership roles as committee chair(s) executive board, officer, trustee and instructor.

How does one become a competitor at IGRA rodeos?

Come to a rodeo school or to any Friday night rodeo to register and then start with one of our entry level events.

Or if you have a horse and already do something on horseback like barrel racing, come and get started. Take a peek at IGRA.com for more information.

What major goals have you accomplished in rodeo?

My major accomplishments include having great fun for 23 years. I have made wonderful friends all across the USA, Canada and Australia. The high point for me was when IGRA put on a rodeo at the Gay Games in Cleveland, Ohio in 2014. The whole world came out to see the quintessential North American sport of rodeo – and gay rodeo at that!

Personally, I was very proud to take a gold medal in the steer wrestling (chute dogging) event, setting a new world record in it by .01 second. Also winning a gold medal in the famous goat dressing event with my rodeo partner.

What does sports diversity mean to you and where do you see it going?

To me, it’s having a sport open and welcoming to all individuals, like gay rodeo. I see sports getting increasingly diverse but the one thing I don’t really see is gay rodeo being embraced by our straight rodeo peers for another generation or so. So I see LGBT sports having a place in our community for a long time.

Where you can order 24 hours a day, seven days a week at www.tmicheal.com or call 1-800-536-8893.

Featuring:

ADVISORS Ronald D. Jensby

Independent Fee-Based Investment Management

p:602.216.6788 f:602.926.2225 e:ron@thegrowthinvestor.com 3030 N. 3rd. St. #200, Phoenix, Arizona 85012

Sports Club

T. Micheal Gold’s Gym NPC World Gym Otomix Powerhouse Gym Gorilla Wear Pitbull Zubaz Schiek AND MORE!

at

Your Uptown Fitness Experience! www.sportsclubatcitysquare.com (Indian School Rd and 2nd Ave)

602-285-2929

World Wide Shipping

www.tmicheal.com 1-800-536-8893

FACES OF SPORTS

SHANE WINDMEYER

By Stephanie Laffin

Photo courtesy of Campus Pride

Campus Pride’s Shane Windmeyer

38

I MET SHANE WINDMEYER, co-founder and executive director of Campus Pride while I was working at the It Gets Better Project. Shane and I originally connected via email and began regularly emailing and talking on the phone. We were both working to better the LGBTQ youth community and he quickly became a great mentor and friend, guiding me to resources, organizations and other leaders within the LGBTQ community.

We finally met in person at the LGBTQ Sports Summit in June 2012 that was held at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Shane and I sat together in work sessions, walked to Voodoo Doughnuts, marched in the Portland Pride Parade with Ben Cohen and Alison Doerfler and got to know each other better.

As Shane and I bonded in Portland, I learned that he’d written and edited books on LGBTQ college and university Greek life, an identity and passion that he includes in his work. We talked about our families, and Shane spoke about being born on a reservation, his American Indian identity, and being a first generation college student. At Emporia State University Shane graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and went on to receive his master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs at Indiana University.

While in Portland, Shane invited me to attend Camp Pride, Campus Pride’s annual summer leadership institute for college and university students. We kept talking and the team at the It Gets Better Project agreed that I should attend camp. I had pitched the idea of attending Camp Pride by saying, “As a youth-serving organization, shouldn’t we be asking LGBTQ-identified young people what they want? Isn’t the best way to do that by spending time with them?”

Camp Pride was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I arrived on the campus of Vanderbilt University and met LGBTQ young people, student leaders and advisors who were all participating in camp. Shane greeted me warmly with a hug, introduced me to everyone and whis-

| COMPETE | November 2015

pered, “Don’t call them ‘kids.’ Students is OK but they’re college students, not kids.” I paused for a moment and mulled this over. Shane was right. These were not kids, there was no need for a term that would put us in a hierarchical relationship. We were all on even footing.

Throughout the week of Camp Pride, Shane’s warmth and guidance was everywhere. I saw his leadership shine through in the ways he interacted with the team of advisors and leaders and how he worked with students. He told stories about his experience being out and LGBT-identified in the Midwest, his family and traveling to different campuses teaching workshops on education, language, inclusion and diversity around LGBT students.

As camp was ending I said to Shane, “I can come back next year, right?” The community that Shane and the leadership team at Camp Pride built was one I wanted to belong to, be part of and return to. I saw the students who had come to camp blossom. At the beginning of camp some students had been shy—their heads down, shoulders turned in. By the end of the week students held their heads high and their shoulders back. Their self-realization, pride and new-found sense of self was terrific to watch. I wanted to be like them.

So much of Shane’s Campus Pride work is around community building, encouraging young leaders and bettering college campus life for LGBTQ-identified students. Campus Pride has worked to develop indexes for students who want to research and learn more about the LGBTQ oncampus climate at colleges and universities. The Campus Pride Index, Campus Pride Sports Index and Trans Policy Clearinghouse utilize data on inclusion, policies, practice and programs to evaluate college campus environments for LGBTQ students.

The Campus Pride team has expanded the reach of the organization, supporting LGBTQ-identified students on a worldwide level through one-on-one efforts, resource development, webinars and workshops. It’s been terrific to hear Shane talk about his work, watch the work of Campus Pride in action and hear folks say, “I wish I’d had these resources when I was applying to college; it would have made such a difference in my college experience.”

Just as he does with students, Shane has always encouraged me to find my own voice and truth. Because of Shane, his commitment to LGBTQ young people, the work he does and the love he shares, so many of us are living authentic lives. For more information on Campus Pride, go to www.campuspride.org.

SPORTS KICKOFF

2016 DOUGLAS P. HOLLOWAY SPORTS DIVERSITY CONFERENCE

2016 DOUGLAS P. HOLLOWAY SPORTS DIVERSITY CONFERENCE

Douglas P. Holloway THIS COMING JANUARY THE HALLS OF Las Vegas’ iconic Tropicana Hotel will be filled with allied athletes from across approximately 8,500 LGBT and ally athletes from across the U.S. and beyond, all of them ready to participate in one or more of 23 different sports. Each athlete has his or her own story to tell and they will have a chance to tell their stories, whether it is on a softball field, a bowling lane, a wrestling mat or one of the many other sports venue options at the Sin City Shootout.

One thing will definitely be new this year—the addition of the 2016 Douglas P. Holloway Sports Diversity Leadership Conference as part of the Sin City Shootout.

The inaugural conference will host up to 200 leaders in Las January14, 13-15, culminating a presentation Vegas from on January culminating in a in presentation in in front of 2,000-3,000 athletes, coaches and sports fans.

Current sports diversity leaders and those seeking a path to leadership in their own communities will come together to fulfill the conference mission – “To create a more inclusive LGBT sports community by mentoring tomorrow’s sports diversity leaders today.”

The Conference is named in honor of the late Douglas P. Holloway, advisor to Compete and husband to Compete co-founder, David Riach. Holloway was the first senior-level bank executive to come out publically – an occurrence so revolutionary that it was covered by The New York Times in 1990. He was serving as a C-level executive (chief loan examiner) of Wells Fargo & Co and as an executive vice president of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. at the time of that interview.

An early LGBT advocate dedicated to helping others within the LGBT community, Holloway served on many non-profit boards, including HIV/AIDS organizations such as San Francisco’s Shanti Project during the early years of the AIDS epidemic.

According to long-time friend and former Wells Fargo Foundation president Tim Hanlon, Holloway was an out and unapologetic gay man at a time when even a suspicion of that could end a promising career. A highpowered executive who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, he was an early force in the LGBT movement within Wells Fargo, continually risking his banking career to address

40

| COMPETE | November 2015

issues of inequality, especially for the LGBT community.

Thanks to Holloway, Wells Fargo changed its policy on requirements to open a joint account to one that enabled LGBT couples to open joint accounts for the first time in U.S. banking history.

Prior to the policy change only blood relatives and legally married couples could open joint accounts. Hanlon shared that Holloway went to the Wells Fargo CEO’s office and refused to leave until the policy was changed.

As Hanlon began the long road to creating an LGBT community within Wells Fargo, Holloway worked behind the scenes, mentoring Hanlon along the way. Even though the first LGBT meeting at Wells Fargo was “unofficial,” it attracted more than 100 bank employees. Hanlon further commented that “without Doug, Wells Fargo would not be as progressive as it is today nor would it have such an open diversity policy and LGBT employee base.”

Holloway also mentored and counseled many up and coming Wells Fargo employees and encouraged them to volunteer and get involved in important projects both inside and outside of the LGBT community.

A true LGBT pioneer, Holloway passed away in 2013 but his legacy lives on through the LGBT movement at Wells Fargo and the continued strength of the sports diversity movement.

Compete is proud to honor Douglas P. Holloway for his work at Wells Fargo, within the LGBT community and for his help moving the sports diversity movement forward.

For more information on the 2016 Douglas P. Holloway Sports Diversity Conference please go to sportsdiversityconference.com or info@sportsdiversityconference.com.

GYM BAG

HOT ITEMS YOU SHOULDN’T DO WITHOUT

Holiday Gift Guide New for 2016, the Polaris ACE™ 900 SP brings a boost of power to this one-of-a-kind ATV. Polaris ACE features a revolutionary sit-in design that makes offroad riding comfortable and easy. Employing automotive type controls, including a steering wheel as well as gas and brake pedals, the ACE is the perfect machine for new and experienced riders alike.

The ACE combines the comfort and secure feeling of a side-by-side vehicle with the smaller size and easy handling of an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV). Combining these two styles gives riders a completely new way to experience the outdoors. The ACE 900 SP features a 60 horsepower ProStar® 900 engine with Electronic Fuel Injection and Electronic Throttle Control. This vehicle also features the Polaris EPS system, delivering the most-responsive power steering system available. Available in a variety of colors and options starting at around $7,499.

buy.garmin.com

For all you golfers who are sad that winter snow has already or is about to close down your game, pout no more.

Instead, play world-famous golf courses by trying OptiShot Golf, a golf simulator that includes a library of 43 To-the-Tee replicas of some of golf’s most exclusive and private championship courses.

Using the latest analytic and shot tracer technology to generate real-world golf experiences in your own home, the simulator provides immersive 3D graphics for play or practice with a guaranteed game improvement minus the travel and course fees.

The OptiShot Golf 3D includes Mac and Windows software, USB cable, foam practice balls, adjustable rubber tees and a one-year warranty and software updates. An additional feature enables a player to compete in a tournament through OptiShot Live. You can play 18 holes online with other competitors worldwide. OptiShot Golf is available for $499.95 online at:

store.optishotgolf.com 42

| COMPETE | November 2015

>>>

OPTISHOT GOLF SIMULATOR

>>>

For cyclists, Garmin’s Varia™ Rearview Radar is the world’s first cycling radar that warns of vehicles approaching from behind up to 153 yards. It works independently and wirelessly integrates with compatible Edge® cycling computers.

The Edge computer or Varia head unit can detect multiple vehicles and indicates the relative speed of approach and threat level.

The tail light unit brightens and flashes to notify approaching traffic of a cyclist ahead. $200

The first FDA-cleared wireless neuromuscular electronic stimulation (NMES) was presented by DJO Global, Inc., in San Diego recently. The new device, called Compex Wireless USA, is a wireless electric muscle stimulation device designed for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. NMES involves the use of a device which transmits an electrical impulse to the skin over selected muscle groups by the way of electrodes. It causes muscles to contract as a form of exercise or physical therapy.

DJO Global has products used for rehabilitation, pain management and physical therapy and is one of the largest non-surgical orthopedic rehabilitation companies in the United States. Many of their devices, like the Compex Wireless USA, are used by athletes and patients to prevent injuries. $1,149

shopcompex.com

polaris.com GARMIN’S VARIA™ REARVIEW RADAR

COMPLEX WIRELESS USA

>>>

>>>

POLARIS ACE™

cocoavivere.com >>>

WOOD The most comfortable loungewear on the planet, says us … and you will too. Once you put on Wood Loungewear, you may never want to wear anything else. Super drape-y (is that a word?) for lounge-y comfort. Same great Wood looks, meaning YOU look great in Wood. Get your Wood on—Wood is Good.

woodunderwear.com

Clipzeez is a revolutionary shoelace device for athletes, particularly runners that keeps your shoe laces tied and secure. Just slide them onto your shoes, tie your laces, click and go—it’s as easy as that. They come in a variety of colors and can be custom designed with any logo. $9.95

myclipzeez.com APEX SKI BOOTS

>>>

For a special holiday gift for a host or teammate or a treat for Santa, try Viveré Chocolates. Part of the swag bag for the Miss America judges and contestants, they’re handmade bites of heaven. From truffles and bars to hot chocolate and macaroons, each item is made to order and contains no preservatives or artificial flavors so you get the freshest taste possible. The best selling item is pure gold ... no, seriously, GOLD. Their award-winning twist on the ubiquitous Sea Salt Caramel blends in toasted fennel is finished with a light dusting of edible gold. If that’s not enough reason to blow your cheat day, the Bourbon & Bacon Chocolate gift set is. Dark Chocolate Bourbon Balls paired with Smoked Bacon Turtlettes—yes, let that sink in. Great as gifts or as a treat for yourself, either way you’re a winner. $39.99

CLIPZEEZ

>>>

>>>

VIVERÉ CHOCOLATES

Apex is the first boot built to take advantage of today’s modern skis, fitting the way a ski boot should. America’s Best Bootfitters have awarded this year’s Apex Ski Boots with Fitter’s Favorite and Innovator designations for three models: MC-3, MC-X, and ML-3.

The signature component of the four-part Apex Ski Boot System is the Open Chassis, a unique design that offers customizable flex that is independent of fit, along with superior stability and precise edge control. The Walkable Support Boot enables you to ski all day and then walk around in the same boot without needing to loosen it. The Boot Liner is heat molded for a custom fit for you and adds warmth and comfort, and the BOA Closure System that locks your foot firmly in the heel pocket whileproviding all-day comfort and precise control. Price varies depending on style.

apexskiboots.com

Rudy Project is proud to announce the latest addition to their casual sunglass line with the all new Spinhawk, a model that best expresses an aptitude for sport and perfect when chilling with friends. Combining a number of timeless and unique Rudy Project design elements and ergonomic features, the Spinhawk is not only durable and lightweight but also ensures maximum protection from the sun while upholding supreme style. Plus the Spinhawk lenses are covered by Rudy’s Lens Guarantee.

rudyprojectusa.com

2016 HOMORODEO.COM CALENDAR

>>>

>>>

SPINHAWK CASUAL SUNGLASSES

It’s time to order your 2016 HomoRodeo.com Charity Fundraising Calendar featuring the latest batch of the hottest nude cowboys from the Men of HomoRodeo.com. Proceeds from the calendar sales helps sponsor rodeo contestants and rodeo associations. Don’t wait! Calendars often sell out and we don’t reprint them. $19.99

homorodeo.com/ members/charitycalendar

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 43

OVERTIME

EVENTS

FOR MORE EVENTS VISIT COMPETENETWORK.COM/EVENTS SPORTS. DIVERSITY.

TEAM DC’S A NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS Team DC 2012

A NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS, TEAM DC’S ANNUAL dinner and awards program, will take place at the Washington Hilton Hotel on November 7. This event and the organization’s Model Search event both benefit Team DC’s College Scholarship Program that provides monies for local LGBT student-athletes headed to college.

An association of about 35 sports teams, Team DC has approximately 7,000 LGBT athletes and allies within the greater Washington, D.C. metro area. The group’s mission is to strengthen the LGBT community in the metro area through sports, making “recreational sports a welcoming and safe place for all participants by promoting and supporting fun and healthy team activities and competitions.”

Emcee for the evening is Omar Sharif Jr., grandson of the well-known actor who is believed to be the first celebrity to come out publically in the Arab world. Special guest speaker for the evening is Andrew Goldstein, the former All-American Lacrosse player from Dartmouth who is rec-

BOWLING Bridgetown Invitational Tournament Portland, Nov. 6 IGBO Mid-Year 2015 Pittsburgh, Nov. 10 Los Angeles Silver Screen Invitational Tournament Los Angeles, Nov. 20 Holiday Invitational Tournament Milwaukee, Nov. 26

SOFTBALL Hurricane Showdown Fort Lauderdale, Nov. 27 Palm Springs Turkey Shoot Out Palm Springs, Nov. 28

RODEO IGRA Convention St. Petersburg, Nov. 13-15

TENNIS HOUTEX 35 Houston, Nov. 6-8 Citrus Classic 2015 Tampa, Nov. 27-29 Palm Springs Open 22 Palm Springs, Nov. 27-29

VOLLEYBALL Steel City Classic Pittsburgh, Nov. 7 Golden Apple IX New York City, Nov. 7 Capital City Classic Sacramento, Nov. 14 President’s Pride Cup Washington, DC, Nov. 28

44

| COMPETE | November 2015

NOVEMBER 2012 • $ PRICELESS

2012 Amateur Sports Team,

League or ognized as being the first openly gay player on a profes-Organization sional sports team when he was drafted by Major League Lacrosse.

Award winners for the evening include Von Gerik Allena of the Washington Renegades Rugby Club; George Zokle of Stonewall Billiards; Derrick Johnson of the DC Different Drummers; Bob “Pixie” Fontaine of the Capital Area Rainbowlers Association; Sean Bartel of the DC Gay Flag Football League; and Dave Perruzza and JR’s Bar. Student-athletes who received 2015 Team DC Scholarships will also be honored. They include: WWW.COMPETENETWORK.COM

• FAYRA BONILLA-RUBI of Lee High School (Fairfax, Virginia). Fayra played soccer at Lee High School and now attends Potomac State College of West Virginia University.

• LISA CHEN of West Springfield High School (Springfield, Virginia). Lisa, who played basketball during her high school years, now attends the University of Virginia.

• LILLIAN CHONG of Mount Vernon High School (Alexandria, Virginia). Lillian was captain of her high school dance team and now attends George Mason University.

• KYRA MCCLARY of T.C. Williams High School (Alexandria, Virginia). An accomplished athlete in high school, Kyra plans to continue her rowing career while attending Smith College.

• JAMEESHA PARKER of Luke Moore Alternative High School (Washington, DC). Jameesha was captain of her cheerleading squad in high school and attends the University of the District of Columbia.

• GABRIEL PERKINS of West Potomac High School (Alexandria, Virginia). Gabriel is an accomplished swimmer who plans to continue swimming for Virginia Commonwealth University.

• NORA O’LEARY of Washington-Lee High School (Arlington, Virginia). Nora, a player and manager for her soccer team in high school, will attend Loyola University.

• JOHN RAMSEY of Montgomery Blair High School (Silver Spring, Maryland). John was captain of the varsity baseball team at Montgomery Blair High School and now attends Oberlin College.

• SAM SONG of Poolesville High School (Poolesville, Maryland). Sam, a long-time competitive swimmer, now swims on the St. Lawrence University swim team.

www.ngffl.com

Log on to find out how you can get involved in your local league UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS HONOLULU SAN DIEGO CHICAGO LAS VEGAS SO. FLORIDA JAN 2016 APR 2016 JUN 2016 FEB 2016

DC

OCT 2016

FACES OF SPORTS CONTRIBUTORS

KEVIN MAJOROS

ESERA TUAOLO

Kevin Majoros is the contributing sports writer for the Washington Blade and the host of Capital Sports TV on the CCE Sports Network. As an athlete he is an eight-time Gay Games medalist in the sports of swimming, track and field, and open water swimming.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Majoros

After retiring from the NFL after nine seasons, Esera Tuaolo came out as gay.

He is now a constant advocate for the LGBT community, traveling to speak about inclusion in sports and working with the NFL to combat homophobia in the league.

Photo by Compete Magazine

LAUREN NEIDIGH

JEFF KAGAN

A member of the University of Arizona Wildcats swim team, Lauren Neidigh is the recipient of Campus Pride’s 2015 Voice & Action Athlete Award for her efforts to gain LGBTQ equality within the university’s athletic department.

Photo courtesy of Campus Pride

Jeff Kagan is director of the New York City Gay Hockey Association as well as a licensed real estate agent in New York and New Jersey. He is also Compete Magazine’s first Athlete of the Year.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Kagan

RA DREYFUS

CHUCK BROWNING

Ra Dreyfus is a director, photographer and writer working with some of sports most talented athletes and celebrities around the world.

Photo courtesy of Ra Dreyfus

Brian Helander’s teammate, IGRA Competitor and Champion for 21 years, Chuck Browning is an IGRA trustee and rodeo school instructor.

Photo courtesy of Chuck Browning

SCOTT NORTON

SUE WIEGER

In addition to being a professional prizewinning bowler and the first gay athlete nominated for an ESPY award, Scott Norton is also an attorney licensed in the state of California.

Photo by Compete Magazine

Sue Wieger is LPGA golfer who owns Sue Wieger Golf Academy and is an Amazon international best-selling author of “Golf: The Last Six Inches. Change Your Brain, Change Your Game.”

Photo courtesy of Sue Wieger

WADE DAVIS

HUDSON TAYLOR

Wade Davis, a retired NFL player and advocate for social justice, racial justice, women’s rights in all areas of equality, is currently the executive director for the You Can Play Project.

Photo by Terry Torro

Hudson Taylor is the founder and executive director of Athlete Ally, a wrestling coach at Columbia University and a prominent straight ally and civil rights activist for LGBT rights.

Photo courtesy of Hudson Taylor

CONNIE WARDMAN

STEPHANIE LAFFIN

An adult educator by profession, Connie Wardman has a background in higher education, corporate America, public television and international association management. She is currently the editorin-chief for Compete Magazine.

Photo by Compete Magazine

46

| COMPETE | November 2015

Stephanie Laffin, a long-time supporter of the LGBT sports diversity movement through organizations such as the It Gets Better Project, the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation and Campus Pride.

A graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, she was a theatre and television casting professional and was nominated for both an Emmy Award and an Artios Award.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Laffin

REGISTER NOW I #HC15k SCOTTSDALE, AZ

I

DECEMBER 6, 2015

I

HOTCHOCOLATE15k.COM/SCOTTSDALE