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Fall 2014
FEATURES
28
Coming Back Home
34
Through the Lens
38
Having a Ball
40
Head Above Water
Q & A with Billy Bean
Skateboarding photographer Sam McGuire spearheads a culture shift
Why the Little League World Series stands above
28
How the Thorpedo has struggled to find success
DEPARTMENTS LETTERS
8 In Your Face BEN COHEN, MBE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
10 With You ERIC CARLYLE, CEO/PUBLISHER
12 BrandNews PATRICK DAVIS, CO-PUBLISHER
34
14 The Hand Off JOSHUA WYRICK, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SPECIAL
26 High-5 For Standing Up 46 Women in Sports
You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby
48 Sports
Reforming and Recapping: Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow
16 18 20 22
IN EVERY ISSUE The Foundation: Ch-Ch-Changes Pop Culture: Talk Pretty Success: What You Include Becomes What You Attract Coaching: It Starts With the Coach
38
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PUBLISHERS - publisher@standup-magazine.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Eric Carlyle, CEO/Publisher Patrick Davis, Co-Publisher
Ben Cohen, MBE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - editor@standup-magazine.com
SPECIAL GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
Joshua Wyrick CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Alison Doerfler Scott “Babydaddy” Hoffman Michael Losier Brian Sims Connie Wardman Shane Windmeyer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS - writers@standup-magazine.com
John Groth Miriam Latto Mark Moon Scott Norton Brian Patrick Cyd Zeigler
Damien Faughnan coaches senior executives who want to take their leadership effectiveness to the next level. He specializes in CEO succession and working with leaders who are in critical roles. Most often Faughnan's coaching practice focuses on accelerating the success of talented executives who are: being groomed for larger roles, leading organizations through significant transitions, such as mergers, new strategic directions, or changes in business culture, or assuming new roles with critical responsibilities Faughnan's clients describe his style as pragmatic, warm, and results-oriented.
ART DIRECTOR - artdirector@standup-magazine.com
Dara Fowler
For Editorial and Media Inquiries editorial@standup-magazine.com Media Out Loud Advisory Board - advisoryboard@standup-magazine.com
Eric Carlyle and Patrick Davis (Co-Chairs); Mark Braun; Helen J. Carroll; Troup Coronado, ESQ; Amy Jones; Dr. William Kapfer; Molly Lenore; Michael Losier; Scott Norton, ESQ; and Kirk Walker StandUp Magazine is published by Sports Diversity Media, LLC, under license from Ben Cohen Worldwide, LLC © 2014 by Sports Diversity Media, LLC Sports Diversity Media, LLC 4703 S. Lakeshore Dr., Suite 3 Tempe, Arizona 85282 480.222.4223 www.standup-magazine.com
For Sales Inquires advertising@standup-magazine.com
COVER DESIGN
Bruce Burton ON THE COVER StandUp’s Billy Bean named ambassador for inclusion for Major League Baseball Jeff Riedel, Photographer
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INYOURFACE
By Ben Cohen, MBE
A New Generation of Leaders
THERE IS
A CHANGING OF THE GUARD HAPPENING IN THE SPORTS WORLD RIGHT NOW. Amid the controversy that has swept the NFL off already shaky feet, the biggest and most popular sport in the United States is being looked at under the same microscope as usual, but with a different lens. As one major sports organization faces massive attacks on their image and questionable discipline policies, another makes leaps forward in the arena of inclusion. Major League Baseball decided to make one of our proudest contributors and this issue’s cover, Billy Bean, the very first ambassador of inclusion in the history of the game. As you’ll read in these pages, Billy takes his responsibility very seriously and seeks to address a problem that has gone ignored in the past for over a hundred years: the inclusion of ALL players. The Little League World Series saw the first all-black team win the U.S. championship, and the first no-hitter ever — pitched by the now-famous Mo’Ne Davis. As the sports world continues to change around us, the evolution of inclusion and its effects on the state of the games is amazing to witness. True change will come not from the top or from the bottom, but rather from all angles. The content included in these pages details some of the most radical, transformative personalities in the sports world today. People who never back down from a challenge and who face their greatest fears head on. People who stand up.
Cheers,
Ben Cohen, MBE Founder and Chairman, the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation
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True change will come not from the top or from the bottom, but rather from all angles.
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WITHYOU
By Eric Carlyle
We Can Play
IT
SEEMS LIKE EACH YEAR THE WORLD GETS JUST A BIT BUSIER. The same can be said for acceptance and inclusion — both on and off the sports field. Ten years ago I would never have thought that an NBA team owner would, even could, be forced to sell his team over remarks that many believed were racist, or that a 6 foot-8 woman of color would dominate the world of sports for an entire summer. This year both those things happened. I am in awe of the sports pioneers who have been part of the evolution of inclusion. Some of them, like 1930s tennis ace Gottfried Von Cramm, were forced into the spotlight because of their sexual orientation. Others, like Martina Navratilova, were known firstly because of their athletic ability and secondly because they were an out athlete. The growth of inclusion hasn’t been for LGBT athletes alone. It has also been for athletes of color and athletes with disabilities. While LGBT athletes chose to stay in the closet, greats like Jackie Robinson couldn’t hide their color. They bravely made inroads into professional sports based on their skills as an athlete. The evolution includes amateur athletes, too. If it weren’t for people like former NFL player David Kopay, tournaments like the Gay Bowl wouldn’t continue to grow each year in popularity. It is truly amazing that the 2015 Sin City Shoot Out, a predominantly LGBT tournament, will host over 7,500 athletes next year participating in 18 different sports. The evolution of inclusion would be incomplete if I didn’t mention organizations such as You Can Play, Go Athlete! and many others. These groups work with athletes, leagues, teams and others to further inclusion, equality and diversity in sports. The evolution of inclusion is truly alive and well.
With you,
Eric Carlyle CEO/Publisher
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The evolution of inclusion is truly alive and well.
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BRANDNEWS
By Patrick Davis
Inclusion Requires Integrity
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR PLAYERS have enormous power to influence the public, particularly the many children who dream of one day following in the footsteps of their sports heroes. As the tide toward diversity and inclusion in the sports world continues to swell, the need for a brand’s integrity is more important than ever. Starting with the leader, it must have the loyalty of everyone within the organization. Without it, change will come from outside the organization and when that happens, the power of the brand, the trust people place in it, is gone.
This is especially true for the large professional sports leagues whose commissioners wield incredible power. Like the players within their leagues, these men also need to be champions, leading their brands through their personal integrity. We have seen two recent leadership examples of a professional sports league representing its brand — one handled well, the other handled poorly. First is Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Bud Selig who recently created the new ambassador of inclusion post and appointed former player Billy Bean to take the reins. Selig has sent a strong message to teams, owners, players, coaches and fans alike that baseball welcomes all who love the game. His actions to enhance and protect the integrity of the MLB brand are worthy of a champion. On the other hand, the National Football League (NFL) has become the center of growing controversy thanks to the actions of its commissioner, Roger Goodell. He is now facing huge criticism for his handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence incident. And this comes on the heels of the league’s actions delaying and denying any responsibility for concussion-related health problems for its current and retired players. From its inception, the StandUp brand has been about redefining what it means to be a true sports champion; someone unafraid to stand up and be counted on to do the right thing. Social media is now driving change on every level. To reach the new generation of athletes, to end bias in sports through inclusion requires the one leading the charge to have personal integrity. And if it doesn’t come from the professional sports community, the power of their consumerdriven brands will most certainly change — and not for the better.
Patrick T. Davis Co-Publisher Chief Executive Officer, Ben Cohen Worldwide, LLC
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... the need for a brand’s integrity is more important than ever.
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THEHANDOFF
By Joshua Wyrick
Changing Hands
MY
NAME IS JOSHUA WYRICK, the new editor-in-chief of StandUp Magazine. In this issue we have a skateboarding photographer who found solace in his friends as well as the story of Australian superstar swimmer Ian Thorpe, the “Thorpedo,” who finally felt comfortable enough to come out on a national stage. And Billy Bean, former MLB player and vice chairman of the StandUp Foundation, shares what it’s like to be the very first ambassador of inclusion for America’s beloved pastime. This is Act One, the beginning. The part of the picture of the evolution of man where the man is still very hunched over, dragging his knuckles on the ground, and not very “man-like” at all. We have seen Michael Sam drafted and reportedly excelling in practices but we have also seen the first negative remarks (former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy) against his sexuality being a distraction to the team. We have seen a litany of people and organizations come out in support of Jason Collins while at the same time Baltimore Raven’s running back Ray Rice is seen beating his wife, and while banned from the NFL, he has yet to see any legal repercussions. Like any change, there will be detractors and events that appear to move the cause backward. But the stories of triumph and courage contained in these pages should assure you of one thing — despite the pain and strife, we will all eventually be walking upright.
Joshua Wyrick Editor-in-Chief
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... despite the pain and strife, we will all eventually be walking upright.
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THEFOUNDATION
By Alison Doerfler
Ch-Ch-Changes
F
OR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE BEEN A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE LGBT SPORTS COALITION. This association includes well-known organizations, like GLAAD, National Center for Lesbian Rights, It Gets Better, You Can Play, GLSEN, Outsports, GO! Athletes, Women’s Sports Foundation, Campus Pride, NCAA and many other organizations and individuals, both pioneers and new voices, in the conversation promoting equality in sports. I am honored to be a part of this group representing the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation which I have helped build, along with the team at Davis Brand Capital in Atlanta, Georgia. Three years ago, the LGBT Friends Employee Network at Nike had the vision to pull together individuals and organizations working in the world of sports equality. At the time, we were an intimate group of passionate minds all working to affect change but working in siloes. Often times this happens in the nonprofit world. Nike, however, encouraged us all to see what bolder vision we could develop if we spent focused time together. What evolved from that closed-door meeting in June 2012 has been inspiring. It has challenged over 30 individuals, groups and brands to come together and define a common
mission — to end anti-LGBT bias in sports at all levels of participation. We have grown from this core group to an ongoing professional summit that includes over 80 leaders in the LGBT sports movement all working towards the evolution of inclusion in sports. Nike has set the standard once again for leadership in using their platform for a purpose, developing an entire brand to support its strong commitment to the evolution of equality in sports. Before we even arrived in Portland for the summit two weeks ago, the company announced that once again their wildly popular #BETRUE brand would fund the LGBT Sports Coalition. In this unprecedented announcement, $500,000 in profits will fuel the future of this movement, enabling this group of like-minded organizations to refine the collaborative commitment we have made to combating bullying and bias at all levels of sports. Nike is engaging the power of the consumer to fund social change. I personally have witnessed, supported and participated in this change. It is now with the support of a major consumer brand and the unified brand of the coalition that I see equality moving forward and I am proud to be involved. Alison Doerfler is the executive director of the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation & the executive vice president of Ben Cohen Worldwide, LLC
Nike has set the standard once again for leadership in using their platform for a purpose, developing an entire brand to support its strong commitment to the evolution of equality in sports.
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POPCULTURE
By Scott “Babydaddy” Hoffman
Talk Pretty
LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE HISTORY OF POP CULTURE, I see a story written by un-amplified voices. Just last year, we saw another explosion of inclusiveness into our global community, perhaps best exemplified by the TIME magazine cover exclaiming “The Transgender Tipping Point” and featuring the fantastic and talented Laverne Cox from Netflix Original juggernaut, “Orange is the New Black”. How have voices so long a part of our own humanity, history and only a few degrees from our own lives managed to escape public acceptance and visibility? Our culture is moving at breakneck speed towards the inclusion of one unsung, underrepresented group after another. The music industry is a particularly interesting microcosm of our pop culture at large, one that continually seems to fluctuate between being the voice of the majority and the voices bubbling up from below. The one-hit-wonders of the 1960s bubblegum pop era gave way to the brutal honesty of singersongwriters in the 1970s. The boy-band domination of the 90s that seemed to speak for so little to the underrepresented was broken up by a wave of sincere and understated rock n’ roll. Decades of flamboyant or “queer” artists like Elton John and Freddy Mercury, who were at least partly in the closet during their rise to fame, endured the painful fight towards inclusiveness like many who came before them. In recent memory, newer artists have been able to come out about samesex attraction publicly. Flurries of hate messages were drowned out by support for Frank Ocean’s honesty, and only a couple of
...the privilege of visibility seems to have empowered one side of who we are as a culture after another.
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years after that, Sam Smith remains comfortable at the top of the charts with little-to-no focus on his sexuality. My band saw inclusiveness as its mission and manifesto. We started out in a time when few artists in music were out of the closet, and we have seen the acceptance of who we are grow every year that we have continued. The shoulders that we rose up on paved the way for our voice to be heard and we, in turn, felt that we owed a debt to play a part in the evolution of inclusiveness. Our fans (in my hopes) have always been encouraged to be themselves; that attitude, one carried out from the likes of Nirvana to Lady Gaga, seems to promote a culture of acceptance that is at the heart of why people listen to music in the first place. The human passion for art, music, movies or anything that provides a view into the psyche of its creator and an escape for its audience is about connecting to the rest of humanity in a way that makes us all feel like less of an outsider. We can see, through our commonness with others, how irrelevant our differences are in the face of what makes us human. The painful, often drawn-out process of a voice on its path to being heard is one way to describe our cultural evolution. A battle to decide who the voices are that speak for us, and who that “us” really is. Voices like Laverne Cox's say that LGBT voices are OK and that those voices have a right to be included in the larger definition of humanity. A fight for inclusion is a fight we all share. In an increasingly connected and “vocal” society, the privilege of visibility seems to have empowered one side of who we are as a culture after another. Incredibly, these voices that speak for a small but growing minority have the power to speak for us all. Scott “Babydaddy” Hoffman is a co-founder and member of the musical group, Scissor Sisters.
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SUCCESS
By Michael Losier
What You Include Becomes What You Attract — The Law of Attraction at Work
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE EXPRESSIONS: • YOU BECOME THE COMPANY YOU KEEP • SUCCESS ATTRACTS SUCCESS • NEGATIVE PEOPLE ATTRACT NEGATIVE PEOPLE • I'M ON A ROLL AND EVERYTHING IS FALLING INTO PLACE • THIS IS SUCH A COINCIDENCE.
vibes, so be more deliberate about inclusion. The goal is to include the thoughts, ideas, peoples and things that cause you to send a positive vibe. It is important to know how to reduce the negative thoughts so you stop projecting that negative vibe.
These expressions are used to describe evidence of the Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction states that “we attract what we give our attention, energy and focus to, whether negative or positive.” So what does the Law of Attraction have to do with inclusion? Everything! Although the word inclusion is commonly used within the context of including all and everyone, when teaching others how to apply the Law of Attraction to their lives, I use this term to describe what "vibes" are to you, including in your life. There are only two vibes: positive and negative. A vibe is a mood or feeling that you possess … either negative or positive. That mood or feeling is causing you to have a vibe. Hence the expression, "I'm picking up their negative vibes," or “the vibes in this room feel great!” The Law of Attraction responds to the vibe we have by giving us more of the same vibe. This is why negative things happen one after another, or why a gambler or prize winner would say they are "on a roll." It’s why a local business has one negative customer after another or, on the other hand, a string of positive customers all day.
Having These Thoughts?
Include This Thought Instead
I don't want this/that to happen
What I do want is
It is not happening fast enough
Here is what has been completed so far ... there is some progress
I doubt this is going to happen
Lots can happen over the next few days
I'm worried about the future
Right now, I'm safe and OK
I'm desperate to make it work
I'm excited at the thought of making it work
What Can You Do to Deliberately Send Positive Vibes? Inclusion, within the context of the Law of Attraction is EVERYTHING. What is the vibe that you are including? It is negative or positive? The Law of Attraction is matching your
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Here are a few techniques to help train your brain so you get in the habit of including positive thoughts:
In each case above, the words changed from negative thoughts to positive thoughts. Having these positive thoughts support you to include a positive vibe. Resetting your mind’s language from negative to positive takes deliberate effort on your part. But it gets easier and easier to include only positive thoughts that create that positive vibration as time goes on. What are you including in your VIBES today? Michael Losier is an international speaker and best-selling author on the Law of Attraction.
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COACHING
By Damien Faughnan
It Starts With the Coach
AS A YOUNG KID I LOVED SPORTS, especially track and field. I was fortunate to have an athletic coach who was supportive and competent. As a young man I developed a love for rugby and coached high school rugby for a little over two years. That’s really where I saw both the good and the dark sides of being a coach. I would later become the first coach for a developing inclusive rugby club in Phoenix — the Phoenix Storm. Twenty years later, looking back on the experience of both being coached and being a coach, a few things are clear to me. First of all, it is an enormous privilege to be able to coach an individual or a team. Much like a teacher, you are often in loco parentis; you take parent-like responsibility. It is your privilege to support an individual or team in achieving superior performance. Coaching is a combination of teaching your charges skill and motivating them to perform, both individually and collectively. While teaching skills through drills and hands-on guidance is easy, it’s in the area of motivation where I think
bullying becomes a tool often used by a coach to push an individual to higher performance. As a vulnerable teenager seeking to find my place in the world, I was fortunate to have an athletic coach who set targets for me, encouraged me to believe I could do better and provided the kind of skill training and advice that allowed me and our various teams to win. A coach should serve as a role model and he certainly did. Many years later, I understand very differently the role this man played in my life. After doing more than ten years of work with men, I’ve learned something else that boys in particular need. A teenage boy needs to know that the men in his life approve of him. It’s critical to his human development. In traditional societies male initiation taught a boy how to be a man and win the approval of men. In the absence of a strong adult male influence, boys will start initiating each other (think fraternities and gangs) into something much less healthy. So a sports coach has an opportunity to provide the kind of mentoring and approval that allows a boy to mature into a wise man — or not. How does unhealthy adult coaching play out? I’ve seen coaches who are unhealthy create a very harmful team dynamic. For example, when a coach doesn’t understand how to motivate young athletes, or if the coach doesn’t understand the impact she or he can have on the athlete’s human development, the coach will often resort to insulting and intimidating behavior as a means of improving performance. I have most often seen Continued on page 24
A teenage boy needs to know that the men in his life approve of him. It’s critical to his human development.
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COACHING
continued
the former in yelling or shouting, name-calling or calling out a kid in a way that diminishes rather than builds his confidence. I have seen kids leave teams because of coaches’ behaviors. A dear friend recently told me that the mean comments of a cheer coach directed at her daughter had seriously damaged the child’s confidence and made her more tentative in her performance. When other athletes see this behavior, they view it as normal. So you see team members resorting to name-calling, picking on a player and finding ways to bully and insult the player. It becomes a team norm. Today we know a lot more about motivation from neuroscience and studies of emotional intelligence. We understand that all humans have a deep need to feel respected, safe and secure. In any set of circumstances when we don’t feel respected or secure, the “fight or flight” response kicks in. We have a surge of stressor hormones entering our bodies that can be crippling (causing us to flee or freeze). We are motivated to approach or avoid people (such as coaches) based on whether we view them as providing a reward or issuing a threat. It’s simple how our brain works. Athletes’ superior performance comes not from being stressed but from focusing on performance because they perceive that there will be a reward or they will win approval. So a coach who resorts to bullying, teasing or insulting behavior actually handicaps the team’s performance — not to mention the damage it can do to a child’s confidence. It is going to take a lot of courageous men and women to address situations where a coach is unhealthy. Based on my high school experience, sometimes the child doesn’t want to draw attention to what’s happening for fear of retribution from the coach. Sometimes the coach will normalize the behavior and even blame the children. It’s a high price to pay in terms of
diminished confidence, tentative performance and the potential for long-term challenges in dealing with authority figures. Today I tell my friends who have children that they really need to know who is coaching their children. It’s OK to ask a child: • What does coach do that you like? • What do you dislike? • What happens at practice? Ideally, you should observe a practice. You should also watch what happens when the team (or your child) loses. Ideally, the coach is consoling and keen to create learning from loss. But we know this is the rarity. Some coaches are so wired to win that any loss casts a pall that can impact the well-being of those who are coached. Don’t be afraid to ask for changes or to remove your child if the coach is unhealthy — the long-term costs are too high. Now the same rules apply to those of us who are adults — you need to ask if you can learn from and be motivated by a particular coach. Today I coach executives. I understand that my coaching relationships work best when I am supporting them in examining their experience, building skills through practice and helping them become self-reliant. I tell clients that “unconditional positive regard” is the basis for our work together — nothing they say or do will diminish the regard in which I have chosen to hold them. It’s hard work not to “tell” or direct an individual. It’s hard work to be free of judgments. I just wish I had known more about coaching when I was a sports coach because I’m sure this kind of approach works with kids, too. Damien Faughnan coaches senior executives who want to take their leadership effectiveness to the next level.
... a coach who resorts to bullying, teasing or insulting behavior actually handicaps the team’s performance — not to mention the damage it can do to a child’s confidence.
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$470,000 The number of dollars raised by sports-based youth development organization Up2Us during their second annual Gala. Over 300 guests joined the celebration to help advance sports as a solution to the critical challenges facing American youth — obesity, violence and academic failure.
GAY GAMES The ninth Gay Games, held in Cleveland, Ohio in August, is one of the most inclusive sports and cultural festivals in the world. Launched in 1982, the Gay Games invites participation from all athletes — regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender identity, sex, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status.
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“There's so many…” "There's so many people from the South Side, [and] it's just not about bad things. Something good can come from the South Side of Chicago. Period." — Jackie Robinson West little league team’s leader Marquis Jackson as he and the players made their way through downtown Chicago as they celebrated the team's U.S. Little League World Series title, the first all-black team to do so since 1983.
75
Percent The percentage of people who have witnessed or experienced homophobia in a sporting environment, either playing or as a spectator, according to Out On The Fields, the first international survey on homophobia in sports.
#LIKEAGIRL Campaign from Proctor & Gamble's Always brand that included a video released this summer to redefine the phrase “like a girl” as something strong, athletic and powerful, illustrating the mission to empower females and attack the selfesteem crisis among young girls.
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COMING BACK
HOME
By Joshua Wyrick
BILLY BEAN, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S NEWEST ADDITION AS THE FIRST-EVER AMBASSADOR OF INCLUSION
sat down with StandUp Magazine and Joshua Wyrick to talk about his future in the league and what his position means to the global baseball community. Cyd Ziegler of OutSports has said that he believes professional athletes have a responsibility to come out, that it is the most honorable thing they will do in their careers. Do you agree with this sentiment? I think that every athlete's decision to come out is a personal one and the responsibility lies within our community to be a supportive of those individuals when they do. It's easy to be hopeful that all athletes will soon be able to come out and go about their business in the professional sports world, however, the uncertainty surrounding that environment is why most closeted players have chosen to remain there. I do know that every single person that has come out, that I have ever
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“I know that today, it will be different for a player that decides to come out. We at MLB are working hard to make everyone feel welcome ...”
spoken to, has been happy with their decision, so it is frustrating to me that so many still feel it's not the right time. Each and every day we in the LGBT sports community are working hard to change that in hopes that we can help make their decision easier. Did you ever have contact with Glenn Burke? I never met Glenn Burke in person. Sadly, he died while I was still playing. Do you believe Burke was unfairly treated (as he says, he was traded because of his sexuality, which he did not try to hide) throughout his playing time? I do believe Glenn was subjected to unfair treatment and judgment from a few people that had control of his play. Glenn was a confident man, and he was well ahead of his time. I was told that he never talked about his sexuality but he refused to hide or lie about his personal life. At that time, it was very controversial in the eyes of some of the front office executives and his managers who made personnel decisions. In team sports you are subjected to the opinions of some people you never even get to meet and I believe that led to his career ending too early. Do you believe that if you came out during your active career that you would have suffered the same fate? I can't say for sure. I was too afraid to find out, and I wasn't comfortable enough with myself to take on that challenge. I wish I had been but I simply didn't know enough at the time. It was definitely a different time. I know that today it will be different for a player who decides to come out. We at MLB are working hard to make everyone feel welcome no matter what kind of diversity they bring with them. Whatever happened to Showtime’s “The Beard?” I was hired to be a technical advisor to that show and I was very disappointed it was not picked up by Showtime. We worked very hard on the pilot script and I thought it could have been a great opportunity to share the trials and tribulations of athletes who are trying to make the decision to come out. Do you have any other books planned for the future? My first book, “Going the Other Way: Lessons From a Life In and Out of Major League Baseball,” is being re-released in October and it also will be available as an e-book. I look forward to the opportunity to share my experiences in MLB and possibly write a second book.
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What has the MLB said they expect of you as the “ambassador of inclusion”? My job as ambassador of inclusion is to help bring educational resources and awareness to all stakeholders in MLB as described in our workplace code of conduct, which mandates fairness and equity throughout the game. I will also be reaching out to every major league club and assisting them with diversity outreach to their own communities. What is first on your agenda as the ambassador for inclusion to the MLB? Creating positive examples of inclusion and helping grow our sport for everyone who wants to be a part of it. When did you find out you were to be appointed to this new position? When the office of the commissioner called me about a week before the July 15th All-Star game in Minnesota. What inspired your decision to come out after retirement? I came out without much thought or plan. I was simply living my life in Miami Beach and the Miami Herald wanted to write a story about a restaurant I was opening on Lincoln Road. I was encouraged to talk about my private life, and I did. When the story came out, I finally started to meet some very influential people within the LGBT community and I began to learn and understand the responsibility that comes along with leadership. I wish I had met those same people while I was still playing. My path would have been completely different, and I would have been a more accepting and balanced person, a better baseball player and much happier. I believe that I would have had the confidence to come out as well. It's hard to look back without regret. The closet keeps you away from so many wonderful things in life. When do you think the MLB will have an openly-gay player take the field again? Well, MLB has never had a openly gay player take the field as a member of a big league team. However, we are certain that when that day comes, we are going to be ready and will have prepared each team to create a supportive environment for their player to succeed. Do you fight with Billy Beane for Google search rankings? No. I am not even sure how someone would go about doing that. I don't focus on things that I cannot control. He and I played on the same team in Triple A and were good friends. I am happy for his success as an executive. I am sure we will continue to cross paths for many years to come. What is your favorite baseball movie? “The Natural”. If there were a movie based on your life, what would it be called? "If at first you don't succeed, try again." Which athlete do you have the most admiration for currently? Roger Federer
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THROUGH THE
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By Joshua Wyrick Photos by Sam McGuire
THE
first words out of their mouths were, “Absolutely not, this
is not going to happen.” And so it didn’t. Pro skateboarder Tim Von Werne was crushed when he heard these words in 1998. Skateboarder Magazine had just done an interview with Von Werne in which he talked extensively about his sexuality. As he was a sponsored athlete, all press communication had to pass through the gateway of the companies that gave him the money he needed to continue skateboarding. Birdhouse, one of Von Werne’s sponsors, pulled the article before it could ever reach stands. They didn’t have a problem with his sexuality but rather with the way “Middle America” would view it as a reflection of the Birdhouse brand. “I understood why it didn’t get run,” Von Werne admits. “If I wanted to be a professional skateboarder I would have to go into the closet which I didn’t feel comfortable doing … I’ve never been ashamed of being gay.” Von Werne goes on to say that he knows a few skaters at the top professional level who are gay but
LENS
wouldn’t reveal any names for fear of what may happen with their respective sponsors. “Looking back, I should have pushed to get it printed. It could have done a lot for other people.” The reason these sponsors are wary of promoting an openly gay skateboarder with their products isn’t a morally motivated decision in most cases. The largest portion of today’s skateboarders range between the ages of fourteen-tosixteen, formative years in terms of masculinity
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THE SPORT ITSELF IS COUNTER-CULTURE TO THE CORE AND THE IMAGE OF BEING A MISFIT HAS HELPED MANY PROFESSIONALS SUCCEED IN A WAY THAT A ONE-DIMENSIONAL ATHLETE WOULD HAVE NO CHANCE OF ACCOMPLISHING.
and identity development. When it comes to supporting gay skateboarders, it’s all about the bottom line. Skateboarding has easily accepted women and other cultures in a way that few other sports have. The very spirit of the sport
“The real turning point was when Oliver Barton [another skateboarding photographer] called me. We were talking one day and he just kind of flat out asked.” McGuire says that he had to pull over because he broke down emotionally.
relies on the ability of those who participate to adapt, to “skate or
“… I was going crazy, struggling with it so much. I really
die.” This means that your looks, your sexuality, your culture —
thought I was going to die over this and that I was never going to
all go by the wayside to make room for the only thing anyone
be happy.” McGuire’s feelings of being closeted spilled over despite
notices — your talent.
admittedly having friends that he knew could care less about his
Pro skateboarders are afforded what some might call a luxury
sexual orientation.
in that even in an age where nearly every fact about a person is
Skateboarding can be a very solitary sport, as McGuire
quantified and known because of the Internet, even the most
explains. “You don’t really need anyone else to get into skating —
famous skateboarders can walk about town without the worry of
other sports, it’s pretty hard to do alone.” The sport itself is counter-
being recognized. This is in part due to the lack of television
culture to the core and the image of being a misfit has helped many
coverage of skateboarding events (save the X-Games) on larger,
professionals succeed in a way that a one-dimensional athlete
non-specialized television outlets.
would have no chance of accomplishing.
More recently, skateboarding has seen a culture shift from the
Despite its apparent willingness to accept all people, skating
top-down with the people who make skateboarders famous —
can still make even the most respected contributors feel like
photographers. One in particular, Sam McGuire has spearheaded
outsiders. McGuire recounts that “The only time I felt so uncom-
this movement by coming out publicly (digitally, really) through
fortable I wanted to leave was once on tour. One guy was being
Jenkem Magazine, a popular skateboarding publication.
particularly vocal about his opinions [against LGBT people] so I
36 I StandUp I FALL 2014
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went outside and pretended to make a call and sort of hid out.
they are all THAT close-minded.” Things have certainly changed
The person that was freaking out actually left the tour first.”
since the nineties. Nike is a major force in equality for skating and
McGuire also addresses the issue of vernacular in the English language and how harmful it can be, whether or not it is intended
other sports with its #BETRUE campaign and many others are soon to follow.
that way. When someone refers to something unfortunate, like
While it’s unrealistic to believe that every barrier will be
dropping their iPhone on the ground and says “That’s so gay!”
broken down, professional skateboarding has come farther,
subconsciously the person would think “Am I as lame as a
quicker, than any other sport before it. It skews directly toward
dropped iPhone?” It’s important to remember that the clarification
youthful demographics, where the quickest and most lasting
on these statements matters little: the damage to the subcon-
change in culture can be seen. And like many of them, it is evolving
scious mind cannot be undone and is even harder to quantify.
at a breakneck speed through the use of social media and
On his fellow skaters after coming out, McGuire has only the
photographers like Sam McGuire.
utmost positive praise. “I think one of the most awkward parts
McGuire continues to take some of the most electrifying
about coming out is having to ostracize yourself, it’s you and
photos of the gravity-defying sport that can be seen today and
them. I just wanted people to know so I could move on.”
he will continue to follow his passion headlong.
The journey of revealing yourself can often be painful and
Tim Von Werne is married now, living in London with his
many people shed friends and large parts of their old lives in the
long-time husband and partner of more than a decade. He keeps
process. McGuire was thrust in to the spotlight by his friends
a very low Internet profile with a Facebook page that hasn’t been
who embraced him in a way he hadn’t felt before.
updated in over two years and a LinkedIn profile that only hints
On the future of skating and gay athletes, things look shiny to
at what he does for a living (he’s a scientist).
McGuire. “All these companies are pretty progressive. I can’t believe Sam McGuire’s photos can be seen at www.samuel-mcguire.com.
FALL 2014 I StandUp I 37
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HAVING A
WHY THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES STANDS ABOVE
BALL
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“G
ive me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ...” and let them play in a Little League World Series game. During the month of August a Little League team captured the ever-waning atten-
tion of Americans all over the globe. The first all-black team to win the United States portion of the Little League World Series (LLWS) since Jackie Robinson West from the South Side of Chicago did it nearly four decades before, Jackie Robinson West once again returned to glory as they ousted all the United States' teams to claim the U.S. Little League Crown. In an era marked by escalating violence in Chicago, the LLWS is an event that helps youth
rise above the noise and confusion of mass-media coverage of doom and gloom. Teams from all over the world compete in the LLWS for a chance to cement a place for themselves in the annals of their regions' respective history books. Winners of the regional Little League contests included such teams as South Nashville (from Tennessee) the Taney Youth Baseball Association (from Philadelphia) and Tokyo Kitsuna (from Tokyo, Japan). During the contest viewers were witness to some of the most amazing and respectable accomplishments in sport. Mo’Ne Davis, a female pitcher from Philly's Taney Youth team, threw the first-ever shutout in a LLWS game. Jaheim Benton played extraordinarily for his Jackie Robinson West team despite being told just days earlier that he would return to Chicago a homeless youth, his family unable to pay the rent on their apartment home. These feats are why the game is important and why it should continue to expand its breadth over the sports world. Few other organizations bother to support international competition due to the expense. And it has hurdles beyond that. These hurdles are the same ones that cause wars and ideological disputes. Finding common ground with people from another nation can be difficult, especially when you don’t share the same native language. The LLWS helps our younger generation explore the values that are so intrinsic to being American. Tolerance of people who look, talk, even think differently than you is at the core of this country. It’s an event where even the most disadvantaged youth can make a splash on an international stage and realize that the world is so much bigger than the tiny sphere he or she happens to inhabit. Chicago’s now-historic LLWS run came to an end in the final game against South Korea, but the good work had already been done. The team returned home to a regularly blood-soaked landscape in the South Side of Chicago to find a parade waiting for them, with Mayor Rahm Emmanual at the head of thousands of people who wished to congratulate the team. The NBA, NFL, and NHL seasons are getting ready to start and focusing on international competition is more important than ever. It is very easy to fall into a culture of demonization of the “other,” especially when you aren’t exposed to anything outside of your comfort zone during your formative years. Funding more international competition is one way to permanently stamp this out as well as a way to capture hearts like this year’s Jackie Robinson West team has so eloquently done.
FALL 2014 I StandUp I 39
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HEAD ABOVE W
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E WATE R How The Thorpedo Has Struggled To Find Success
WITH MORE OLYMPIC MEDALS THAN ANY OTHER AUSTRALIAN IN HISTORY and more accolades for swimming than even the biggest fan could enumerate, what might seem like superhuman feats to the rest of us came easy to Ian Thorpe. He has been to nearly every continent on the planet to showcase his aquatic abilities. At the age of just 14, Thorpe became the youngest world champion ever, succeeding like no one ever had at the 400 meter freestyle swim. The event was his forte as the world would later find out, crushing the competition in every Olympic, World, Commonwealth and Pan Pacific Championship that existed at the time. Despite his constant successes in the pool and in the public sphere, Thorpe’s biggest challenge in life would not be overcome until 2014 when he would publicly reveal his sexuality to a waiting world. Born to an aspiring cricketer in Sydney, Thorpe spent most of his formative days in Milperra, a town whose name means simply “a gathering of people.” The rivers and pools of his hometown would serve as the beginning of his forays into swimming. In fact, his first dip in the pool was because he followed his elder sister Christina into the blue waters. Overcoming a chlorine allergy in his earlier years, Thorpe immediately began to win most of the competitions he entered. At the New South Wales Age Championships, Thorpe won all of the ten events in which he was entered. Just a few years later Thorpe would be exposed to a great rival, a fellow Australian by the name of Grant Hackett. Thorpe continued to excel on the international stage, setting numerous records for his age level in relays and other distance competitions, eventually becoming the youngest-ever male individual world champion at just fifteen years of age.
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Shortly after a string of golds at international events including the Commonwealth Games, Thorpe stopped attending school. After many concerns regarding this, Thorpe addressed the issue publicly stating that he had a thirst for knowledge but would pursue it informally, and that “swimming is a small part of my life.” His actual life would go on to prove the exact opposite as Thorpe spent the next three years setting thirteen world records and competing in almost every international event that a swimmer can. During this time Thorpe gained massive popularity in Asian countries, particularly in Japan where his stoic attitude and unflagging work ethic closely aligned with Japanese cultural values. Despite his massive reign of success in the athletic world, the latter part of the first decade of the new millennium would see Thorpe fall into what he called a "crippling depression" although the athlete would not disclose the cause of his affliction. Thorpe publicly stated that he drank large amounts of alcohol and considered suicide during this period of his life. Fans had long speculated about Thorpe’s sexuality and he was asked numerous times in interviews to give a definitive statement. His response was always the same — heterosexual. It would not be until the middle of 2014 that Thorpe would officially come out as a gay athlete in an interview with Michael Parkinson, famed British talk show host. Of his sexuality, Thorpe now claims “I’m comfortable saying I’m a gay man. And I don’t want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay.” He added "I am telling the world that I am gay … and I hope this makes it easier for others now, and even if you’ve held it in for years, it feels easier to get it out." Years earlier, John Coates, the president of the Australian Olympic Committee exclaimed something that will surely hold true, even more so after Thorpe’s recent revelation; “…50 years from now, Australians will still marvel at the feats of Ian Thorpe.” Cheers to an Australian athlete who the entire world will remember for decades to come.
"I am telling the world that I am gay … and I hope this makes it easier for others now, and even if you’ve held it in for years, it feels easier to get it out."
42 I StandUp I FALL 2014
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WOMENINSPORTS
By Connie Wardman
Women’s Sports — You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby
W
E HAVE FINALLY WITNESSED SOMETHING MANY WOMEN IN SPORTS WONDERED IF THEY’D EVER LIVE TO SEE — the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) San Antonio Spurs announced that they have hired Becky Hammon as a full-time female assistant coach. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has said that “I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff. Having observed her working with our team this past season, I’m confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs.” When looking at the evolution of inclusion in sports, women’s sports really have come a long way in a relatively recent timeframe. Retiring at the end of this season from a successful 16-year playing career in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the fact that Hammon has landed a coaching job in the NBA is big news! As a six-time All-Star, she has played her last eight seasons with the San Antonio Stars, becoming their all-time leader in assists (1,112) and three-point field goals made (493). She also ranks second in franchise history in points (3,442) and games (218) and in 2012 she was the top vote-getter for the Stars All-Decade Team. Even though she was a three-time All-American at Colorado State, Hammon went unpicked in the 1999 WNBA Draft. But she certainly has shown that she has what it takes to play in the league. In her overall WNBA career Hammon has averaged 13.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes in 445 regular season games. Along the way she earned All-WNBA First Team honors in 2007 and 2009, and in 2005 and 2008 she was named to the All-WNBA Second Team. Clearly, the woman knows how to play the game. It’s said that she has a basketball IQ that is savant-like. In addition to her knowledge of the game, Hammon is known as a good communicator by her teammates who regard her as an additional coach. Stars rookie Kayla McBride has said that “She knows what to say, when to say it, how to say it.” She adds that Hammon “knows I’m a rookie and she knows how to talk to me compared to [a veteran].” But like all trailblazers, Hammon is no pushover. She’s a tough competitor who’s not afraid to speak up.
46 I StandUp I FALL 2014
When rehabbing a blown knee in 2013 caused her to cancel playing overseas, Hammon asked Stars coach Dan Hughes if he thought the Spurs would be open to her watching them practice to see if she could improve her game. With an OK from Popovich, her practice observation led to him inviting her to join his staff for film sessions and helping with drills; that ultimately turned into a real coaching internship. So the Spurs’ staff and players already know and respect her. Of course the announcement of her hiring prompted one anonymous coach to bring up the long-held national assumption-turned-belief by many that a woman coach could never be successful since she couldn’t “mold boys into successful men.” But since Hammon will be coaching professional players who one assumes won’t need molding into successful men, it seems safe to also assume that she can be successful at her new job — helping coach a professional basketball team. It’s not surprising that the NBA is open to a bright, competent woman in a coaching position. The league has long been a leader in inclusion and diversity. They hired Violet Palmer as a referee in 2006, making her the first female official in a major professional U.S. team sport to achieve the highest competitive level in her profession. And recently the National Basketball Player’s Association (NBPA) hired renowned Washington trial lawyer Michele Roberts as the association’s new executive director. While Roberts has never played the game, she has been a lifelong fan. Growing up with two older brothers and one television, Roberts says she’s been a fan for as long as she can remember. However, the sad fact is that while professional sports are starting to respond to the corporate model of inclusion and diversity, opening the doors for qualified and deserving women like Hammon, Palmer and Roberts, gender progress for women in college sports has continued to trend downward. In the 2012 inaugural issue of StandUp Magazine, Helen J. Carroll and Ashland Johnson of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) wrote an article that asked where the women coaches have gone in college-level women’s sports. Noting that in 1972 women filled over 90 percent of the coaching positions
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It’s not surprising that the NBA is open to a bright, competent woman in a coaching position.
in women’s sports, they said that figure had currently dropped to approximately 43 percent. So far that downward trend continues. Given the slipping numbers of women coaches in college sports, the thought that a woman would be picked to coach a professional men’s team sport didn’t seem to be a real possibility — even just two years ago. Unfortunately, in addition to the assumption that a female can’t coach a male, another of our long-held national assumptions is that male athletes are all macho heterosexuals and female athletes are all lesbians. This erroneous belief has negatively impacted today’s recruiting practices in college-level women’s sports. Even though it's not legal, many parents who traditionally have felt more comfortable with a male coach molding their daughters into successful women have been subtlety reassured that their children would be “safe” in their sports programs from the influence of gay people. It has negatively impacted the hiring of women coaches and in turn, become the unfortunate institutional norm for many colleges and universities. However, the recent changes in societal attitudes toward the LGBT community in general and LGBT athletes in particular have enabled athletes like Jason Collins, Michael Sam and Brittney Griner to show that they are successful athletes — athletes who just happen to be gay. Fortunately, this growing acceptance of LGBT athletes has also helped open the door for women in sports, both straight and gay, to take their rightful place as athletes, coaches, referees, even high-level executives. Our expanding societal awareness is helping to expand individuals’ awareness that team success comes from qualified individuals, regardless of their gender and sexual preference. The saying, “You’ve come a long way, baby,” is originally the advertising campaign for Virginia Slims cigarettes that were launched back in 1968 and marketed to young professional women during the era of women’s liberation and feminine empowerment. But over the years the advertising phrase has taken on a life of its own. And today it’s often associated with women’s sports, possibly because the brand sponsored the inaugural Virginia Slims tennis tournament
Becky Hammon, courtesy of the San Antonio Stars
in 1970, considered to be the origin of the Women’s Tennis Association founded by Billie Jean King in 1973. While women’s sports have come a long way since the 1970s, thanks mainly to the 42-year influence of Title IX legislation, they have continued to be treated as the lowly handmaiden to men’s sports. WNBA players, for example, must play overseas during the offseason just to survive financially. But times really are changing rather quickly. The fact is that there is now a 42-year history of women athletes who know sports as well or even better than many male athletes because they’ve been able to gain equal access to participate. And the push for inclusion and diversity that started in the corporate world has finally filtered down into the sports world, opening the door to what’s previously been considered a traditional male job. Becky Hammon has broken yet another barrier in the sports world by becoming the first full-time female assistant coach in major professional U.S. team sports. Yes, for women’s sports it’s time to say, you’ve come a long way, baby!
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SPORTS
By Joshua Wyrick
Reforming and Recapping: Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow
T
HE BRITISH EMPIRE WAS HUGE. Massive in every sense of the word, covering nearly a third of the planet and most of the people contained therein. Things weren’t always very rosy with the British Empire. Amidst campaigns of mass murder and the subjugation of millions of people, the British Empire was having a serious image problem. Without Twitter or Instagram to boost the reputation of the Empire, ratings on the happiness index were bleak. Enter John Astley Cooper, a man who, in 1891 proposed a “festival every four years as a means of increasing good and good understanding of the British Empire.” While many events were held in the interim of that writing, the first officially recognized games weren’t held until 1930. Today the Commonwealth Games (so-called to represent the unity of the Commonwealth nations) include over 50 countries that compete in 22 sports. During the 2002 games, disabled athletes were given fullfledged status as members of their respective national teams, enabling them to add to their teams’ medal count for the first time in an international sporting event, engendering a culture of inclusivity that continues to grow alongside the games themselves. The most recent games were held in 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland to crowds that were larger than ever before. This is the third time the event has been hosted in Scotland and with over one million tickets sold to 250 medal events, the Commonwealth Games often have an attendance bigger than any sporting event save for the Summer Olympic Games. While boxing, tennis, track and swimming are always
mainstays of the international spectacle, there are many events that Americans have never heard of before on display at the Games, like netball (a sport that looks like basketball but is played without a backboard, and player motion is limited due to the lack of dribbling) and mountain biking, traditionally not a widely televised event. Much like the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games are a parade of the world’s biggest celebrities and sports stars. Also like the Olympic Games, Usain Bolt dominated the sprinting class and captured his very first Commonwealth gold. The international competition created by the games is ferocious and every country fights for the ability to be seen at the top of the medal rankings when the games have finished. This year it was England, totaling 175 medals and trouncing second-best Australia’s 137. The English managed to capture more golds than any other nation as well but by a slimmer margin, finishing nine above Australia. Canada, Scotland and India rounded out the top-five medal-grabbers at the games, holding true to the idea that countries with the highest populations and available funding for athletes tend to fare better than those less fortunate. Watching the Commonwealth Games is a fun way to get into international sports as well as being exposed to the two billion citizens who tune in to watch the games every four years. Seeing a different face or skin color and learning about cultures that are literally half-a-world away helps create the culture of inclusiveness that is necessary for the next generation to succeed both athletically and socially.
Seeing a different face or skin color and learning about cultures that are literally half a world away helps create the culture of inclusiveness that is necessary for the next generation to succeed both athletically and socially.
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Netball: a sport that looks like basketball but is played without a backboard, and player motion is limited due to the lack of dribbling.
The 2018 games will be held in one of Australia’s crown jewels, Gold Coast City. Taking place in April (earlier than this year because of the seasonal differential), the 2018 games will include more countries than ever before. The runner-up to Gold Coast City was Hambantota, Sri Lanka, a city which very few have heard of but even considering it as a locale serves to cement the legacy of the Commonwealth Games as an important international event.
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