gaelick » Sport

Squash it!

HAL — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:00:21 +0000

The LGBT squash group In4Squash Ireland will shortly be running a series of women’s-only coaching sessions in the south Dublin area.

Jenny, the squash coach, plays for Ireland so is admirably qualified to give advice on how to improve your game and make you a contender on court. The aim is to give beginners and improvers a solid grounding in the game over a series of three coaching sessions.

What a racquet!

Reasons to play Squash:

You enjoy bouncing off walls.

You can a fake heart attack on court to freak out your opponent (it’s a game of wits as well as athleticism).

You want to feel like the cursor in an Atari arcade game. Retro games rock.

You’d like to play tennis, but it’s raining. Again.

You look snazzy in shorts. Or a skort. Or leggings. Dammit, show off those legs.

You want to play a sport for Ireland. (It’s a minority sport, train hard and you can do it).

You have a short attention span, so you like fast games.

You can hit a small rubber ball repeatedly against multiple walls, to dazzlingly outwit a fleet-footed opponent.

For further details, email, join In4squash Ireland on Facebook or, check out the website

Out in the NBA

Gooner — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:36:39 +0000

Welcome out brother!

At last the NBA has an out athlete, congratulations to Jason Collins who, at 34, has come out whilst still playing at the top level. Collins did an interview with Sports Illustrated, which will be published on May 6 2013, in which he declares himself a proud gay professional athlete. This makes him the first openly LGBT playing in a major American team sport.

Our All Star

Born in LA, Jason has raised right to the top of his sport playing for New Jersey, Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston and Washington and winning accolades along the way and appearing in two NBA Finals. However, although not a regular starter or an all star, Jason has broken through and made a very powerful statement

I’m a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I’m black and I’m gay

Fantastic! Jason joins the ranks of cricket player Steve Davis, ex rugby star Gareth Thomas and GAA player Donal Og Cusack, but for the American audience this move can’t be overstated, in a country of jocks, this is massive.

Collins says he began thinking of coming out back in 2011 when there was an NBA player lockout, the season was delayed and Jason had some time to think. Arriving at this place in time, on the cover of Sports Illustrated, makes a bold statement to the world of sports and hopefully he is the first of many to put their hand up and declare with pride that they are gay athletes that kick ass on the court.

Out pro in American sport

Bold

Jason mentions that the Boston Marathon bombing made him stop and realise that there might never be a perfect time to come out and that you just don’t know what is around the corner. He decided to come out now and it’s empowering for everyone to see.

I love this quote

I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I always knew it was blue

We can all relate to that I think. I am so pleased for him and for all of the kids and adults alike who will have to stop and think about the stereotypes they follow blindly now that Jason has taken this step. Lets hope that the next time he walks on the court he gets the support and respect he deserves.

Fancy getting fit and meeting new people?

Webmaster — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:59:56 +0000

With the Dublin’s Mini Marathon around the corner and not to forget Dublin Pride’s Run in June as well, have you been thinking, I’d love to give that a shot? Well now’s your chance. The lovely folks at Dublin Frontrunners were in touch and asked us to give a shout out to all you ladies who want to give it a go.

Get fit and make new buddies at the same time, well sign me up! Not to mention getting rid of those the majority of those Easter eggs I consumed yesterday.

Dublin Frontrunners is open to gay men, lesbians and their friends, so the training is open to everyone. The training will be facilitated by a male and female trainer each week. Also, we hope that the Couch to 5K participants will join the existing club members in the visitor’s centre for coffee after the training.

Aidan sent us on all the details which are as follows:

Details

If you can walk for 30 minutes and still feel ready for more, you’re ready to get started on our training schedule. The programme starts on Saturday 6th April at 10am in the Phoenix Park. The meeting point is the Papal Cross car park.

We’re using the Couch to 5K programme from active.com. This training schedule is designed to get you off the couch and run a 5K. The programme takes 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week for 9 weeks. Whether you’re just getting started or, are an experienced runner who needs a push, the Couch to 5K plan makes working out simple, social, and fun. In just two months you’ll go from couch potato to running three miles (or 5K) on a regular basis.

Dublin Frontrunners will facilitate a weekly session on Saturday mornings at 10am in the Phoenix Park at the Papal Cross car park. You’ll start each session with a brisk walk, and then walk/run, for about 20 or 30 minutes. That’s the amount of moderate exercise recommended by numerous studies for optimal fitness. We’ll give you all the tools you need to get motivated, get connected with others and chart your progress as you move towards your goal of completing a 5K.

Dublin Frontrunners will organise one session per week. You’ll need to complete two training sessions per week in your own time. But fear not, the active.com app will keep you company and the plan is quite easy to follow. You should be in great shape for the Pride Run in June!

Further information is available on www.dublinfrontrunners.ie
People should email Aidan and Valerie at competitions@dublinfrontrunners.ie to register.

Pride of Ireland

HAL — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

And so it’s St Paddy’s weekend. To some a chance to get drink more Guinness than is probably healthy for an Irish wolfhound, for other it’s the time to don their dancing shoes and gig a reel (or whatever you do) and for bankers it’s the time to dust off their shillelaghs and check on their pots of gold. However, this year we have a very special reason to celebrate the rocking of the sham. Ladies, I give you the 2013 Six Nations Champions:

Together standing tall

Our ladies of grace won the title last weekend but have the chance to do the impossible – the grand slam – this weekend. Ok, ok, I’ll back up a bit here for the non-rugger lovers.

The Six Nations is, like the men’s game, a league of six teams, each playing the other. So that’s five matches. You get points for winning a match (plus possible bonus points, but that’s for tmi), and team with the most points at the end of the tournament wins.

Ireland were just so completely awesome in every way, and won every match so far. In doing so they’ve won the whole thing with a game to spare. Amaze-balls!

But wait, my story gets better. Should Ireland beat Italy tomorrow (and oh yes they should), they will have won every game. All five. This hardly ever happens and is called the Grand Slam.

Slam bam, thank you ma’am

The men did it a couple of years ago and there was much dancing in the streets…..manly dancing obviously…there were posters in papers, swathes of space given to them and signed shirts are going for a fortune. This year, the women have done something they’ve never done before; they actually got on the front of the paper, with an article on page 4 of the sports section. I won’t get started on the blatant discrimination of women in sport, that’s for another day*.

Now, let us celebrate with these special women who have won quite literally against all odds.

If you want to watch Ireland play (and beat) Italy, would you believe that it’s actually on the telly? I know! Put me in a scrum and maul me over! It’ll be on Sunday at 2pm. Also, if you are one of those Tweeps, be sure to follow #scrumqueens as they’ll keep you on top of things.

*OK, you know, it isn’t. It’s for today and every day. RTE are a pack of conservative, misogynists. We all – men, women and children – want to see Irish people do well. The women have to (potentially) win the Grand Slam to get a look in, when the Under 20s who had no chance of winning anything were on.

I was in my local on Friday night and they show everything on the numerous tellies; if it’s on they’ll pop it up for you. So I’m chatting to the wife and throwing my eye over to the Under-20s Irish team in their Six Nations campaign (which they had lost at that stage). The barman kindly drops our drinks down and rolls his eyes at the telly. So I tell him he should be following the women. And you know what? He was! He had them on Twitter and him and the ould lads at the bar were stuck into it, updating me and the wife with the scores.

Now I ask you, what reason in the world are they not on the tellybox more than once in a lifetime?

FIFA Ask Nigerian Soccer Federation To Explain Lesbian Ban

Gooner — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 10:50:39 +0000

Reports have indicated that the chair of the women’s Federation in Nigeria, Dilichukwu Onyedinma, has introduced an official ban on lesbians playing the sport. FIFA (the world governing body) has asked the west African country to clarify the situation as it flies in the face of their anti-discrimination policies.

The quote in question is from the Nigerian media where Onyedinma is reported as saying:

Any player that we find is associated with it [lesbianism] will be disqualified. We will call the club chairmen to control their players and such players will not be able to play for the national team. It is happening but we have to talk to the clubs and look inside the clubs, and these things have to do with clubs. There are particular clubs that don’t even want to hear about it and once they heard it the players involved will be sacked.

Not much else you can read into that is there? The fact that homosexuality is illegal in the country does not help the cause but FIFA still govern the sport internationally and have a right to investigate.

In Oct 2011 I wrote a piece on Eucharia Uche, the then national team coach, who was accused of systematically eliminating lesbian players from the team, calling homosexuality “spiritually, morally very wrong”. At the time FIFA investigated after an online campaign.

So this is not a new issue within the game in that region, I just hope FIFA have the authority to put sanctions in place to protect the players who’s life long dream could be shattered due to bigotry and ignorance.

Limerick Gay Games bid book submitted

Webmaster — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:00:58 +0000

Limerick along with Amsterdam, London, Paris & Orlando all submitted Bid Books to the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) on Thursday February 28^th.

The Bid Book which has been in preparation since late 2012 outlines how the Limerick 2018 Bid Group will deliver the 32 sporting events and multi-cultural festival should the Riverside City be selected to host the games.

Press & Communications Director of Limerick 2018, Cillian Flynn said “After months of planning and preparing last Thursday was a day that all involved in the bid will never forget. We are proud and delighted with the Bid Book that we have submitted and believe that should we be successful we will not just put Limerick & The Shannon Region on the Map but we will showcase the entire island of Ireland as a welcome and open country that will embrace the 2018 Gay Games. While it looks like we are up against stiff competition from the other bidding cities we believe that Limerick has the facilities, the infrastructure, the desire and determination to be successful in the bidding process and deliver an event that Limerick has never seen before.”

If successful the 2018 Gay Games will attract in excess of 10,000 participants and approximately 15,000 spectators to Limerick and the surrounding areas in August of 2018. The University of Limerick will be transformed into The Gay Games Village where the majority of events will take place, along with a media and hospitality centre.

Officer for Site Selection with the FGG, Dennis Sneyers expressed the Federation’s pleasure at these submissions: “Bidding is an intensive and costly process, mobilizing dozens of volunteers in each bidding city. We began this process with over twenty expressions of interest. Groups from seven cities submitted letters of intent to bid. Five responded to our Request for Proposals. Now all five groups have completed this most recent major step on the road to Cleveland where our site selection meeting will be held”

The next International Gay games will take place in Cleveland, Ohio in 2014 and Cleveland will host the announcement ceremony for the successful city in October of this year. Ireland has been represented well at the last Gay games in Cologne 2010 where in excess of 100 competitors were register from Ireland and Team Cork taking home 27 medals. Already some participants have registered their interest in representing Ireland in next year’s games.

Limerick’s bid has already received some positive news in the form of Boxing & Wheel Chair Rugby been accepted as new sports to the Gay Games. These two new sports are unique to Limerick and open up the 2018 to become all inclusive where anybody can take part regardless of Ability, Gender or Sexual Orientation.

Sneyers concluded: “I’ve got to say that given the demands put on potential bidders, we are surprised that all five organizations that submitted letters of intent have followed through with what appear to be excellent bid books. We’re all very eager to look at these documents, with a total of nearly 1000 pages of information, and will be providing a summary of key points in the coming days.

Limerick’s bid has received support from Shannon Development, Failte Ireland, Shannon Region Conference & Sports Bureau, University of Limerick & University Arena, Limerick City Council, Shannon Airport, Limerick Chamber of Commerce, The Red Ribbon Project and Annalog Devices.

More details are available on the website www.limerick2018.com or through Facebook & Twitter.

About The Gay Games:

The Gay Games are an international sporting and cultural event held every four years. Launched in 1982, the Games invite participation from all competitors regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status. The Games also offer a safe environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered participants. They are open to anyone 18 years or older. About 10 percent of participants are from outside the LGBT community.
Gay Games 9 will be held August 9-16, 2014, in venues around Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, in the United States. More than 35 sports and culture event competitions will be held, with more than 11,000 participants expected to join the medal race.

The Fresh Meat Frontier: Faceplants and Epiphanies

Aoife — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:57:19 +0000

Get in there!

I can’t do it. I can’t. I gasp another lungful of air through a windpipe that feels like it’s shrunk to a small, scratchy straw. My calves burn with every step, and my lower back isn’t bothering to wait – it’s just burning. It feels like every muscle in my body is quivering, shaking, grasping for just enough tension to stay upright and push me forward one more step. I can’t do it.

“GO ON AOIFE! You’re doing great! You’re HALFWAY THERE!”

Damnit, okay, FINE. You think I’m doing great? Just watch me keep going although I’m probably going to pass out any second now and THEN what’ll you say, eh? You’ll say that I’m a frackin’ badass who skated so hard she lost consciousness, that’s what you’ll say. I’ll be the first damn person to pass out in this session of Fresh Meat and I’ll be a goddamn LEGEND.

And my lungs feel like sandpaper, I can’t believe I can keep going through the pain in my legs. How long have I been doing this? Just over three minutes? You’ve gotta be kidding me. This is the longest three minutes of my life. I keep going. I can feel myself slowing down.

“Go ON! Only a minute left! DO IT!”

One minute? Okay, ONE MINUTE. Givin’ ‘er all she’s got, somehow I manage to speed up again. I thought this hurt a minute ago – I didn’t know what pain WAS a minute ago. Another lap. I wobble on the turn but keep myself upright – just – and push forward again. Thirty seconds. Then ten. Getting past the line one more time, turning in and sliding to a stop panned out on my hands and knees next to my water bottle. I did it. I did it? I DID it!

Breathe in and out...in and out

Eureka!

It’s rare you can point to one moment, pick it out from everything else and say that there is where things changed. Most of the time we grow and change so slowly we barely notice it ourselves. Every so often, though, we get those ‘eureka’ moments.

I’m not sure that I ever thought I’d have a Eureka moment panned out on my hands and knees, gasping for air and pouring cold water in the general direction of my face. I’ve always imagined them in a far more, y’know, respectable way. Looking out at a spectacular vista on top of a mountain at sunset while sipping the Thermos of (Irish) hot chocolate I was uncharacteristically organised enough to pack on my hiking trip, say. A good, scenic kind of epiphany. Or maybe it’s the next day after having a good ol’ meditate or something. I never thought I’d be having life-changing moments right here in a sports centre in Dublin wearing second-hand safety gear stinking of FSM-knows how many people’s sweat, coughing up the water I managed (of course) to pour down the wrong way.

I wouldn’t change a thing.

Wait, that’s not quite true. I’d get my own damn wrist guards and stew in a cocktail of my very own sweat. But aside from that? Not a thing.

Gorgeous

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but this culture we live in has a bit of a dodgy attitude towards women and our bodies. That, by the way, was a lie – of course you’ve noticed. We hear all the damn time about how we’re supposed to be sexy-but-not-slutty, to tread the fine line between Trying Too Hard and Letting Yourself Go. We’re supposed to effortlessly have the ‘right’ kind of body and hair and attitude and even way of walking, for Pete’s sake. I can’t be the only one here who’s been told I have, and I quote, a “quare old gatch”, the very way I put one foot in front of the other somehow Not Quite Right.

Everyone's a hot lady. Image from girlsstudies.blogspot.com

It’s exhausting, isn’t it? So we make an effort to decide that we’re just fine the way that we are. We try and listen to our friends and partners telling us that we’re gorgeous as we are, but it’s almost impossible to shut out every magazine and billboard and TV show and advertisement – oh god, the ads – telling you the exact opposite. Because – and here’s the key- women’s bodies exist in our culture as things to look at.

Our bodies are there to be sexy, or to be respectable. They’re there to be pleasing to others, and that means that you’re always at risk of the balance getting tipped away from the people who love you and think you’re the bees knees in favour of those who have oodles of cash to earn from convincing you otherwise. And that’s even with the spectacular queer lady superpower of really, really knowing that all shapes and sizes of women can be jaw-droppingly sexy.

Because it’s always, always about someone else.

Inner strength

Don’t get me wrong. This past month of Sunday training sessions and heading down the gym to work out every couple of days has me feeling better about how I look than I have in years. But on that track the other week suddenly I realised that looking good isn’t the most important thing my body can do. This body isn’t just for looking a certain way. This body is for working its ass off and getting over that goddamn line one more time before the ref blows the whistle.

Image from www.mediabistro.com

It’s for being strong and capable, for getting that little bit faster and more in control every week. This body is mine and it’s for kicking ass. Or at least, er, training an awful lot and some day in the future prodding a buttock or two and then training an awful lot more and then kicking some ass. And this body is a thing that can be faced with something that hurts like hell and feels impossible and then do it anyway.

How awesome is that? And y’know the way I said that five minutes was a life-changing moment? It was. I’ve started looking at things I want to do and instead of asking “will I be able to do that?”, I say “do I want to give it a go?”.

Do it for yourself

I’m not saying that you all need to sign up for your local roller derby league and skate your way into epiphanies – although if you want to, you absolutely should and you can find your local league here, because as far as I’m concerned it’s the best thing in the whole world ever. But there’s something in the idea that we’ve all been taught that our bodies – and by extension ourselves, since nobody’s perfect at compartmentalisation – are there to be pleasing to others, instead of doing ass-kicking things for ourselves.

There goes the adrenaline

Obviously not all of us can or would want to get ourselves up on eight wheels, team sports aren’t for everyone, and not all bodies can do these things. But there’s something really brilliant about realising that what our bodies and our lives are about is our own happiness and that that’s something worth sticking our necks out for.

And with that, I’m gonna go stick my face into a baking tray full of brownies and icecream. Because epiphanies aren’t worth nothin’ on an empty stomach, and all this running around is making me ravenous. Stay tuned for the next installment!

Limerick’s bid for 2018 Gay Games gets seal of approval

Webmaster — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 08:00:43 +0000

Limerick’s application for the addition of Boxing & Wheelchair Rugby to the approved sports list for the 2018 Gay Games has been officially approved by the international Federation of Gay Games (FGG).
This is the latest step in the bidding process for the 2018 event, for which groups from five cities; Amsterdam, Limerick, London, Orlando, and Paris are still in the running.

Bidders were allowed for the first time in 2009 to apply for prior authorization of sports not currently on the FGG list of approved sports. During that cycle, bidders from Cleveland took advantage of this opportunity to request approval for Rodeo, which was granted, and which will be included as an associated event in Gay Games 9 in Cleveland & Akron, USA in 2014.

Roller Derby Added

The current cycle for Gay Games X in 2018, which will see a host chosen in October 2013, has seen an explosion in these requests. Bidders from Limerick requested permission to include Boxing and Wheelchair Rugby in their bid, while Paris requested the authorisation for no fewer than five sports: Archery, Fencing, Pétanque, and Polo, as well as Roller Derby, a sport also requested by the London group. All requests have now been approved, with the exception of Polo.

John James Hickey delighted with addition of boxing and Wheelchair Rugby

Bid Coordinator for Limerick 2018 John James Hickey expressed his delight at the approval of both Boxing & Wheelchair Rugby by the Federation and hopes this will enhance the bid that the Limerick team will be submitting at the end of February. “The Limerick team has been working very hard in the last number of months to advance our bid. The approval of the Sports Committee of Boxing and Wheelchair Quad Rugby as sports which are unique to the Limerick bid is something to be welcomed. It is our opinion that the inclusion of these sports broadens the remit of Gay Games and opens up more opportunities to other participants across the World.”

Promote LGBT equality

Federation officer for site selection Dennis Sneyers discussed the FGG’s goal of a balanced sports program that respected the desires and capacity of its host organizations: “There are sports that in terms of numbers and history will always be an integral part of the Gay Games. For instance, we simply cannot imagine an event without swimming or volleyball or running events. But we also want to reach out to the athletic community with sports that offer new experiences for new participants. And we recognize the impact that including a sport in the Gay Games can have for visibility for a sport and for LGBT participation in it. So many of today’s LGBT sport clubs and organizations were born from the Gay Games, and by offering the possibility for new sports to be showcased in the 2018 Games, we hope to continue the goal of the Gay Games to be an incubator for new groups around the world. Our mission is to promote LGBT equality, and by encouraging our hosts to reach out to new participants, we expand the opportunity to share the empowering experience of the Gay Games.”

Cleveland, host with Akron of Gay Games 9 in August 2014

Sneyers concluded: “With the approval of these requests, bidding organizations will be able to finalize their sports programs, a key element in their bid books, due in late February 2013. It’s only then that we will see each organization’s vision of how Gay Games X can promote equality through sport and culture. The final decision on the host of Gay Games X will take place at a special meeting of FGG delegates, officers and volunteers in October 2013 in Cleveland, host with Akron of Gay Games 9 in August 2014.”

Should Limerick be successful the event will see in excess of 10,000 competitors descend on Limerick and the Shannon region for a showcase of Sporting & Cultural activities. It is estimated that the 10 day event will bring in approximately €50,000,000 in revenue for the region.
So far the bid has been supported by Shannon Development, Failte Ireland, Limerick City Council, Shannon Airport, University of Limerick, Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Analogue Devices and the Shannon Conference & Events Bureau.

If anybody would like to offer financial support for the 2018 Bid can log onto the website and click on the Donate button or email ggx@limerick2018.com
The public support has been overwhelming and organisers are appealing for anybody who wishes to get involved in any way shape of form to get in contact via the website http://www.limerick2018.com

About The Gay Games:
The Gay Games are an international sporting and cultural event held every four years. Launched in 1982,
the Games invite participation from all competitors regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status. The Games also offer a safe environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered participants. They are open to anyone 18 years or older. About 10 percent of participants are from outside the LGBT community.
Gay Games 9 will be held August 9‐16, 2014, in venues around Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, in the United States. More than 35 sports and culture event competitions will be held, with more than 11,000 participants expected to join the medal race.

The Fresh Meat Frontier

Aoife — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 08:00:28 +0000

What would you say if I told you that there existed a kind of exercise that you would want to do all day long? And no, it’s not what you’re thinking of. But it is a sport that might be the most fun you’ve ever had in a room with dozens (and dozens!) of other women. Most of whom, by the way, are wearing reeeeally short shorts (not that I was, er, noticing that or anything. Nope. Not me). And where you all get to make up a fantasy kickass alter-ego? A kind of sport that’s equal parts nostalgia, badassery, tough women and having a bloody good time? One where women of all shapes, sizes and gender expressions get to kick ass, take names and then go for a few pints and compare bruises? Oh, and also there’s something called a ‘booty block’. Oh, my.

Get in there!

Sparkly

I don’t know about you, but I was intrigued. As if it were tailor-made to tempt a beanbag-bound nerdlady like myself to pop Captain Picard on pause, put down the caramel coated rice cakes and leave the house to try out this unfamiliar thing called ‘physical exercise’.

A bunch of emails and several months of skating around the park and the roller disco later, me and my sparkly-laced quads ventured into the first session of what’s slightly-terrifyingly called Fresh Meat training with the Dublin Roller Girls. To say I was intimidated walking in the door is an understatement. I’ve never exactly been a jock. My idea of a fun Friday night is more likely to involve a good book or a stack of board games than wild antics. What on earth would the likes of me be doing joining up with the impossibly cool roller derby girls? Team sports are something that other people do.

Or, at least, they were.

Cool chicas

Within about, eh, 5 minutes I realised I’d no need to be intimidated. These impossibly cool derbyers were also friendly and welcoming, and my fellow freshmeat was as nervous-yet-excited as myself. There were tons of people on hand to help us out with which way up our knee pads were supposed to go, correcting everyone who had their wrist guards on backwards and somehow understanding our muffled “offuffgoffsfhshfhsh” from behind our mouthguards.

In what seemed like no time we’d managed to get ourselves dressed and were wobbling our way around the track. By the end of the first session we were like pros, most of us well on our way to having mastered the arts of going forward, turning to the side and even stopping without relying on the classic ‘barrelling straight into a wall’ maneuver. We even learned a new and exciting way of falling over- this time with no flailing and bruises at all. Win!

Image from freshmeatotter.tumblr.com

The next few days were filled up with tons of new Facebook friendings and shared stories of aching muscles, inability to stand up and tons of excitment about getting back up on our skates the next week. Almost instantly we turned into a truly masochistic bunch itching for more training and delightedly comparing our stinky wrists after a good session of skating.

Falling for a derby

In the past few weeks I’ve learned more ways to fall over than I ever imagined possible. I’ve also discovered things I’d never have expected, from voluntarily doing hundreds of squats, lunges and push-ups in a week, to how lovely it is when we see someone mastering something they’ve been having a really hard time with and everyone stops to cheer. Possibly the sweetest thing on the planet, that is.

But it’s early days yet! Barely past week three of training and we’ve already had bruises, scrapes, and at least one uncomplaining visit to A&E on the same day I was complaining to all and sundry about what could charitably be called a pulled shoulder muscle. Kind-of. Ish.

And in the midst of it all I’m spending my week counting the days till Sunday and wondering if this is what being a jock is like, and whether that’d be so bad after all.

I’ll be reporting in to you lot in a few weeks with more tales from the fresh meat frontier. Will I have my very own sparkly new skates by then? Will I ever decide on a derby name? How many more visits to A&E will we have racked up? And what was that about a booty block again? Stay tuned!

Oh No They Didn’t!

Gooner — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:27:51 +0000

There are many LGBT campaigns out there and most, if not all, are worth while in the extreme. One that I particularly enjoy is the That’s So Gay initiative, which encourages people to think before using the word “gay” as an insult. Celebrities like Wanda Sykes and organisations such as the NBA have made wonderful public service announcements in an effort to get people to think before they speak. Another example would be the Think Before You Speak group who just recently released a message from USA Olympic and out soccer star Megan Rapinoe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbWexDrqlUc

With all this in mind I was horrified when I saw a t-shirt for the upcoming rugby 6 Nations that read

Like the Superbowl but a lot less gay

Come on, it’s 2013 for heavens sake, in who’s world is this funny? I know some might say I am being over sensitive but we are fighting against bullies in school, the workplace and society in general and some idiot thinks this is appropriate? Well it isn’t and I am not being overly PC I am just reacting to something that is needlessly hurtful and derogatory.

Am I the only rugby fan who is annoyed upon seeing this shirt for sale? I doubt it, rugby is an inclusive sport and very popular all over Ireland and Europe, so lets not degrade it by associating it with this nonsense.

Let me know what you think in the comments section below – am I over reacting?

You can contact the suppliers here.

Post Update: Gooner contacted the website and received the following in response.

thanks for that, you are right. It was not meant to be offensive and I will get the shirt removed.

Image Credit:http://thequietvoice18.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/thats-so-gay/

Coming out to the team

GuestPoster — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:00:02 +0000

Here’s Gaelick contributor Niamh

For me the hardest thing about coming out is that it feels like a never-ending process. Getting asked the same questions and hearing the same comments over and over again.Your life is almost divided into sections, friends, work, family, Facebook, and when you’re on a sports team, soccer, camogie, rugby whatever that’s another section. You would think coming out to a a group of women who are into sport would be the easiest section to handle. As Megan Rapinoe said when she came out this year “In female sports, if you’re gay, most likely your team knows it pretty quickly, it’s very open and widely supported.” Now maybe it’s an Irish thing, or a GAA thing, but I haven’t always found this to be the case.

Megan Rapinoe is awesome

Tomboy stereotype

We all know the stereotype, the tomboy out playing with the boys in the park, and as you get older it becomes the beer-drinking lesbian who’s great for sitting down with the lads talking about the latest premiership match. Nothing wrong with that, in fact, I embody that stereotype and I’m proud of it! The problem with that stereotype is that some girls who play sport are afraid of people wrongly thinking they are a lesbian. This fear then manifests itself into a bitchy form of homophobia. Some comments can be made when people don’t realise they are talking to the ‘enemy’ and hearing these comments can prevent you from feeling comfortable about coming out to your teammates.

When you are playing at a competitive level it is so important to feel completely comfortable in order to perform at your best, what is even more important, on a team sport, is that you feel like you can trust your teammates. You have to be in a positive frame of mind to perform and to train at 100%. If you’re worried about people having a negative response to your sexuality, that just adds more pressure and takes your mind of your performance.

Go team!

PMA

Putting a bunch of twenty people together and forcing them to compete with and against one another is an extremely difficult task and you can guarantee that things will never run smoothly all the time, but honesty between teammates should always have a positive effect on relationships. And positive relationships leads to positive results (sounds like I robbed that from Dr. Phil!).

When Donal Og Cusack came out he said his teammates were of great support to him. When you grow up with a bunch of girls or you’re playing with a team for number of years, they become like your family, and often our family is the section we leave to last when coming out, the fear of losing them is too great.

But if you are the first person to come out on the team then you might even be a role model for younger players, and you most likely will change the attitudes of others who didn’t know any better before. And you know stereotypes exist for a reason so chances are very high there’s another gay girl in the dressing room as well!

Abby Wambach wins Ballon d’Or 2012

Gooner — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:00:50 +0000

No I’m not writing about Lionel Messi’s 4th consecutive Ballon d’Or because that is just boring. I am talking about the much more hotly-contested award, the one several talented athletes had a real shot at, and which was won by USA striker Abby Wambach. I am a big fan of Brazil’s Marta (below), who has won it several times in the past (5 in a row), but this year I think she wasn’t quite at her best and I was hoping they would give the award to one of the many other amazing players we have seen over the last 12 months.

Image fom futbolita.com

So much talent

When I was thinking about this award earlier in the year I thought it would be between Marta (obviously), the USA’s Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach as well as Japan’s Homare Sawa and Canada’s goal machine Christine Sinclair. So I have to admit I was more than surprised when Megan Rapinoe ranked 10th when the positions were announced, she was the player of the Olympics for me but congrats to her, I’m sure she’s delighted for her teammate and friend Abby.

Let’s take a moment to congratulate one of the world’s great football managers , Pia Sundhage (obviously over the moon in the pic below), for her win in the coaching category, if she hadn’t have won it would have been a travesty, and that’s with all due respect to the likes of Japan’s Norio Sasaki. Pia is out and proud and accomplished a great deal with the USA before heading back to coach her home county, Sweden, after winner her second Olympics with the USA.

Image from uefa.com

Abby-solute top

In winning her first, well overdue Ballon d’Or, Abby follows in the footsteps of other great US players, not least of which the incredible Mia Hamm (swoon) and when your name is on a list along with Ms Hamm you know you have made it to the very top. Mia scored a record 158 international goals in her career but I think Wambach will take that crown too, she is currently sitting pretty on 152.

With many, many, MANY thanks to sportsblog.bethubb.com

Big and deserved congratulations to both Abby and Pia for their awards and many thanks for representing the sport I love with such distinction and humility.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX3nqLts6DQ

Holding Out for a Hero

Gooner — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:45:48 +0000

Those of you who read Gaelick regularly will know that homophobia in my beloved sport is a bit of a hobby horse of mine. I totally understand why someone who’s job it is to stand on a park surrounded by tens of thousands of random people wouldn’t want to give those people something to jeer them over. After all, opposition crowds in all sports like nothing more than to laugh at the players, especially the good players.

Where are all the gays at?

However, even with all that in mind I find it disappointing in the extreme that 22 years after Justin Fashanu came out we still have no top flight player in the men’s game who is out and proud. Yes, there are some in lower leagues, Anton Hysen being a great example, but no top class player.

Taboo

Anders Lindegaard (above), goalkeeper with Manchester United, has written a great piece in his blog about the sport’s need for a “gay hero”. He writes

As a footballer I think first and foremost that a homosexual colleague is afraid of the reception he could get from the fans. My impression is that the players would not have a problem accepting a homosexual.

Homosexuality in football is a taboo subject. The atmosphere on the pitch and in the stands is tough. The mechanisms are primitive, and it is often expressed through a classic stereotype that a real man should be brave, strong and aggressive. And it is not the image that a football fan associates with a gay person.

The problem for me is that a lot of football fans are stuck in a time of intolerance that does not deserve to be compared with modern society’s development in the last decades. While the rest of the world has been more liberal, civilised and less prejudiced, the world of football remains stuck in the past when it comes to tolerance

That is in every way an unpleasant trend that does not belong in a modern and liberal society. Any discrimination towards people is and should be totally unacceptable, whether it is about skin colour, religion, sexuality etc. Homosexuals are in need of a hero. They are in need of someone who dares to stand up for their sexuality.

Come on out!

The Danish international is a top athlete playing at the highest level, so it’s heartwarming to see him take it upon himself to make his feelings of support clear, especially when he was not asked the question by anyone. Starting the debate is important and when footballers speak newspapers listen.

Image from evertonfc.com

In Denmark research has shown that 12% of men identify as gay, the Danish Players’ Association has a thousand members, but not one single player is out. I’m sure those stats are a fair representation of the sport in most countries.

So come on, someone stand up and be our hero.

I’ll leave you with this wonderful add from the Netherlands!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig7PmGcQj-w

Diary of a rugby virgin

HAL — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:00:24 +0000

Heather gets her ruck on

Thirty fit women tackling, tumbling and rolling in slippery mud wearing tight shorts and sports bras, all while chasing after one egg-shaped ball. Sounds like the lesbian wet dream we all have but never admit to? If you haven’t then go and watch 50 Cent’s candy shopvideo and it may spark some interest in the muddy women combo (it’s chocolate they pour on themselves in this vid but you get the jist).

Anyway, I’m bitterly sorry to disappoint you but this steamy and sexy depiction couldn’t be further from the truth. Unfortunately my wet dream turned into a nightmare when I decided to chase some balls and dive head-first into the mud bath for myself. Here’s your one opportunity to laugh at my expense of chasing balls for the first time ever.

How you doing, me ould mucker?

Do I look like a hooker?

Equipped with dusty old boots from my tomboy years, tighty style under shorts compliments of the missus, and socks which never stayed up and exposed my pasty chicken legs, I took to the field with a belly of nerves and apprehension. I was bat shit crazy joining an already established club made up of current and ex international rugby stars, but I stuck in the gum shield (clearly the most attractive part of it at all) and hoped for the best. Everyone looked the part at training except for me. I couldn’t help feeling like I was in primary school again; if you didn’t have stuff that was a known label, you were either poor or totally uncool.

My main objective of the night was blend in and not be noticed as the newbie. I failed, miserably. The minute the drills commenced I found myself ambling around watching from a distance bemused, without the faintest breeze of what was going on. As far as I was concerned the ball had to go backwards, and everything else was double Dutch. Everyone already knew the basics so I was pretty screwed. I might as well have dressed up in a giant greenhorn costume and danced with the ball really. After half an hour I wasn’t as terrified and I gained a slight notion of what we were actually doing. What threw me though was the frequent use of words like “ruck, rockey ball and maul” and I wasn’t aware of any maul other than the teenage disco type so I was intrigued.

Image from oldbelvedere.ie

Low and hard

Towards the end of the session I was battered and bruised and even my armpits ached. After multiple tackling and defensive drills I was obviously thrilled when the coach announced that we were playing a “little” full contact game with each other. Chances to put the learning into practice yes, but also an opportunity for the veterans on the team to spot the fresh meat and smash me. I was given concise and simple advice; “if you get the ball then run, and if you plan on tackling get low”. At this point I couldn’t force my 5ft10 self to get any lower, and if I did there was a likely possibility of me not getting back up.

Reluctantly I slotted into a team and tried not look as vulnerable as possible although there was clearly a whop of fear. For the most part I managed to stick to the advice but I rarely got the ball – so happy days! Shortly the whole thing was over and I was still walking, miraculously.

By the end of the second training session I felt much more comfortable, as we split into first and second teams which was ever so slightly less terrifying.

One attribute I noticed about the team was the great sense of camaraderie and togetherness. That’s probably the ponsiest way to describe the elements of team spirit but the Old Belvedere girls did go out of their way to welcome me into the close knit family. My initial outlook on the whole women’s rugby topic was the stereotype that many people have; loads of aggressive women beating the living daylights out of each other. How I was wrong. The skill, communication and teamwork involved in getting that ball over the line is astounding and to do it well is a challenge in itself.

Game changing sub

It is by far the most addictive game and there’s nothing like throwing yourself into a tackling bag to relieve any stress, anger or frustration which we all at some point feel. Note: always rope the other half into going with you, it does wonderful things for the relationship and you’ll find yourself overcoming arguments fairly lively at training! Winning games is the best feeling of all, (not saying it’s the most important thing) especially when you get subbed on and are passionate to make a difference on the pitch. The social side is what sets it apart from any other sport as nights out and events are always encouraged and the general “bants” happen all the time regardless.

Image from findrugbynow.com

Four weeks in and I feel indestructible, aided by shoulder pads which give the intimidating triangular appearance and make you feel like Schwarzenegger’s offspring. Three matches later and I no longer consider myself to be the newbie, even if I’m still clueless to most of the rules. Someday I may even score a try, who knows. Someday I may also break limbs or smash my face open, both are equally exciting!

Join up

And on that note, there are definitely a few of you reading this who are rugby stars lurking in the shadows. Perhaps you don’t know it yet but if the idea of grabbing girls inappropriately in a situation where it’s totally okay gets you going then rugby is for you. If you can’t afford to or don’t necessarily fancy jumping from bridges or aeroplanes to get an adrenaline fix, running lengths of a pitch with a big ball in your hand being chased by women ten times bigger than you will tick that box.

Finally, the newest women’s team to emerge in Dublin are the Emerald Warriors. They are always looking for new players to expand the team, beginners or experienced, so get in touch.

Disclaimer: Never put yourself forward for the position of prop or second row, wearing a scrum cap makes you look like a sweaty egg.

Home Clash for Taylor

HAL — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:00:47 +0000

Ringside with Niamh

Katie Taylor has announced her decision to shun the lure of the professional game and to stay an amateur boxer. The announcement has been followed by a move from the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) to bid to host the European Elite Women’s Championships in Ireland. If the bid is successful Taylor could win her sixth successive title in front of a home crowd.

Image from arkphotography.ie

It’s hard to believe with all her success in the past that this would be the first time that she would box in an international competition in Ireland. The highest profile fight Katie has had in Ireland up to now was when she boxed as the opener to Bernard Dunne’s world title fight in 2009. Of course a lot has changed since then and Taylor’s profile has exploded into the mainstream consciousness since the Olympics.

Golden ticket
I have no doubt that if the bid is successful, Taylor will sell out every venue (with me being first in line to buy tickets!). The bid does require government support, but no politician in their right mind would turn down the chance for the adoring public to support Taylor. There is also no doubting the calibre of the boxing that would be on show.

A mouth-watering revenge match between Taylor and Sofya Ochigava of Russia could be on the cards. I’m pretty sure Ochigava won’t look forward to facing Taylor on home ground, based on past comments claiming favouritism from judges towards Taylor, but this would only add fuel to the excitement of such a bout taking place in Ireland. Another top class fighter who could be fighting here is British boxer Natasha Jonas. Jonas performed admirably in the Olympics but fell short compared to Taylor’s prowess and was unfortunate not to win a medal, so she too will be determined to challenge Taylor to her title.

Image from arkphotography.ie

The only slight negative I can see in this story is that Taylor will fight under the name of an amateur even though she is a professional true and true. But I have to admit that professional boxing wouldn’t have suited Taylor and it would have taken her away from her hometown of Bray and from the support of the Irish team.

Priceless
Her reasons for staying amateur are highly commendable and make her even more endearing to the public. She has turned down what is rumored to be six figure sums in order to continue representing her country on the world stage. Her commitment will certainly win over more fans (if there’s anyone left who doesn’t support her) and demonstrates her extraordinary character.

Boxing for my country, there’s nothing better than that really and bringing home medals for my country

But the professional circuit’s loss is our gain as we can continue to claim her wins as our own. It is only fitting that her next big win should take place in front of a home crowd. And I’m sure Taylor herself would relish the opportunity to secure a European title at home.

Boxer Orlando Cruz announces he is a ‘proud gay man’

Webmaster — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:24:14 +0000

From our new writer Chris

Pic from http://celebnmusic247.com/

Puerto Rican, Orlando Cruz a professional boxer and former Olympian has announced ‘I am a proud gay man’

Cruz is the first openly gay man in boxing history. “I’ve been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want to be true to myself” said Cruz. “I want to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career. I have and always will be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man.”

Cruz, 31, is currently ranked No. 4 in the world by the WBO at Featherweight. He was part of the 2000 Puerto Rican Olympic team

Ladies Football Final 2012

Webmaster — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 07:00:27 +0000

Our latest from Niamh

The Sunday game after the (first!) All-Ireland hurling final, Des Cahill turned to the camera with a solemn look and explained that the All-Ireland Ladies football final would now be put back a week to due to the hurling replay. And for all those tweeting and texting into the show to complain that they had trains, flights and hotels booked, his consolation was that the Ladies Gaelic Football organisation had agreed to it from the start of the year. The show moved swiftly on.

At first I didn’t know who to be angrier with the GAA or the LGFA (Ladies gaelic football association). Why would the LGFA agree to this in the first place? Why couldn’t the GAA have just organised the replay for another date, or even a Saturday?

Croke Park viewed as a men’s arena

The whole debacle just blatantly demonstrated what the GAA really think of the women’s associations. They are only paying lip service to both camogie and ladies football. It is clear now that they view Croke Park as the men’s arena and the women can play there as long as they don’t get in the way of the “real” sport. Des Cahill’s explanation annoyed me because he said the LGFA agreed to the timetabling and that somehow seemed to make it all ok. I am only guessing here, but I’m pretty sure they were handed a date and told to like it or lump it.

It amazes me how badly the old boys in HQ still treat women’s sport. In Cork numerous men’s club hurling and football championship matches clashed with the camogie All-Ireland Final. Families and friends of the players were forced to choose which match they were going to watch. There was a crowd of 15,000 at the All-Ireland Camogie Final, but everyone who watched the match would agree that all the players deserved a lot more attention for the entertainment value of the game.

Cork going for seventh All-Ireland Title

But we can only hope now that the timetabling will be looked at in the future and that the ladies will get the respect and recognition they deserve. This Sunday, Cork are vying for their seventh All-Ireland title in eight years. And it’s hard to see how the youthful Kerry side will stop the likes of Valerie Mulcahy and co. Interestingly enough neither side have ever lost an All-Ireland final, though Kerry have not won one since 1993, but this statistic is set to change on the 7th of October.

My prediction for Sunday……a rebel win…….and also a few condescending comments from male commentators about how impressed they were with the standard of football and physicality of the game!!

Note: For those of you wanting to attend, tickets available on the ladiess gaa website here

What Katie really did

HAL — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Last week was a very sporting week on Gaelick. Hear from new Gaelick writer, Niamh, why women’s sport is muy importante!

The past

Nine years old and I stood on the sideline as my dad threw an oversized jersey on my 6 year old brother. I was bigger and stronger than my little brother. I was more skillful. I was faster. But I had a ponytail!

My dad said no, my uncle said throw her on, my dad was stubborn, he wouldn’t budge. I pulled my baseball cap down over my face so no one would see me cry. There was no ladies football team in our club so I didn’t end up playing until I was twenty, how would I have been if I had started playing when I was nine? And then I wonder would my dad have thrown me on if there had been a Katie Taylor around when was I nine?

The present

As a primary school teacher I hear wonderful little gems everyday from my kids. Last year teaching first class we were writing about our hopes for the future. A little boy wrote three amazing lines that made my heart jump around:

I hope I grow up to be like Katie Taylor. I want to go to the Olympics like her. I hope she wins a gold medal.

That’s what I love so much about what Katie Taylor has done. She has become the hero not just of little girls, but little boys as well.

I think that is the real success story. I think it’s very safe to say that she is the first Irish female athlete to become a hero for young boys.

When I was about five or six I ran home crying and kicked my mother in the shins because I was born a girl and for that reason the boys wouldn’t let me join in the soccer game (It sounds like I had a terrible childhood, I really did have fun honestly!!).

Our future

But as a teacher now and seeing the way children interact with each other I can honestly say I see a huge difference in the way young boys and girls play together. There’s no condescending voices on the pitch “wow she can actually kick a ball”, “I can’t tackle her she’s a girl”, or the usual “ahahaha johnny you got tackled by a girl!” No they just play together. They accept it.

Why wouldn’t they? What difference does it make if she’s a girl or not? Who cares? If Paddy Barnes can spar with Katie Taylor then why can’t I slide tackle Mary from across the road?

Image: rte.ie

When I jumped around the sitting room like an eejit when Katie won gold, my brother just laughed at my little feminist self asking me why I was making such a big deal out of it. I told him that story from when I was nine, my dad blushed and of course denied that he would ever do such a thing. I said it’s a big deal because no one can ever say no to a little girl ever again.

No one can ever tell her she’s too small, or too pretty to get hurt. No one can ever say that people don’t care about women in sport.

Katie Taylor won gold, the country was at a standstill, the economy was boosted, SBB cried and mothers and fathers drove their precious little daughters into grimy boxing clubs all over the country.

So it’s more than just than medal. It’s more than just women in boxing. It’s about a culture change.

Everyone is asking what will Katie do next; I’m asking what will the young girls of Ireland do next. My hopes know no bounds!

Go raibh míle maith agat, Katie girl!!

Camogie All-Ireland and All-Ireland 7s Finals this weekend!

click here — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 07:50:00 +0000

More wonderfulness from our new writers – step up once again, CiarDubh!

The All-Ireland Camogie finals take place this Sunday in Croke Park, with Wexford and Cork competing for the O’Duffy Cup. If you’re new to Ireland, or if “De Gah“* is a bit of a blind spot for you, camogie is that sport that looks like ice hockey being played in the air on a rugby pitch. It’s also, in my ever-so-slightly biased opinion, the greatest of sports.

Image: Pat Murphy/SPORTSFILE via Facebook

Wexford are looking for their third All-Ireland title in a row this weekend, and I can’t help but feel sorry for anyone trying to stand in their way. Six of the 2011 Camogie All Stars play for Wexford and they are a team with plenty of talent and experience on their side. They beat Offaly more than comfortably in the semi-final a few weeks ago — no discredit to Offaly who have come a tremendous way in the last few years, progressing through the divisions at lightning speed. This year was their debut at senior level, so hats off to the Faithful County.

Cork haven’t made it to the final since 2009, when they last won the O’Duffy cup, so they will certainly have ‘the hunger’ for it. They had to work hard to get past Galway in the semi-final, only really pulling away in the final minutes of the game with two superb goals engineered by Jennifer O’Leary, Katríona Mackey and Síle Burns. Regardless, Cork have a strong team with a healthy combination of big match experience and young blood.

Kate Kelly and Katrina Parrock will be women to watch in Wexford’s attack, while the likes of the Leacy sisters bring a wealth of experience and leadership to the field.

Briege Corkery, a major asset to Cork in both camogie and ladies’ football since the age of 15 (she’s won All Star Awards for both), will be keen to cause trouble up the other end of the pitch along with fellow Rebelettes O’Leary, Mackey and Burns.

The Final will be broadcast live on RTÉ 2 and online.

The 2011 All-Ireland Camogie final (Wexford 2-7 – Galway 1-8) was attended by a little over 14,000 people. The hurling final was attended by over 81,000. The two events are separated by just a week on the calendar and are held in the same venue… the mind boggles.

Woefully under appreciated and under reported as the sport clearly is, the great news is that you can rock up to Croke Park this Sunday afternoon and buy yourself a reasonably priced ticket at the turnstile. You’ll probably get a great seat, too. To attend the hurling final you’d need to have sold your soul several weeks ago.

If you can’t wait till Sunday for your annual fix of top class ‘gurling’, or if you’re strapped for cash, check out the All-Ireland Camogie 7s which are running all day Saturday.

The one-day seven-a-side competition has been hosted by Kilmacud Crokes in Stillorgan every year for the last 38 years, and will showcase camogie talent from 48 clubs from Ireland, the U.K. and the U.S.A. The chance to see so many fantastic inter-county players in the one place on the one day is not one you should pass over lightly. Matches start at 10:30 in the morning, and the finals are usually about half five or six.

If you’re feeling inspired, the puc fada competition is open to spectators!

What? Camogie 7s All-Ireland Final
Where? Kilmacud Crokes, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
When? Saturday, 15th September 2012 from 10:30am

What? Cork v Wexford – Camogie All-Ireland Final
Where? Croke Park, Dublin
When? Sunday, 16th September 2012 at 4pm
(Also: Junior Final at 12noon; Intermediate Final at 2:00pm)

_________________________________________________________________________________

* Technically, the camogie championship is run by the Camogie Association and not the GAA. They do things “in association” with one another.

Why are footballers too frightened to come out?

Gooner — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 07:00:00 +0000

In a world where more and more people, in all walks of life, are feeling that they can come out publicly, football still remains way behind with only a couple of out players.

There are many theories as to why this is. Certainly it’s true that it takes a lot of courage for a person to come out when their job is walking out onto a pitch in front of tens of thousands of people, many of whom support the opposing team and are looking for any reason to sing songs disparaging your team.

Yet other similar sports around the world have started to gain ground whilst soccer seems to stand still, especially when it comes to the the men’s game.

In an interview with the Gay Footballer Supporters’ Network, Clarke Carlisle (above), a player with York City, gives some insight from a player’s point of view.

Carlisle works for the Kick It Out scheme, as well as being chair of the Management Committee of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), so he’s a guy who knows what is going on in the minds of the sports professionals.

In the interview, Carlisle talks about conversations he has had with 8 gay players. He says:

Seven of the eight said they didn’t want to come out because they were worried about the media. Nothing came of our conversations with these players so I guess we are back to square one.

His frustration seems real, and you have to acknowledge the PFA for at least seeking these conversations with the players at the heart of the issue.

For me, he sums up the problem when he says:

You have to understand that the use of language in football, in the changing rooms, between players and managers and of course on the terraces is at a pretty base level… So any player thinking about [coming out] would need to be very brave.

The game is a microcosm of the culture it takes place in. It’s a catch 22 for many of the players: come out and help society see homophobia for what it is; but because homophobia is so strong, they are afraid to come out.

However, what he says about the media can’t be overlooked. There is an argument that sponsorship deals for out players could be affected – but, to be fair, they could get even better. The issue is how the media deal with it. We can all see the headlines now, and they aren’t pretty. That’s something that has to be dealt with in a major way.

The media seem unable to marry their concept of what it is to be a sportsman and that of what it is to be gay – and that is infuriating.

Rugby has Gareth Thomas, cycling has Graeme Obree, cricket has Steve Davis, GAA has Donal Og Cusack – and it shouldn’t be forgotten that soccer does have Anton Hysen, David Testo, Lori Lindsey and Megan Rapinoe.

But for such a massive sport there is still no high profile male out player and that has to be addressed. When you look at hugely popular sports teams in the states making videos for the “It Gets Better” campaign, you can see that the gap is widening.

Some punishment has been doled out to players who have shown themselves to be homophobic, for example through Twitter, but more has to be done to break down that wall and separate the sport from this idiotic notion of “men being men”.

I applaud Clarke Carlisle for his words. Let’s hope he can influence those at the top of the game to take action. After all, the World Cup in 2022 is to be held in Qatar, not exactly the most hospitable place in the world for gay fans and players. Even the head of the sport’s international governing body has said that gay fans going there should “refrain from sexual activity”. Good lord, this is what we are up against!

The FA’s anti-homophobia initiative needs to be the first step, not the beginning and the end of a move towards inclusiveness. I hope to be cheering on an out gay player sooner rather than later.