Jocks

the long version

In this courageous, enlightening report, Woog (School's Out), a gay soccer coach in Connecticut, presents profiles of some 30 openly gay athletes, physical educators and coaches involved in high school, college or professional sports. Their candid stories show the difficulties of being a gay male athlete, given widespread homophobia, vicious locker-room taunts and even harassment and physical abuse from competitors and/or classmates. Yet many of those interviewed find tolerance among teammates and coaches, and it is interesting to read how these gays came to accept their homosexuality and reconcile it with their self-image as athletes. Among the gay jocks we meet are high school track coach Eric Anderson, who came out in conservative Orange County, Calif.; National Hockey League referee Brett Parson; a suicidal college soccer star identified as Greg (some subjects chose to be anonymous); and gay wrestlers, gymnasts, swimmers and basketball, tennis and football players. An appendix sets forth guidelines for coaches and instructors to address homophobia in their schools.