Sporting Change

For young gay men, being a part of sports can be a traumatic experience. A study conducted in 2015 by “Out on the Fields'' claimed that 81% of Canadian participants witnessed or experienced homophobia in sports. Additionally, 70% believed that youth sports are not welcoming or safe for LGBTQ+ people.

Regardless of the barriers, LGBTQ+ athletes continue to work their way up the ranks in their respective sports to pursue their passions. However, these athletes often feel they must conceal their sexual orientation, gender identification or expression, which diverts their attention away from training and impacts their ability to focus on their sport. This sadly leads to a decrease in performance, a high level of LGBTQ+ attrition in sports and a significant impact on their mental health.

Today’s guest, Brock McGillis, a leading activist in the LGBTQ+ community,  will share his revealing story of the struggles he faced as a gay athlete in hockey. From his accomplishments, to his darkest moments. He will talk about his coming out journey and his experiences in an attempt to help end homophobia in sport.

For some listeners, you may relate to his story because you, or someone close to you, has lived it. For others, we hope it will open your eyes to a new, and unfortunate reality that many gay men face when playing the sport they love. As you listen, keep in mind that roughly 1 in 4 people are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. These are your teammates, your coaches, your referees, or even the fan sitting next to you and all of them need your support.

To follow Brock:

IG: brockmcgillis33

Twitter: brock_mcgillis

LinkedIn: Brock McGillis

Prior to Title IX in 1972, over 90% of female collegiate teams were coached by women. Title IX was a landmark gender equity law which prohibited gender-based discrimination in sport programs. It created equal opportunity to both male and female athletes in areas such as scholarship opportunities, access to training facilities, trainers, equipment and more.

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Today only 43% of the coaches for NCAA Div 1 female teams are women. When looking at men’s teams, that number drops to only 5%. This reality is not much different for Canadian Universities where only 26% of USport head coaches are women.

Sporting Change is honoured to welcome, Lynn Kachmarik, a trailblazer in the world of coaching. In 1986 she was appointed as the head coach of Bucknell’s Men’s water polo team….making her the first female to head coach a men’s NCAA Div 1 team sport.

In today’s episode we discuss not only how far women’s coaching has come, but how far we still have to go.

In the second half of this special two-part episode, Mat Constantin dives deeper into his mental health journey and the challenges he faced growing up gay in a heteronormative society. Lyle Brooks, founder of Men4More, guides us through Mat’s never before told story through the lens of mental health. With great courage, Mat shares his extreme highs and devastating lows to help listeners gain perspective on what is often experienced, yet seldom discussed, in the mental health journey of a gay man in today’s society.

Reading list and Extra Resources:

The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World

By Alan Downs Ph. D.

How to Follow Lyle:

Instagram: @lyfeoflyle_

Instagram: @men4more

Facebook: @men4more

By the age of 13, 7 out of 10 athletes in North America have quit organized sports. Many of these athletes say that the continuous yelling and criticism from coaches and parents is the number one reason why they quit the sports they once loved. The ‘fun’ in sport has been replaced by a ‘win at all cost’ attitude. Sadly, this shift in approach has led to increased dropout rates, childhood obesity, and mental health issues in youth.

Bullying in sports is a systemic issue that impacts athletes, teams, and sport clubs at all levels. Whether it’s players, coaches, parents or even fans, disrespectful behavior has become a growing concern in sport communities.

Join Lisa Dixon Wells, founder of Dare to Care, as we explore the crippling impacts of bullying in sport and what can be done to change it.

Reading List and Extra Resources:

www.daretocare.ca

To Follow Lisa:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daretocare

Instagram and Twitter:  @daretocare2

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisadixonwells/

Leadership is defined as the ability for an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide others. At Sporting Change we see coaches, board members, officials, teammates, captains, parents, and even fans as community leaders.

Many of our listeners take on leadership roles and have the power to influence the people around them. For that reason the first Sporting Change episode focuses on the power of positive leadership in the world of diversity, equity and inclusion.

We are extremely fortunate to have one of the first openly gay Olympic Champions in the world and leadership expert Mark Tewksbury joining the podcast.

Reading list and Extra Resources:

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success - How we can learn to fulfill our potential

Carol S. Dweck Ph.D.

To follow Mark:

Instagram: @MarkTewks

Twitter: @MarkTewks

Website: https://thegreattraits.com/

Sporting Change is the ultimate sports podcast to stay relevant and educated when it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Tune in with Olympic champions, professional athletes, university professors, coaches, officials and influencers as we explore many important topics. During the episodes, some guests will share their lived experiences to help humanize issues, while others will be asked the hard questions as we engage in eye-opening DEI conversations. Most importantly, each episode will provide listeners with tools to help create change in their local communities.