Justin Rogers, a sports therapist for the Seattle Kraken, became the first openly gay man behind a bench in the National Hockey League (NHL) when he made the public announcement on Friday.
The American has been with the Washington State team since 2021 and said in an interview with the ESPN network that he had no difficulty disclosing his sexuality to general manager Ron Francis.
• Also read: Oilers: A first chance for Raphaël Lavoie
• Also read: CH: Rafael Harvey-Pinard in uncertainty
Rogers told his story in a letter to himself posted on the Kraken website. As a teenager he was told he should never work in a sports locker room, but he quickly silenced the evil tongues.
“Walking into any locker room as a gay man will test your fear of acceptance, as it does for many others in the queer community. You know that you are different. But you will find that there is a community in the sports world made up of LGBTQ+ people like you,” the Michigan native wrote.
He admitted that he heard many derogatory terms about gays during his work and that he had to be selective in his choices. At the Kraken he immediately felt supported by his work colleagues and the players.
The story of his coming out in ice hockey is quite amusing in itself. It took place while Rogers was working for Penn State University.
“The first athlete you’ll tell at Penn State will be a young Russian player who, right after you score a goal, runs to the bench, turns around and asks you if you’re gay. You will be shocked and ask him to repeat the question. He’ll rephrase it by asking if you like bowling pins and rainbows. They will confirm to him that yes, but that he should play again,” he said.
“After the game, the player will invite you into his locker to let you know that he had no problem with skittles and rainbows – a subtle way of showing his approval,” Rogers concluded.
Today, the instructor is involved in the Seattle community by giving back. He now tries to pass on his growing confidence to other young people who find themselves in his situation.