Profile of Cyd Ziegler Jr for Gay Games VII

We know Cyd Ziegler from Outsports, but he's also a veteran Gay Games athlete. Here's a pre-Gay Games VII profile from NewNowNext:


The Gay Games 2006 in Chicago kick off on July 15th. And I’m stretching already! This summer's jock-tastic confab is going to drawing thousands of athletes, artists, partygoers and plain old sports fans to the Windy City for a week-long blast of activities. In addition to some classic sporting events (ya know—basketball, softball, track and field, soccer, volleyball) there are plenty of not-so-traditional events (DanceSport, darts, sailing), and lots of cultural activities (cheer teams, color guards, bands, choral concerts) and more, more, more to wow visitors.

Starting today, every Thursday here at the NewNowNext blog I’m going to give you a profile of an athlete heading to this year’s Gay Games, as a way to give you some personal flavor of what these events are going to be.


Cyd Zeigler: Sports Dude.

First up is NYC’s own Cyd Zeigler (above), perhaps one of gaydom’s most outspoken sports afficianados. Zeigler runs OutSports.com, an online super-bowl of info and news tailor-made for the LGBT sports fan. Cyd’s heading to Chicago to participate sportily, but he also plans to whoop it up all over, absorbing the full flavor of festivities.

But why don’t I let him tell you about it…


So, Cyd... What sport will you be competing in during the Gay Games?
Football. A friend wants me to run the 4 x 400 relay in track too, so I may find my way to the track on Friday.

How did you get started playing football? And how long have you been playing?
Well, oddly enough, I only starting playing football after I came out. I met a great group of friends with the L.A. Motion flag football group in 1996 and the rest is history.


Keep reading HERE.

Denver Flag Football players say "It Gets Better"

Denver Gay and Lesbian Flag Football League (DGLFFL) , a member of FGG member organization Team Colorado, has made a video for the "It Gets Better" project.

View it below, and visit our "It Gets Better" page HERE.

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Promo video for new Cleveland Rockers flag football team

A new video from Vision Video about the Cleveland Rockers:

Cleveland is a sports town without any doubt, and when the LGBT and straight alliance community combine their forces to create a Flag Football team called the "Cleveland Rockers", it demonstrates the importance of community at its very best.

24 September 2011 / Boston gay flag football league hosts youth field day this Saturday

An interesting story from Outsports:

On Saturday, September 24, 2011, Boston’s FLAG Flag Football League and the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth will be hosting a first-ever GLBTQ Youth Field Day. The event will be held from 1pm-5:30pm on the M Street Field in Independence Park in South Boston, located on E. 1st Street between M and N Streets.

Teens throughout Massachusetts have been invited to spend the afternoon with other GLBTQ high school students for an afternoon of games, food, music, and networking. The league’s Commissioner, Richard Moore, sees this event as a natural extension of his organization’s mission.

Keep reading HERE.

Straignt players on DC flag football team say "It Gets Better"

Straight players in the District of Columbia Gay Flag Football League have made this video for the "It Gets Better" project.

Watch as the straight members of DC's gay flag football league (DCGFFL) explain why they enjoy playing in a gay league, and that teaming with gay players is not an issue. A great lesson in inclusion, tolerance, and teamwork.

(One wonders why some are so keen on keeping straight athletes out of gay sport....)


Visit our "It Gets Better" page HERE.


This video follows a video featuring gay players:

10 Apr 2011 / In italiano: II Edizione torneo di calcio "Scendi in Campo Contro L’Omofobia

Anche quest’anno Bergamo contro l’omofobia organizza il torneo di calcio contro l’omofobia che l’anno scorso ha visto coinvolte numerose squadre e ha portato buonissimi risultati, in un’atmosfera di festa e sport. L’obiettivo primario della giornata è di promuovere valori di uguaglianza e condivisione attraverso il divertimento e lo sport, al fine di sensibilizzare pubblico e giocatori sulle tematiche relative alla violenza omofoba. Un particolare ringraziamento va al Comune di Bergamo per averci concesso l’uso gratuito del campo comunale.

A look at ICONS Diversity Football Cup in Milan

On January 29, 2011 in Milan took place the first edition of the "Diversity Cup." The occasion was the celebration of equality and the elimination of prejudices against gays but also against foreigners, both of which are at times serve as a scapegoat for the ills of society.

The organizers have shown that that message is not acceptable nor true and organized a great day of celebration playing football.

The competition was organized ICONS (Initiative Against Homophobia in Sport) and supported by FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) and FGG member IGLFA (International Gay Lesbian Football Association).

Somet 12 teams from all over Italy took part in the tournament, including The Sunugal composed of Senegalese players living in Milan, Brasitalianos (a group of Brazilian and Italian players), Milan teams Kingkickers, Black-Angel-Team Rome, Revolution Boga Bologna and Florence, as well as the gay clubs LeMobile, IMA FOOTBALL The Hunters and to list the Italian team who declare themselves heterosexual but are gay-friendly, last but not least the FT GoDaDo Milan, as the two teams of ICONS Football, in which gay and straight players have been playing together for some time without problems.

Who won? In the final of the highest level, the crew of the Black Angels beat the team of Rome Kingkickers Milan on penalties, with the well-earned cup for the 3rd place going to Brasitalianos.

But the absolute winner was the sport, tolerance and equality in football!

More info and photos HERE.

In italiano: Prima diversity Cup contro l'omofobia a Milano

Il 29 gennaio 2011 a Milano presso i campi di Corvetto in Via Fabio Massimo si è svolta la prima edizione della "Diversity Cup 2011". L'occasione è stata la celebrazione dell'uguaglianza e l'eliminazione dei pregiudizi contro i gay ma anche contro gli stranieri, entrambi a volte dipinti come capro espiatorio dei mali della società.

Gli organizzatori hanno mostrato che tale messaggio non è tollerabile nè vero ed hanno organizzato una bella giornata di festa unendo le squadre attraverso il pallone.

La competizione è stata organizzata dall'I.C.O.N.S. (Iniziativa Contro l'Omofobia Nello Sport) e l'evento é stato sostenuto dalla “F.A.R.E.” (Football Against Racism in Europe) ed dall'IGLFA (International Gay Lesbian Football Association).

Hanno partecipato al torneo 12 team da tutta l'Italia tra cui La Sunugal, composta da giocatori senegalesi che vivono a Milano, i Brasitalianos (un gruppo di giocatori brasiliani e italiani), le squadre Kingkickers Milano, Black-Angel-Team Roma, Revolution Firenze e BoGa Bologna, come squadre gay ed anche la LeMobile, IMA CALCIO e The Hunters per elencare le squadre italiane che si dichiarano eterosessuali ma sono gay-friendly; last but not least la GoDaDo FT Milano che, come le 2 squadre dell'ICONS CALCIO é un team in cui giocatori gay ed etero giocano da diverso tempo insieme senza problemi.

Il torneo inizia con il sorteggio dei 3 gironi, e subito dopo le squadre si sono incontrate in partite appassionanti, alcune di queste di alto livello. Per gli organizzatori l'evento é stato un successo, ed è stato dato il messaggio che il calcio non conosce nè razza nè orientamento sessuale ma nello sport - come nella vita- siamo tutti uguali.

Chi ha vinto? Nella finale di altissimo livello, la squadra dei Black Angels Roma ha battuto la squadra dei Kingkickers di Milano ai rigori, la coppa per il 3° posto é andata, meritatamente ai Brasitalianos.

Il vincitore in assoluto però é stato lo sport, la tolleranza e l'uguaglianza del calcio che deve essere anche precursore di fenomeni sociali non più rimandabili.

Gay football players not necessarily flamboyant, according to The Independent

In this extract from thei profile of MBE honoree Aslie Pitter, The Independent is amazed that gay men can play football without swooshing:

They do not, in other words, stand out in the crowd. No player rushes in the opposite direction of the approaching ball, arms flailing and shrieking theatrically. They perform much as one would expect of any team that plays in the Middlesex County League (albeit one currently languishing towards the bottom of the table).

Their ascension into this league, several years ago now, played a crucial part in cementing their reputation as, for want of a better term, a "proper" team. Previously, they had played only other gay teams that began to spring up in their wake – and, every four years, in the Gay Games, the world's largest sporting and cultural event organised by and specifically for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) athletes. When they found themselves promoted into a straight league, says 29-year-old first-team captain Doug Edward, straight players had to take them seriously.

"The initial reaction was, I suppose, inevitable," he says. "Most of the teams were wary of losing to a bunch of queers, or else were convinced they'd beat us easily. But once we proved our worth and beat them, regularly, that attitude stopped pretty much all together. We were just another football team, and treated accordingly."

Any vocal criticism that has come their way has emanated, perhaps surprisingly, from within the gay community itself.

"We've had far more prejudice from the gay community than we ever had from the straight," confirms team manager Eric Najib. "When they first heard of our existence, we got an awful lot of sniggers. They asked whether we were trying to be butch. All ridiculous, of course, but I suppose, to many people, gay people included, being gay means going out and drinking and dot dot dot, not indulging in sport."

Pitter says he has frequently come up against similar reactions: "I had to explain to many of my friends that, no, I don't just like show tunes but Van Halen as well. It is possible for a gay man, or woman, to like things other than the obvious. Should it really be such a surprise?" He sighs; this isn't the first time he has had to stress this.

Flag Football: The Movie trailer

More on the Flag Football: The Movie website HERE.

New episode of Compete Radio features new gay flag football movie

From Compete Radio:

Special Guest: Seth Greenleaf

Josh, Buddy, Alfonzo, Connie, Eric, and Jay are back for anotherground-breaking season of Compete Radio!

Join us this hour for our special guest, Seth Greenleaf, producer of Flag Football the Movie. Started in 2002, the National Gay Flag Football League has grown into an enormously successful organization with 21 member cities across the country.

This is the story of 4 teams and their journey through the tournament. Their training, their healing, their triumph, or their defeat. Only one team can win, but everyone can be fabulous.

View on YouTube (above) or download the mp3 HERE.