Anne Barr - Sports Leadership in Atlanta

Anne Barr is a fantastic leader in the state of Georgia, USA.   She coaches women's softball and is true sports heroine.  Read the GayWired.com article about Anne Barr and you will be delighted to see a success story in softball.

Article by Dylan Vox
Click HERE for the article on GayWired.com.

IGLA article on GayWired.com web site

A nice article about Gay and Lesbian Swim clubs and the history of IGLA appears on GayWired.com web site.


Click here to read the article:
Get In the Gay Swim of Things
Enjoy watersports with gay swim teams
By Neil Plakcy

ESPN Article about Gay Athletes

ESPN.com has an interesting article about the Aspen Friendship Cup, a hockey game comprised of gay players playing against a team of straight players. The article is written by LZ Granderson. He also writes about the progress for gay athletes in general in this article.

Click here to read his article.

OutNow Magazine article about Gay Games January 2008

Several Federation of Gay Games board members were interviewed for OutNow Magazine for the January 2008 issue. The article detailed the success of the 25th Anniversary Legacy Dinner and the future direction of the Gay Games.

Click here for the full magazine PDF online. (The file size is 6 MB.)

Jack Mackenroth Profiled by OutSports.com

Jack Mackenroth is profiled by OutSports.com. Jack has been in 5 Gay Games and is preparing for Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010. He recently appeared on the television show Project Runway, but dropped out due to an illness. He was a favorite on the show. He is quite an athlete and a model for the gay culture.

Read the OutSports.com article by clicking HERE.

Kate Rowe Gay Games VP of Diversity in SSO Article

Sydney Star Observer - Issue 900 - Published 1/10/2008

KATE CONQUERS THE WORLD STAGE by Wayne Morgan

Gay Games VP of Diversity in Sydney Star Observer article.
Kate Rowe is an amazing athlete and volunteer.
Read the full article by clicking HERE.

WNY NCAA Swim Team Captain Comes Out

Saint Bonaventure University Swim Team Captain Scott Jordan talks about coming out to his team.

Here is a nice story about a College swim team captain that was able to "come out" to his team and gain respect. We all can be proud of his strength and leadership.

To read an article from Outcome, Boston's gay newspaper, click HERE.

Saint Bonaventure University Swim Team Captain Scott Jordan talks about coming out to his team.

Jessica Waddel Lewinstein becomes Team SF board member

Team San Francisco 2008 Board Announcement

Team San Francisco held their general membership meeting last month and elected our 2008 Board of Directors. They have one new face on the board that many of you may already know. Jessica Waddell Lewinstein is their newest member and will be one of their delegates representing Team SF to the Federation of Gay Games. Jessica is the child of Sara Waddell Lewinstein and Dr. Tom Waddell.

Returning board members are: Tyler Cole, Glenn Galang, Michelle Mateychuk, Garland Murphy, and Sanford Smith.

Outsports' year-end awards - John Amaechi

Gay Games Ambassador John Amaechi honored with Outsports' year-end awards as 2007 Outsports story of 2007.

Read the entire story by clicking HERE.

Read his article on the Gay Games web site by clicking HERE.

Ambassador Chris Morgan thanks Gay Games

Dylan Vox reports for This Week in Texas Magazine. Read how Chris started his power lifting career at Gay Games V in Amsterdamn in 1998. He went to Sydney Gay Games VI in 2002. He has gone on to winning in world class competition and returned to Chicago Gay Games VII in 2002.

Powerlifter Chris Morgan Thanks Gay Games for His Success

By Dylan Vox

Click here to read the article on This Week In Texas Magazine.

Click here to read the all the Gay Games web site about all the Gay Games Ambassadors.

Click here to check out Chris's web site called chunkymuscle.com

http://www.chunkymuscle.com/

GayWired.com article about Tom Waddell

Building a Gay Sports Legacy

The Story of Tom Waddell
by Dylan Vox

Tom Waddell is often credited with making the biggest contribution to the gay sports movement ever by founding the first Gay Games, but there is a story behind the great man of triumph and tragedy that is often never told. An Olympian himself, Waddell knew the pressures of competition, but as a gay man, that competition was only half of his battle.

Click HERE to read the full article on gaywired.com.

IAfrica.com Gay Games article

Sexuality and sport?
By Rebekah Kendal

IAfrica.com Lifestyle section presents a positive story about Gay Games and LGBT sports. It is wonderful to see quality stories about Gay Games coming out of South Africa. Click HERE to link to the article and enjoy!

1,000 day countdown begins until the Gay Games in Cologne, Germany!

Gay Games Cologne Issues Newsletter 4

In less than three years, Cologne will play host to athletes from all over the world. Some 12,000 participants from more than 70 countries will attend Gay Games VIII in Cologne in 2010. Preparations are well under way, and several crucial milestones have been achieved. CLICK HERE for full article.

John Amaechi in New GLAAD Video

Gay Games Ambassador John Amaechi joins GLAAD's "Be An Ally & A Friend" PSA Campaign. John worked with GLAAD to create new 20-30 second public service announcements. These PSAs can be seen on many television networks.

Click HERE to see the GLAAD web site video.

Click HERE to read the GLAAD press release.

RealJock.com Photo Slide Show

Real Jock web site hosts an impressive photo slide show provided by the Federation of Gay Games.

http://www.realjock.com/slideshow/979

Gay Games VII Photo Book Published

More than 1,000 images in new 4-color Book

The excitement and joy of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago are captured in a new 208-page 4-color glossy photo soft-cover book available online from the web site www.lulu.com. The book features more than 1,000 images of the sports, culture and ceremonies of Gay Games VII, which were held July 15-22, 2006.

Click here for the full article.

Gay Games VIII Cologne Promotional Video

Between July 31st and August 7th in 2010 the Gay Games VIII will take place in Cologne, Germany. Thousand of international participants from all over the world are expected to take part in this sport and cultural event. Participant figures are reaching almost Olympic size.

Preregistration has started!

David Kopay gives $1 million

David Kopay gives $1 million to UW Q Center endowment

Gay Games Ambassador Dave Kopay is leaving $1 million to the University of Washington Q Center as a legacy donation. This will ensure that the Q Center remains active and helps LGBT students in financial need a way to complete education goals at the University of Washington. David Kopay was an amazing player at UW and he wanted a way to thank the UW for what the experience gave him in life. He continues to be a hero.

Here is the Seattle Times article:
Here is the Seattle Gay News article:
Wikipedia David Kopay Biography:

New issue of Participate!

Newsletter of the Federation of Gay Games - Volume IV Issue 1

Topics include:

• San Francisco Hosts 25th Anniversary in October - Join Us!
  
• AT&T, ORBITZ AND THE BOB ROSS FOUNDATION LEAD SPONSORS OF 25th ANNIVERSARY LEGACY WEEKEND


• NEW MEMBERSHIP ASSEMBLY MEETS IN OCTOBERBoard restructuring enables increased participation at all levels


• IGLFA BECOMES FIRST LGBT SPORTS GROUP TO HOLD INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SOUTH AMERICA
  
• SEND US YOUR PHOTOS AND STORIES!
  We're looking for photos from past Gay Games – especially I, II and III – for our 25th anniversary celebration and future Gay Games promotion.
  
• CHICAGO GAY GAMES COMMEMORATIVE BOOK COMES OUT SEPTEMBER 2007
  
• GAMES COLOGNE NEWS -- GAY GAMES VIII WILL BE GREAT


• Pre-Registration for Gay Games VIII is open now!


• GAY GAMES VII PARTICIPANT SATISFACTION SURVEY

Fund Raising Success

Seattle Frontrunners hosted the 24th annual Run and Walk with Pride on June 23, 2007 with the help and support of Team Seattle. Team Seattle Board Members Kelly Stevens and Robby Davis, and Tim Murphy agreed to do the fundraising and promotion to the greater LGBT community in Seattle. 2007 Run and Walk with Pride had a 17 year record number of runners and walkers and raised the most money in 24 years. Half of the proceeds were given to Lambert House and half to Team Seattle. Partnership in fund-raising works! The money for Team Seattle is designated for international sports support, including Gay Games VIII Cologne.

CLICK HERE for a full report

Forbes.com Talks about Chicago Gay Games

Forbes.com video talks with Todd Evans of Rivendell Media about sponsorship, marketing and the why companies are smart to focus on the Gay Games.

http://www.forbes.com/video/?video=fvn/business/ms_games071406

Kelly

2006 Gay Games Financial Success

Chicago's 2006 Gay Games Declared a Financial Success

At one-year anniversary, Chicago closes books on international sports & cultural festival

One year after Chicago hosted nearly 12,000 sport and cultural participants at the 2006 Gay Games®, Chicago Games, Inc., (CGI) the host organization for the event, announced today that it has completed the post-Games fundraising and wind down process and that the 2006 Gay Games broke even. Such a positive financial result reverses a 20-year trend, having not been achieved since Gay Games II in 1986. CGI accomplished the result with 2 fewer years planning time than most Gay Games. Click Here for the full story.

Peg Grey First Female Co-Chair of FGG died Feb. 24

Peg Grey, one of the most important and pioneering activists in Chicago’s GLBT community, died Feb. 24 of complications from cancer. She was 61.

Peg Grey was the first female co-chair of the Federation of Gay Games ( FGG ) , which was officially formed after Gay Games II. Peg Grey participated in every Gay Games since 1986, including Chicago Gay Games VII. She ran in the torch run for the first Gay Games, in San Francisco in 1982.

Bay Area Reporter
http://ebar.com/columns/column.php?sec=sports&article=111

Windy City Times
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=14135

Official Gay Games VII DVD Now Available

Ceremonies, athletes, culture and the City of Chicago once again take center stage in full-length film

Just in time for the holiday gift season, the organizers of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago have released a feature-length DVD with more than two hours of coverage from the huge July sports & cultural festival. With national distribution by Wolfe Video, the DVD is available for sale for US$14.95 online at WolfeVideo.com.

Click here for the full article.

Team Chicago at Gay Games VII

Team Chicago members played an active role in supporting the first bid by Chicago 2006 and the second (successful) bid by Chicago Games Inc. to host Gay Games VII. We partnered with Chicago Games Inc. to sponsor the Federation’s annual meeting in Chicago in November of 2003. More than 1,200 Team Chicago members, 500 people in Team Chicago tee shirts, and 500 others from the Chicago area marched triumphantly into Soldier Field for the Opening Ceremony of Gay Games VII on July 15, 2006. We welcomed the world to Chicago, won hundreds of medals, and had a great time.

Opening Ceremony Was Colorful (and Hot)

The flaggers were one of the many visually interesting elements during Opening Ceremony.

DC athletes return from Chicago Gay Games with a Trove of Medals

Team DC, comprised of local sportsmen and women, returned from Chicago triumphant with more than 40 medals after Gay Games VII concluded on July 22, following a week of competition among varying levels of gay athletes.

“We did extremely well as a team,” says Brent Minor, president of Team DC and a board member of the Federation of Gay Games, the organizing group behind the event. “I feel good about Team DC’s performance.”

RealJock.com Article on Chicago Gay Games

Athletes shine at Gay Games Opening Ceremonies

By Jeff Titterton

Sure, an impressive parade of gay and gay-friendly stars came out to celebrate and perform at the opening of the seventh Gay Games—Megan Mullaly of "Will & Grace" fame, Erasure’s Andy Bell, and comedian Margaret Cho, among others—but the real stars of the show were the almost 12,000 athletes who made their way to Chicago’s Soldier Field last night to honor their home countries and local teams.

http://www.realjock.com/article/283/

My Fourth Gay Games

This is my fourth Games. The first in New York. The Seattle Men's Chorus was the guest of the New York Chorus, and we sang at Carnegie Hall. A member of the chorus who was a runner, Steve Bergland, told me I should register for the Games since they were during that same week. I had not ever heard of the Gay Games. I registered for the 5K road run and fortunately it was in the AM . Originally it was scheduled for the PM. We didn't know how we would make it to Carnegie in time to sing and be dressed in our tuxedo. We discussed dressing in a taxi as we road to the Hall. Fortunately, it was changed the week before the games to AM. I won a Gold medal and I wore my medal at the Concert that night. We had four standing ovations in our 40 minute concert. That was a thrill to walk on the that famous stage for the first time with my medal around my neck. I had been in the chorus only 3 years at that time. I just finished my 15th year last week. I have participated in every Games since then. I will also be in Montreal with my team. That day 24 June 1994, will be remembered for ever by me. Thanks for the opportunity to tell my story. I was 58 years old then.

Jerry Lewis - Seattle Frontrunners

Share Your Story about Gay Games VII

Is this your first Gay Games or your 7th Gay Games? Tell your story in your words. You are welcome to submit updates or email me to remove or change your story.

July 2006 Chicago, IL, USA

This is my first Gay Games. I am very excited. I was planning to attend for only a couple days and fly back to Seattle. I had the privilege to meet Paul Mart, one of the 3 co-founders of the Gay Games while he was in Seattle in June of 2005. He really made an impression on me about Tom Waddell's vision. Paul also charmed me and explained the entire weeks events that I could expect. I extended my stay to 9 days and entered 1 more event. I also started training, losing weight, getting faster. I ran the Seattle Masters Track Event July 8th and did a personal best at the 5000m race. I will be running the 10K race on Monday morning and the 5000m track event on Friday. You will see me at your events. Let the Games begin!

Kelly Stevens - Co-Chair Team Seattle - Seattle Frontrunners