by Alec Williams
In May 2016, Colorado Mesa University received its fair share of backlash following the revelation that CMU baseball coach Sean McKinney had previously made homophobic comments in the locker room. McKinney made a public apology for his comments and the university pledged to improve.
As CMU begins the fall semester of 2016, a partnership was formed with the pro-LGBTQ program You Can Play. The program was launched in 2012 in an effort to expel some of the homophobic views in athletics, using their slogan “If you can play, you can play.” Openly gay athletes across the country and different sports organizations have made official endorsements with the program including the NHL, CFL and CLS. CMU organized a panel discussion on Saturday and Sunday for student organization leaders and student athletes, respectively, concerning diversity in sports and across campus.
The panel was made up of openly-gay athletes from varying sports and profession levels. Angela Hucles, who is a two- time Olympic gold medalist and president of the Women’s Sport Foundation. Andrew Goldstein is the first openly gay professional athlete, who played lacrosse for the Long Island Lizards. Glenn Wittman is the co-founder of You Can Play and former hockey player with Hobart College. Sam Knollmeyer and Jaron Thomas are two current openly gay college students participating in athletics.
“I think exactly what CMU is doing now, to do trainings, so it never happens again […] this was the best way to go about that – use it as a learning experience,” Wittman said on last semester’s events.
All athletes from every sport on campus were encouraged to attend the panel discussion which lasted for an hour in the University Center ballroom on Sunday. An estimated 650 people were attendance, ranging from students, coaches and administrators. “This was one of the most impressive groups I’ve ever seen,” Goldstein said.
CMU President Tim Foster opened the panel discussion by calling for applause for the strides that McKinney has made since May. “We owe [him] a big round of applause for stepping up and taking the steps he’s taken on behalf of himself and this university,” Foster said.
“He’s been nothing but warm to all of us and certainly excited about the impact he can make on this community,” Goldstein said on Sean McKinney.
The panelists spoke to the crowd on various topics concerning the correct language to have in the locker room and giving athletes a welcoming atmosphere no matter their
sexual orientation. Students also took the opportunity to ask the panel any questions they had regarding LGBTQ in athletics. “They may have felt a little bit uncomfortable, but it’s a conversation that has to be had. I was looking out in the crowd and they were paying attention, which is unbelievable,” Wittman
said following the panel.
Sean McKinney will remain in his position as assistant baseball coach for CMU in the coming semester. “I think we’re all going to be better coaches now for this […] inclusion of all people is very important and we all have value […] Moving forward, it’s going to be great to create those opportunities for people to have a safe environment,” McKinney said.
For more information on the You Can Play Project and their efforts visit their site at http:// www.youcanplayproject.org.
