Spring Break
Goalie comes out, reveals double life
Players accept goalie, give him positive reactions
PETER STEINBAUER
Issue date: 3/2/07 Section: News
Hoos said he told Fisher he thought it was not an issue.
Hoos was correct. Teammates accepted Fisher's sexuality.
"I judge people, and I think team members judge people, based on their character," Hoos said.
Fisher was surprised all the reactions from his teammates were positive.
"They offer their support," Fisher said.
"But it's about as important as my eye color. It's a lot more fun to hate on Georgia Tech," he added.
Before Fisher came out, Williams said he was quiet and reserved around teammates.
"It facilitated trying to get to know him on a level we wanted to get to know him on," Williams said, noting he and Fisher have become closer in the past year.
Fisher played on the practice squad his first two seasons. He started one game last year at South Carolina, giving up two goals in a loss.
The issue of gay athletes particularly is important after former NBA player John Amaechi announced his homosexuality last month. Amaechi is the first player associated with the NBA to come out.
"I know he would rather receive accolades for winning games," Hoos said. "More than the attention he's getting for his sexuality."
Hoos was correct. Teammates accepted Fisher's sexuality.
"I judge people, and I think team members judge people, based on their character," Hoos said.
Fisher was surprised all the reactions from his teammates were positive.
"They offer their support," Fisher said.
"But it's about as important as my eye color. It's a lot more fun to hate on Georgia Tech," he added.
Before Fisher came out, Williams said he was quiet and reserved around teammates.
"It facilitated trying to get to know him on a level we wanted to get to know him on," Williams said, noting he and Fisher have become closer in the past year.
Fisher played on the practice squad his first two seasons. He started one game last year at South Carolina, giving up two goals in a loss.
The issue of gay athletes particularly is important after former NBA player John Amaechi announced his homosexuality last month. Amaechi is the first player associated with the NBA to come out.
"I know he would rather receive accolades for winning games," Hoos said. "More than the attention he's getting for his sexuality."
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 14
Jim
posted 3/02/07 @ 8:46 AM EST
Great article! I'm a straight male, but applaud the courage of Joey, especially on a college level when it's even harder to come out to teammates. Just as importantly, I applaud the team and their coach for handling the situation with class. (Continued…)
Joy Strickland
posted 3/02/07 @ 9:00 AM EST
Um..... I was present when the Red & Black reported called the Exec Director of Lambda Alliance for statements on this story. I feel he left out an important aspect of the story - that UGA, in general social circles AND at and institutional level, is not nearly as accepting as the members of our awesome hockey team. (Continued…)
Jim
posted 3/02/07 @ 9:20 AM EST
Sorry to hear of your experiences, but I will say UGA and Athens is far more accepting than many places I have lived and I've "been around." Hang in there, you do have a lot of support--the 50's and 60's had the struggle for women's rights, the 70's and '80's had the struggle for african american rights, and the 90's and '00s are now the struggle for gay rights. (Continued…)
Hoot owl
posted 3/02/07 @ 12:22 PM EST
How does this club hockey news make the front page? Wow a gay athlete comes out, it would be more shocking if he had won a single game he played in his four years he has been on the team. (Continued…)
Really Hoot?
posted 3/02/07 @ 5:23 PM EST
Wow Hoot, first you flame the www.hockey101.com forums, and now you are dragging up your nonsense on a college newspaper you aren't even affliated with. (Continued…)
Joy Strickland
posted 3/02/07 @ 9:16 PM EST
Jim,
You are completely misinformed. If you had bothered to read the origin of this article - printed on an Out zine then you would know that the story was in fact about the struggles of coming out in two hostile environments (environments I live in). (Continued…)
Nathan Hendricks
posted 3/02/07 @ 9:37 PM EST
hrm. these comments are getting a little spicy. Jim, you make a great point by focusing on the positive take home message of the article, but I think it's important that we also acknowledge where Joy's coming from. (Continued…)
Wanda
posted 3/03/07 @ 9:54 AM EST
Great article! I'm a huge hockey fan and applaud Joey for coming out. I am a straight, married, Catholic female, but I totally support gay/lesbian/transgender issues and struggles. (Continued…)
PK
posted 3/03/09 @ 10:32 PM EST
Joey is one of the nicest people in the world. I too applaud him for this honesty. I have known him since he was young and he will only add the best to communities, organizations,and friends that he is involved with. (Continued…)
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