FEATURE Sports Complex Show Me the Money: Scholarships Give Athletes a Helping Hand Jim Provenzano | October 25, 2005 Members of Chicago's Crazy Eights soccer team: Diane Dodin, front row, second from right; J.P. Amidei, front row, right. (Photo by Jim Provenzano) The Crazy Eights have only one victory so far, but that hasn't discouraged the coed soccer team. The newly formed Chicago "eight-on-eight" team (less than the full 11-member team) is focusing on the long-term goal of competing in next summer's Gay Games VII, when their newest members may include visiting athletes from South America and Croatia. Foreign athletes are among many teams and individuals that may qualify for the Chicago Games Inc. (CGI) scholarship program, which will support athletes from underrepresented countries, and even disadvantaged Americans. Financial scholarships have helped more than 850 people from around the world attend the Gay Games since 1994. The Chicago hosts of Gay Games VII and the Federation of Gay Games (FGG), governing body of the Gay Games, have begun a global campaign to inform potential participants about scholarship opportunities. The deadline for submitting applications is Jan. 1. Crazy Eights' co-founder J.P. Amidei played in recreational leagues in high school, and returned to soccer three years ago. He currently plays in four Chicago area coed leagues, some of which are part of the Chicago Sport and Social Club. "I'm the only [out] gay person in the league," he says. "But I don't think anybody else cares." Diane Dodin, also of the Chicago team, is a veterinarian who played indoor soccer at Boston University and at Delaware Valley College in Pennsylvania. To prepare for Gay Games VII, to be held July 15-22, 2006, Dodin and CGI vice co-chair Tracy Baim are developing soccer participation to include teams from near and far. "We're going to try to get some sign-ups at different soccer events, and visit some bars as well," says Dodin. "We're trying to get international teams formed." Part of that recruitment involves raising funds for an Argentinean women's team to come to Chicago for the Games. "Assisting participants with travel, housing, registration, and daily expenses is vital if the Gay Games are to serve an international community," says Paul Oostenbrug, delegate from FGG director organization Team Chicago and one of the authors of the Gay Games VII Scholarship Program. "Both the Federation and CGI recognize the need of our constituents, and together we can offer resources to address that need." "As an Asian lesbian living in Sri Lanka with no tangible income, it was necessary for me to request a scholarship to assist me to participate in the 2002 Gay Games," says Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, who played golf at Sydney's Gay Games VI. "No one had represented Sri Lanka at the Games before. I wanted the opportunity to do so." Sandra Villalobos of Colombia played soccer at Gay Games VI with scholarship assistance from FGG's Roy M. Coe Scholarship Fund, and was surprised to meet so many fellow lesbian and gay athletes. "In Colombia, it is very hard to get in touch with someone that understands you," says Villalobos. "At the Gay Games, it was more than I expected." Aimee Pine, CGI Scholarships Coordinator, says, "Building a team of translators and experts knowledgeable in global cultural differences and the complexities of international travel is a large part of the support we plan to provide for applicants." Similarly, Montreal's 1st World OutGames, to take place July 29-Aug. 5, 2006, will be providing full and partial scholarships to participants from their selected outreach communities. OutGames organizers are also working toward building LGBT sports groups in developing and underrepresented nations. In April 2005, a new LGBT sport team, Equipo Mexico, was formed, and now has over 50 members in almost a dozen sports. Marielle Dupere, executive committee member of Montreal 2006, says, "The creation of Equipo Mexico, with its goal of sending a large delegation to the OutGames, will be an important step forward in the development of LGBT sport in [Mexico]." In the United States, Nordic skier Nathaniel Brown, a medal-winning member of the U.S. Olympic Biathlon and Cross-Country Ski Teams from 1979 to 1993, has started a scholarship opportunity for LGBT college athletes. "Many gay kids simply never enter sports, and those that do are often terrified to come out and simply be who they are," says Brown. "It is a dreadful stifling of human potential and honesty." Brown started the Athletic Excellence Scholarship through the Seattle-based Pride Foundation, which, in partnership with the Greater Seattle Business Association, has given 97 students more than $230,000 in scholarships. Yet none of those were athletics-focused. So Brown kicked off his scholarship drive with a personal donation of $1,000. His goal is to establish an annual scholarship of $5,000. The Athletic Excellence Scholarship is for LGBT individuals who intend to compete in sports while attending college, or who plan to enter international competition. Applicants must work though an accredited institution, and must attend school or be based in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or Montana. "My goal is to help gay youth to claim a place in sports," says Brown, "by knowing there is help available from people who care; to provide practical support in the form of scholarship money; and to improve the overall situation by helping gay athletes to establish a visible presence in the sport of their choice." Jim Provenzano is the author of the novels PINS and Monkey Suits. Read more sports articles at www.sportscomplex.org Related stories Tackling Homophobia: Esera Tuaolo Sings Out Loud and Proud [10/10/2005] SA Gay Games bid 2010: An update [22/08/2005] For more info on Gay Sport in South Africa contact Gay Sport SA