you can play

yesterday the national hockey league (NHL), the nation hockey league players association (NHLPA) and the you can play organization made a wonderful announcement. the nhl and nhlpa are an offical partner of the you can play organization. the you can play organization is an organization that supports equality to lebions, gays, bis, transgenders, and those who you questioning their sexuality (LGBTQ) in the sports world. it's mission statement is:

 "You Can Play is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation.You Can Play works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success.You Can Play seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills, work ethic and competitive spirit."

the nhl commissioner gary bettman had this to say regarding the partnership: 

“Our motto is 'Hockey Is For Everyone,' and our partnership with You Can Play certifies that position in a clear and unequivocal way. While we believe that our actions in the past have shown our support for the LGBTQ community, we are delighted to reaffirm through this joint venture with the NHL Players’ Association that the official policy of the NHL is one of inclusion on the ice, in our locker rooms and in the stands.”

The NHL becomes the first major American professional sports league to officially partner with an LGBTQ advocacy group on this scale. Over 100 professional hockey players have voiced their support for gay teammates. here's a video of dustin brown the captain of the LA kings and alec martinez another player on the LA kings giving their support.

You Can Play will conduct seminars at the NHL’s rookie symposium to educate young prospects on LGBTQ issues. In addition, You Can Play will make its resources and personnel available to each individual team as desired. The NHLPA and NHL also will work with You Can Play to integrate the project into their Behavioral Health Program, enabling players to confidentially seek counseling or simply ask questions regarding matters of sexual orientation.

i think this is just a wonderful cause and i'm so glad that the nhl has become an official partner. as some of you know, i'm a HUGE hockey fan (go blackhawks!) and this just makes me proud to be a hockey fan. insert beaming smile here. :)