NCAA Releases Guidebook For Addressing Needs Of LGBT College Athletes

Yesterday, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) released a guidebook to assist coaches, student athletes and administrators in creating an LGBT-inclusive environment in the world of college sports.

Co-authored by Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor and Pat Griffin, the director of It Takes A Team! Education Campaign for LGBT Issues in Sport, the 82-page Champions of Respect comes on the heels of a national discussion on the acceptance of LGBT athletes in professional sports.

“My work at Athlete Ally, whether speaking to professional athletes or college students, is to answer the tough questions,” said Taylor. “We need to delve deep to make sure that every sports participant can engage as a valued member of his or her team.”

The guide, the first of its kind, offers everything from accurate terminology and guidelines for coaches facing a student’s coming out, to tips on how to handle dating between teammates.

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“The N.C.A.A. and other organizations have put out bits and pieces that, if you were an athletic department, you would have to piece those things together,” Sarah Feyerherm, chair of the LGBTQ subcommittee of the committee on women’s athletics and the minority opportunities and interests, said in a statement. “What this does is put it all together in one place and addresses concerns for student-athletes, coaches and administrators.”