The Outfield Podcast

After a very long wait for a new episode, the Outfield Podcast returns with a great guest: Mitch Brown, who became the first player in the history of Australian Rules Football to come out as bi. There’s a lot to talk with him about, including: 3:30: Mitch has had a very busy last seven or so months since coming out publicly. What’s all that been like? 15:15: Mitch’s long journey through football t...

Episode 32 features former Finnish pro hockey player Janne Puhakka in his first English language podcast! Janne talks about his journey through the sport, what's he done since retiring and more including: 3:10: Who is Janne Puhakka? 10:50: When did he start to realize that his sexuality was different? 12:45: Is the hockey culture in Finland different or similar to the one in North America? 18:30:...

Episode 31 features broadcaster Josh Eastern, who has called games in the NWSL, USL, PHF and more. In this show, he talks about his journey to understanding himself in broadcasting as well as: 9:20: His coming out story 15:45: Understanding what it meant to be an out sports broadcaster 24:45: What does it feel like to be an out broadcaster calling games with out players in them? 41:15: Being an ou...

Episode 30 features Brian Zapp of Miami Ohio, a newly out bisexual baseball player. In this show, he talks about his journey self acceptance and coming out in baseball and more including: 3:45: Who he is and how he got into baseball 8:15: Understanding his sexuality while becoming more invested in baseball 19:45: Beginning to come out and what sparked him to do so 32:15: Driving back to Canada fro...

Episode 29 features ABC Australia broadcaster Corbin Middlemas, who talks about his journey as a gay man in Australian sports media and more, including: 6:20: How he feels in sports media after being out for nearly four years 10:45: His journey in getting into sports media 17:40: Coming to understand his sexuality in a heteronormative sports world 31:00: Some of his stories in coming out to his fr...

Episode 28 features Utica Comets broadcaster Jason Shaya, who came out as gay in October. On this show, we talk about his journey in broadcasting, his love of hockey and more including: 2:45: Growing up and getting in hockey 9:50: Getting into broadcasting, starting in wrestling 17:20: Coming to understand his sexuality 32:15: At what point did he feel comfortable talking about his sexuality in ge...

Episode 27 features newly out pitcher Kieran Lovegrove, who talks about his experiences in minor league baseball, coming out and more including: 5:45: From being born in South Africa to a love of baseball 16:15: Coming to understand his sexuality 29:15: Did he ever feel uncomfortable as a bisexual man in a baseball clubhouse? 36:00: The story of his alcoholism and his suicide attempt 1:01:35: Kier...

Episode 26 features newly out baseball player, country musician and activist Bryan Ruby, who talks about his whirlwind after coming out publicly in September in baseball and beyond, plus these topics: 6:00: Bryan's upbringing in sports and baseball 20:00: What kept him closeted for so long 36:15: Playing baseball all around the world 45:45: His most memorable coming out story 51:15: Breaking into...

Episode 25 features baseball writer Nick Stellini, and on this show, we talk about these topics and more: 4:10: Starting off in film school before going to journalism 8:15: Understaning his sexuality and his own journey 20:00: Feeling comfortable accepted in the world of baseball 31:00: Talking about the two pro players who have come out in the last month 40:30: Being more public about your sexual...

Episode 24 features former USWNT midfielder and current broadcaster Lori Lindsey. On this show, we talk about these topics and more: 9:15: Her coming out process 17:15: The evolution of women's soccer in the US along with the evolution of the prominence of out women 22:45: Being driven to make the USWNT 32:30: Getting into broadcasting 43:30: What she wants non sports broadcasters to learn about s...

Episode 23 features out soccer writer from the Athletic UK Adam Crafton. He talks about his experiences covering soccer in Britain as an out man and: 9:30: His experience understanding his sexuality 18:15: Becoming a sports journalist 32:30: Writing his recent story about the LGBTQ community in Poland ahead of the Europa League Final 43:00: Writing stories about the LGBTQ community in soccer as pa...

Episode 22 features hockey agent Bayne Pettinger, who recently came out. With Bayne we talk about these topics and more: 17:00: Becoming an agent after working for Hockey Canada 20:30: His journey of self-discovery for his sexuality 30:15: Having support from Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and others in his coming out process 42:40: What would you do if you had total control in how hockey responds...

Episode 21 features Joanna Lohman, a former US Women's National team player and current coach, activist and much more. On the show, we talk about these topics and more: 8:40: A direct legacy of the 99'ers 12:15: Going through those first women's leagues 21:00: coming out after being engaged to a guy at 21 28:45: Can we connect the visibility of the US Women to the number of LGBTQ+ identifying indi...

Episode 20 features Jonathan Kliment, the broadcaster for the FPHL's Elmira Enforcers, the only out broadcaster at any level of hockey. On this show we talk about this and more: 12:00: A non-traditional broadcasting path and a different kind of coming out process 24:30: How did his sexuality interact with his burgeoning broadcast career? 40:45: How he deals with the locker room 46:20: Going to Out...

Episode 19 features Gordie Mitchard, a former club hockey player and referee. He talks about his experiences in a sport he loves, but a sport that also made him feel unwelcome as well as: 8:40: How did he keep playing hockey even with the culture around him? 14:30: Hearing hockey's language differently as an official versus a player 20:40: his coming out story 30:00: The importance of having out L...

Episode 18 features Jeff Rueter, a soccer writer for the Athletic that recently came out publicly as bisexual. In this show, we talk about his recent public coming out and more: 2:40: Jeff's story 9:15: Being married to a bisexual woman 13:45: Coming out not just for visibility, but to be authentic for readers and listeners and to push sports media in a better direction 35:00: The story from San D...

Episode 17 features Jason Ball, a former Australian rules football player who founded Pride Cup, an organization trying to eradicate homophobia in Australian Sports. On this show, we talk about this topic and more: 7:30: His experiences as a closeted footy player 18;45: deciding to take an even bigger step with Pride Cup 26:15: where is Australian sport, particularly footy, when it comes to homoph...

Episode 16 features Rhiannon Walker, a bisexual journalist who covers the Washington Football Team for the Athletic. On this show, we talk about these topics and more: 6:15: Growing up, and coming out, in the DMV 23:45: Her experiences being bisexual 34:00: How her coming out experience made her a better journalist 50:15: Being an out black woman in a straight white man's world 56:30: Her thoughts...

Episode 15 features Derrick Gordon, the first D1 men's basketball player to come out as gay, and the first to ever make the NCAA Tournament with 3 different teams. On this show we talk about that and more: 9:30: His family, especially his twin 17:30: Playing against Kyrie Irving, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in high school 26:20: Locker room experiences in basketball 30:15: Derrick does what we all wish...

Episode 14 features former Division II kicker and current club hockey player Adam Fyrer. Adam has a unique story including coming out to multiple hockey teams, and in this show, he talks about that and more: 3:15: Adam's introduction 13:40: Coming of age in high school 21:50: Playing hockey in high school, leaving it for football in college, then coming back to it 26:15: Differences between the fo...

Episode 13 features former Nebraska kicker Eric Lueshen who is now one of the foremost advocates for LGBTQ people in sports. On this show, we talk about that and more: 5:00: Growing up in small town Nebraska 8:15: Coming out in high school 22:00: The ups and downs of coming out to the Nebraska football team 30:20: Why he felt he didn't get a chance to play? 40:45: Going from getting a PhD to advoc...

Episode 12 features Pac-12 Networks broadcaster Kate Scott, not only the first woman on this show but one of the few out women in sports media. On the show, we talk about: 4:30: Growing up in California's Central Valley 7:10: Getting into sports and finding out about sports broadcasting 13:00: Kate's journey to understanding her sexuality 21:15: Starting as a traffic reporter 27:45: Her public com...

Episode 11 features former Marian hockey player Brock Weston, who is one of the rare current or former hockey players to come out. He has one of the most interesting coming out stories yet told on this show. On the show: 14:50: How many LGBTQ people was he exposed to in his small town? 18:30: The language used in small towns and the language used in hockey 23:00: When did you start hearing anti-ga...

Episode 10 features UCLA assistant softball coach Kirk Walker, who has been out since 2005. In this show, we talk about: 5:00: Kirk's journey through life and softball 19:20: Why softball? 24:30: Was softball an escape from questions about his sexuality? 27:10: Why he resented being labeled as a gay coach, and why that subsequently changed 38:45: Being a gay man in women's sports, and being involv...

Episode 9 of the Outfield Podcast features newly out college basketball coach Matt Lynch, who talks about his journey as a gay man coaching in all levels of college basketball, what pushed him to come out now and more: 14:45: Getting into coaching 22:00: The process of getting his first job 32:30: Importance of connections 39:00: Coming out in basketball 49:00 Coming out to player 1:01:30: Why com...