Since beginning NHL play in 2021, the Seattle Kraken’s young history has been filled with big firsts. The team’s first playoff appearance. The first team to eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champions in their first playoff appearance. In 2024, they will secure the first shutout victory in NHL Winter Classic history. Prior to the fourth season, they hired Jessica Campbell as the first female full-time assistant coach in NHL history.
Along with Campbell, another milestone in an underappreciated identity on hockey’s biggest stage has become part of the lore of the newest NHL team. team announced Last week, Justin Rodgers was promoted to the role of head trainer, making him the first openly gay man to hold such a position in the NHL, if not all of American men’s professional sports.
Rogers’ reputation is well known to Kraken executives. The man responsible for getting the team ready for on-ice action spent the last three years of a career dating back more than a decade as the Kraken’s assistant trainer.
The team’s announcement emphasized that Rodgers’ presence in professional hockey “continues to open doors for the LGBTQ+ community.”
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Mr. Rogers came out publicly last November and drew praise. letter to my younger self The article, published on the team’s official website, describes his journey through life and hockey, understanding and celebrating his identity.
“Live with integrity and in doing so you will make a difference and even save lives,” Rogers wrote. “I promise you that every moment of struggle and doubt you have ever had is worth it because of each story you have heard and impacted. Continue to be yourself, continue to build community, and continue to do this.” Please continue to show love to others as you have been loved by so many.
Since then, he has become an integral part of the team’s LGBTQ initiatives, praising organizations such as: Seattle Hockey Pride Association An organization that organizes tournaments specifically for LGBTQ players.
His new position demonstrates his talent in sports medicine and the personal support the Kraken organization has shown him.
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Source: Outsports – www.outsports.com
