Pittsburgh Penguins Named Inclusion Champion by You Can Play
By
Benjamin Gottschalk
Pittsburgh Penguins
This honor acknowledged the efforts made by the Penguins to reach out to the LGBTQ+ community and make them feel welcomed inside the sport of hockey, in areas such as education, arena visibility, fundraising, social media, and resource sharing.
"Our organization has made a dedicated commitment to supporting Pride and the NHL's Hockey is For Everyone platform," said Amanda Susko, Senior Director of the Penguins Foundation. "So, to be recognized for these efforts over the past few seasons means a lot, as it shows that our work is noticed and making a difference."
Kurt Weaver, Chief Operating Officer of You Can Play, presented the award to Penguins President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke and the rest of the organization in a special on-ice moment a few hours prior to puck drop.
"Some of the criteria that we looked at is taking a more holistic approach to Pride," Weaver said. "A Pride game is the first step. Getting involved in June is another step. Then, what are you doing between June and the Pride Game to be authentic with the community, make connections, and really welcome the LGBTQ+ community into hockey?"
Weaver mentioned the open skate event hosted by the Pittsburgh Tigers, the city's first LGBTQ+ friendly hockey team, on Saturday at the Hunt Armory as just one example of making those authentic connections.
"The LGBTQ+ community loves those who love them back, and I think it's evident with the Penguins that they truly do enjoy the community," Weaver said. "They appreciate it and welcome them in.
And while those efforts are notable, both Weaver and Susko emphasized the importance of education. "Whether that's sharing resources with our own staff or with the Penguins fan base and community, to me, that is the most important aspect of receiving this award," Susko said. "We are trying to do what we can to make a difference in the community and show that PPG Paints Arena is a welcoming place."
Weaver said visibility is the most important aspect of any Pride initiative, and that it truly saves lives. Seeing the Penguins players wearing special jerseys with the Progress Pride flag and using rainbow tape on their sticks makes a huge difference.
"You're not going to see every child out there who's watching the game tonight and thinking, 'Wait a second, I might be able to stick with hockey… Or I might be able to join hockey and play it when I thought maybe I wasn't welcome in sports…' So, we never will know the full impact, but we certainly have heard those anecdotes," Weaver said.
"We've heard from people who don't just say, 'I feel welcome to hockey and to play the game', but 'my life was saved. I was considering something horrible and harmful, and I came back from that because I saw somebody else out there speaking the language to me and reaching out, saying, you're welcome here'. So, visibility is massive for a community."
For the Penguins' first-ever Pride Game, the organization teamed up with the Buffalo Sabres, for the NHL's first joint Pride Game.
"Now, this game has become a much-anticipated date on the calendar, which definitely means a lot," Susko said. "It's become a tradition for us, and it means a lot to the organization that the fanbase has embraced the Pride Game."
Weaver appreciates the leadership shown by Penguins' President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke, who helped launch the You Can Play Project in 2012 in honor of his late son Brendan, who came out as gay shortly before passing away in a car accident. Brian Burke has been a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ+ community for many years.
"But it goes A to Z, it's top to bottom," Weaver said. "It's to the security staff in the stadium, it's the fans who come out to the games. It's every single person. We can't thank the Penguins enough. Club of the Year is a big deal for us, and we certainly appreciate that the Penguins had us out here for this."
