Original image courtesy of Sky Sports
Prost Amerika is proud to welcome its latest columnist Adam McCabe. His column will be called “The Gay Footballer” because that’s what Adam is … and he is proud of both facts.
Adam currently plays for the Georgia Revolution in the NPSL. His route there is as unique as he is.
He attended Vassar College and had a successful Freshman Season with the Men’s Soccer Team during the 2010-2011 season. In England, Adam was an important figure in leading Eccheshill United to its first ever West Riding County Cup against Harrogate Town.
He caught the eye at a professional level of West Yorkshire club Bradford City, but visa issues prevented him pursuing his professional career in England. He spent time in Thailand and Slovakia, before returning to Atlanta in 2015.
He currently coaches soccer for a local Atlanta private school and owns Atlanta Soccer Training. As a fan, his loyalties are split between his English team, Champions League bound, Liverpool FC and his home town team. Atlanta United FC.
While at Bradford, Adam met Bradford based gay rights activist Lindsay England. Prost met Lindsay at the Raise Your Game 18 Conference at Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium, a conference organised by the anti-racist campaigning organisation kickitout.org. She was advocating for her anti-homophobia “Just a Ball Game” organisation
Lindsay England enjoying her downtime at the Raise Your Game 18 Conference at Arsenal FC
Adam too is an activist as well as a footballer.
He is a founding member and serves on the board of the LGBTQ supporters group of Atlanta United FC, AllStripes.
More generally, his advocacy surrounds the LGBTQ community and especially how they relate to the world of sport.
He first came to the attention of the UK audience following Jon Holmes’ groundbreaking article, A gay footballer’s story: Adam McCabe on homophobia, mental health, and falling in love with soccer all over again, on Sky Sports.
In Holmes’ wide ranging interview, Adam talks about the incredible pressure of holding his homosexuality internally until the brave moment that changed the landscape for him, when former Columbus Crew player Robbie Rogers’ came out.
“It was the first story I felt I could identify with, and made me very emotional. I knew I could be a professional footballer and also be gay, but I doubted whether I could actually be open about it.
“When Robbie came out, I felt I could at least take a breath. I was very fearful of what might happen if I told people my secret, because it’s still very hyper-masculine around sports. I was also afraid that Robbie wouldn’t come back to football; I badly wanted there to be an active, openly gay soccer player. I had hope and confidence that he would return to the game, because I had watched him growing up and I knew he was a very good player.
“Suddenly, here was Robbie able to be honest with everyone, and me thinking I would live this lie throughout my entire life and end up marrying a woman and have kids. I’d never thought I’d be able to be open and be my real self. But he allowed me to have that belief – he settled me.”
Adam’s first article is called “The Atlanta United FC experience; An LGBTQ fans’ perspective” and will appear later this week. It tells the story of how Atlanta fans successfully found a way to drown out the “puto”chant.
You can find Adam McCabe on Facebook, and on Instagram @Shakiro_850.
You can also reach out to Adam via the comments section on his articles. If you wish us to pass your comment on to him privately, please say so and we will pass it on and not publish it.
Please welcome Adam McCabe, gay footballer and now star columnist.
