Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013, January 01, 2013, Image 21

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Just out., January 01, 2013, Page 21, Image 21

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Newspaper Page TextStrength. Weakness. Challenge. Practice. Improvement. Victory. Defeat. Blood. Sweat. Tears. Endorphins. Exhaustion. Breakdown. Comeback. The game. Set. Match. Team. Solitude. Nature. Love. Josh Todd You’re in pictorial for running. What types of running do you do? Do you compete? I run marathons mostly, have completed 4 and am training for my fifth in Eugene this April. I compete, but only with myself; that’s the great thing about running — you don’t have to be an elite athlete to always push for better and faster. Alyx Wynn How does being out affect your playing (if at all)? Being out doesn’t affect my playing at all. All my teammates, past and present, have no problem with my sexual orientation. When I came out to my high school teammates, they just chuckled and said, “well, duh.” And la- crosse is a pretty gay sport (laughs), I’m pretty sure lacrosse players are assumed gay until proven otherwise. Kate Bergsgaard For those who have little knowledge of how karate works — are you part of a team or league? I studied Taekwondo and Karate. There are different national “leagues” or “organizations” if you will, but I stud- ied specifically at smaller local schools with about 50 - 60 students per school. Some schools are accredited by different organizations and compete in different sponsored tournaments within an organization around the nation or world. Will Doering You are in the article for wakeboarding. How has it impacted your personal health? The camaraderie that is around wakeboarding has provided me the opportunity to be part of a sport that pushes per- sonal development of mind and body. Every time you jump out of the boat into the water your body reacts — muscles become tense and your adrenaline levels jump. Wakeboarding takes concentration; your mind is always thinking about waves, boats, speed, edge check, not face planting. By the end of the run your legs, arms, abdomen and back are tense and you get the feeling of self accomplishment that mind and body experience like action sports so often provide. Jamie Melton You’re in the article for basketball. What team(s) do you play for? I currently play small forward for the Portland Trail Blazers (see my January 2013 jersey?!). That is a good answer, right? I am currently not playing on a team. If that was a requirement, I didn’t get the message, but I have played competitively and leisurely my whole life, in high school and intramurals in college. In my ripe age, I mostly just play for leisure and love of the game. Lauren Harms What league are you in? Is it friendly or serious, or perhaps a mix of both? We belong to the nationwide women’s contact football league — the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA). It’s a serious league with around 65 teams nationwide. Ben Nystrom Is there anything special or unique for you when it comes to the overlap of your identity and your sport? I think of myself as a gay man about as much as I think of myself as a soccer play- er. They are both important parts of who I am, but they certainly don’t define me. They overlap in the way that all other aspects of my identity have overlapped to create the person I am today. Kenny Stachovich You’re in pictorial for rugby. What team do you play on, and what’s the league like? I play for the ORSU (Oregon Rugby Sports Union) Jesters, Portland’s premier rugby club and one of the more storied sporting organizations in the Pacific Northwest. We are able to field two competitive teams that play in Division II and Division III of the Pacific Northwest Rugby Union. I play for the latter side, which is a mix of aged veterans and inexperienced younger players. I love this mix, as it has allowed me to learn from some amazing players from around the world that have decided to wrap up their careers with us. Marco Melendez You’re in pictorial for kettlebell lifting. Can you give us a brief descrip- tion of what that is? The SKOGG system is a combination of cardio and weight training in one workout that is all done by using kettle- bells. This system allows you to increase your strength, flexibility and power. I realized that I was burning more calories in an hour than any other workout I tried in the past. § Note: Not all models were available for this interview. JustOut.com 21