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Reaching out to the struggling athlete
The Athlete Buddy System (ABS) provides a lifeline to gay athletes who are struggling with issues of sexual identity. Whether an athlete wants to come out to his or her teammates, coaches and family, or just needs someone to talk to, the Athlete Buddy System can help.

Our process is simple. GForce has a network of LGBT athletes who have dealt personally with issues of sexual identity and orientation. The struggling athlete need only contact us through an e-mail or text massage and we will pair them with either an ABS athlete-mentors. Once a match is made, contact with the mentor is made solely at the athlete‘s discretion and on terms mutually agreed upon via e-mail between the athlete and his/her mentor. Sometimes all they need is to know that they have someone to call, an ear that will listen, and a heart that will advise.

The ABS mentor pool is comprised of both men and women from a broad range of athletic disciplines including hockey, lacrosse, basketball, football, wrestling, soccer, skiing, golf and tennis. Matches between caller and mentor are not made based on geography, sport or age, but rather on schedule — which a mentor is most available to help — and gender. We have found that the experiences of gay athletes, while similar in some ways, vary greatly across gender so it is likely that matches will be gender-specific.

For additional information, contact the ABS coordinator by clicking HERE.

Click HERE to read more specifics about the program and its policies — including how we help LGBT athletes who are minors.

Click HERE to read stories or view videos about gay athletes.
The Athlete Buddy System provides a safe haven where athletes can discuss their sexual identity issues. By pairing the struggling athlete with a mentor who has dealt with the same issues, the Athlete Buddy System helps LGBT athletes establish a foundation through which they better understand themselves and provides a framework for them to analyze and solve issues with their teammates, coaches and family. The mandate of the program is simple: no gay athlete needs to deal with these issues alone.